A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court · Chapter
XVI: Morgan le Fay explained
Hank Morgan and Sandy visit the castle of Morgan le Fay, King Arthur's sister.
What happens
Hank Morgan and Sandy visit the castle of Morgan le Fay, King Arthur's sister. Hank reflects on his scheme to use soap missionaries to undermine knight errantry and the Church. He meets Morgan, who is beautiful but cruel, as demonstrated when she casually kills a page. Hank's identity as 'The Boss' saves him from imprisonment.
Themes in this chapter
Technology vs. Superstition
Hank uses soap and advertising as tools of modernization to undermine superstition and the Church.
Power and Corruption
Morgan le Fay's absolute power leads to casual murder and tyranny within her castle.
Religion and Hypocrisy
Hank views the Established Church as a 'slave-pen' and uses soap to subtly attack its authority.
Characters to notice
- Hank Morgan
Narrator and protagonist; reflects on his soap missionary scheme and meets Morgan le Fay.
- Sandy
Travels with Hank; reveals Hank's identity as 'The Boss' to save them from Morgan's dungeons.
- Morgan le Fay
Hostess; beautiful, cruel, and feared as a sorceress; kills a page without hesitation.
- King Uriens
Morgan's husband; kind-faced but subdued and fearful of his wife.
- Sir Uwaine
Son of Morgan and Uriens; present at the castle.
- La Cote Male Taile
Soap missionary encountered by Hank; failed to sell soap at Morgan's castle.
Key passages
“If knights errant were to be believed, not all castles were desirable places to seek hospitality in.”
Hank notes that knights errant are not trustworthy, so one should be cautious about castles.
Hank's pragmatic skepticism about medieval hospitality.
“She slipped a dirk into him in as matter-of-course a way as another person would have harpooned a rat!”
Morgan le Fay stabbed the page as casually as someone would kill a rat.
Illustrates Morgan's casual cruelty and lack of remorse.
“It was plain to me that La Cote Male Taile had failed to see the mistress of the house.”
Hank realizes that La Cote never actually met Morgan le Fay during his visit.
Explains why La Cote's soap mission failed.