The Once & Future King (by T.H. White)
Study Guide Questions
BOOK ONE: “The Sword in the Stone”
1. Identify key characteristics of each of the following characters:
WART:
KAY:
SIR ECTOR:
SIR GRUMMORE:
KING PELLINORE:
ARCHIMEDES:
ROBIN WOOD:
THE QUESTING BEAST:
MERLYN:
2. What is the setting of this portion of the story?
3. What type of point of view/narrator is telling the story?
4. Define the term “quest.” Why is this important to the characters in the
story and humans in general?
5. What bothers Wart about his relationship to Kay and to Sir Ector?
6. How does Wart first meet Merlyn?
7. Describe Merlyn’s appearance when Wart first meets him. What untidy
habits does he have?
8. How did Merlyn know the Wart before he meets him? What is Merlyn’s
time issue?
9. What role does Merlyn begin to fulfill in Wart’s life?
10. What’s the story behind Wat and the Dog Boy? Where does the Dog Boy
live now and with whom does he have a special relationship?
11. What is T.H. White’s tone when discussing/describing knights in his
story?
12. What is King Pellinore’s family burden to carry?
13. How do the skills/personalities of Wart and Kay differ?
14. How do Sir Grummore and King Pellinore meet? What is the end result of
their joust? What is Merlyn’s attitude towards knight’s jousting, etc.?
15. Why did Robin Wood become known as Robin Hood(lum)?
16. What happens during Kay’s adventure?
17. How do King Pellinore and the Questing Beast need each other? What
happens to the Questing Beast and how is he restored?
18. How was Sir Ector a great/compassionate leader?
19. In the 6 years Merlyn has been at the castle, how have things changed?
How has Merlyn changed in contrast?
20. What strange theory does Badger teach Wart about creation/evolution?
How does Badger view man as compared to other animals?
21. In the closing chapters of Book One, what is happening in Kay’s life; what
has happened to the King of England, and how is Wart’s destiny being
realized?
22. The very last paragraphs of Book One reveal what about Wart’s heritage?
23. Name the four main animals/birds Wart was turned into and the lessons
learned.
The Once & Future King -- Study Guide Questions
BOOK TWO: “The Queen of Air and Darkness”
1. Identify and describe the four children shown in Chapter 1.
2. Who is their mother, and how does she treat them?
3. Who was the boys’ grandmother? What happened to her?
4. What two plots run simultaneously throughout Book Two?
5. Who else was a child of the Countess of Cornwall?
6. How is Arthur described in Chapter 2?
7. How do Merlyn’s and Arthur’s view of war differ? What amusing habit
does Merlyn have when he’s frustrated? (We saw it in Book One also.)
8. What is the problem between England and Ireland? (The Gaels and the
Galls?) (p. 225-228)
9. What lesson does Merlyn want to teach the young king? How is this
different from the chivalry of his father Uther Pendragon?
10. Who are the Cornwall Sisters, and why are they dangerous? Which one
has Arthur encountered already?
11. At the end of Chapter 3, what do we find out about Merlyn’s ancestry?
(p. 232)
12. (Chapter 4) According to Merlyn, what is the most wicked part of war,
and what’s the only reason to fight one?
13. (Chapter 6) Arthur comes to a revelation about why Merlyn is helping
him win battles. What is it, and what does he plan to do about it?
14. Who is King Pellinore’s love, and how do they get separated?
15. What do the Orkney brothers plan to do to win their mother’s attention?
Why does it turn out badly?
16. Why does Arthur determine the table must be round? Who is the first
knight chosen?
17. How do Sir Grummore and Sir Palomides try to cure King Pellinore’s
broken heart? How does it backfire?
18. In Chapter 12, King Arthur’s battle plan is completely different than King
Lot’s. What is the key difference (very untraditional)?
19. At the end of Chapter 14, Merlyn is far away when he remembers what
he has forgotten to tell Arthur. What key piece of information is Arthur
missing?
20. Who is the Queen of Air and Darkness, and how does she bring about
Arthur’s tragic downfall?
The Once & Future King -- Study Guide Questions
BOOK THREE:
“The Ill-Made Knight”
1. Who is the “Ill-Made Knight,” and where does he live as a boy? How old is
he when he receives “the calling” to be a knight of the Round Table?
2. At the beginning of Chapter One, what clues do we receive from the
narrator about his character (or what plagues it)?
3. At the close of Chapter 1, two similes are used to describe Lancelot’s
appearance. What are they?
4. Who is Uncle Dap and what is his job?
5. DESCRIBE how Lancelot spent his days as a boy after meeting Arthur (p.
320-322).
6. For what cause did Lancelot dedicate 3 years of his life?
7. What is Lancelot’s personal dream for his life as identified at the close of
Chapter 2?
8. In Chapter 3, Merlyn visits with Lancelot’s mother. What important
information does he give them? What does this prompt Lancelot to do?
9. This is one of the last times we see Merlyn. Who is he with, and where
does he go? What do we eventually find out happens to him?
10. At the opening of Chapter 4, why is Lancelot upset?
11. With whom, does he have his first joust? Who is it really?
12. What is ironic about Lancelot’s introduction to Guenever (look at the
author’s diction)?
13. How has King Pellinore changed since his marriage? Into what kind of
trouble has he gotten himself?
14. Who are the first two people to realize Lancelot and Guenever were
falling in love? How did they respond?
15. At the close of Chapter 5, the tragic flaw of naiveté is seen in both
Lancelot and Arthur. Explain what this means based on their decisions.
16. Chapter 6 highlights Lancelot’s paradoxical nature. Explain his struggles
(p. 339)
17. Why is Lancelot determined to go on a quest? How long did it last, and
what remains in his thoughts throughout?
18. What did Lancelot have all his captives (those he had triumphed over) do
while he was away from Arthur and Guenever?
19. Lancelot’s 2nd Quest caused him great grief for the rest of his life
(Chapters 11-12). What was the miracle he worked, and how was he
“tricked” into losing the “power” to work any others?
20. Why did Lancelot finally give into his feelings for Guenever and commit
adultery with her? (p. 379)
21. How is Arthur characterized on p. 389 that explains his reaction to
Lancelot and Guenever’s relationship?
22. What drove Lancelot mad? How long was he lost, and how was he found?
(Chapters 18-21)
23. Lancelot had promised he would return, but how many years have
passed since he left (Chapter 25)? How do the younger knights now view
him, Arthur, and Guenever?
24. Who are the two newest knights to come to Arthur’s court? How are the
two boys viewed differently?
25. What actions of Mordred, Agravaine and Gawaine dishonor the Round
Table?
26. Chapter 27 (p. 431) – How is Mordred described? What do his
actions/behaviors say about his character/ancestry?
27. What realization about the Round Table prompts the Quest for the Holy
Grail?
28. By Chapter 32, who was allowed to capture the Holy Grail, and why will
they not return?
29. Chapters 33-35 -- How has Lancelot been changed by this Quest?
30. In the closing chapters of Book 3, how does Lancelot save Guenever
twice? How does Arthur’s new way of governing contribute to this
problem?
The Once & Future King -- Study Guide Questions
BOOK FOUR:
“The Candle in the Wind”
1. Look back at the close of Book 3. What did God allow Lancelot to do?
What was his response? How did Agravaine and Mordred respond to the
situation?
2. In the opening of Book 4, how were Agravaine & Mordred described?
Who does each of them want revenge against?
3. At the close of Chapter 2, what chaos does King Arthur interrupt? How
does Arthur look and act as he enters the scene?
4. In Chapter 3, White describes the England (Gramarye) that Arthur
inherited and what he created it to be. What are the titles/credits Malory
gives Arthur in the Middle Ages?
5. In Chapter 4, we see a much older Lancelot and Guenever. How has
Lancelot’s ugliness been transformed?
6. What reasons does Guenever give for not running away with Lancelot?
7. How does Arthur gently warn Lancelot & Guenever to behave?
8. What does Arthur tell Lancelot he must never do no matter what?
9. In Chapter 5, the Orkney brothers face off against Arthur and each other
in the Justice Room. What are the arguments made by each brother, and
how do they act toward the King?
10. What are the “implications” as outlined by Arthur for all parties involved
if Mordred and Agravaine continue with their accusations?
11. In the opening of Chapter 6, explain the dramatic irony.
12. What tragic flaw is evident in Lancelot’s interaction with Gareth?
13. In Chapter 7, how is Lancelot caught off guard, and how does he remedy
the situation?
14. How must Arthur apply justice now? What does Arthur expect/hope will
happen?
15. What doe Gareth and Gaheris agree to do? What is the outcome for
them?
16. What plan does Lancelot and Guenever come up with to end the war
with Arthur?
17. What is Mordred and Gawaine’s plan in response to the Pope’s ruling?
18. (P. 603) Describe the final scene between Lancelot, Arthur and
Guenever?
19. In Chapter 13, where is Guenever? Where is Arthur? Why?
20. Who has been left in charge while Arthur is away? How does he treat
Guenever, and what does he threaten?
21. At the close of Chapter 12, what is happening between Mordred and
Guenever? Who, surprisingly, calls Lancelot to the rescue?
22. What sign is there that Arthur has not given up on his high ideals for
government? What does he ask the page to do?
23. For what is the candle (from the title) a metaphor? Why do you think
White chose a candle?