Monty Python and the Holy Grail Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, 1975

1
Monty Python and the Holy GrailTerry Gilliam and
Terry Jones, 1975
(Mønti Pythøn ik den Hølie Gräilen)

• Satire, Parody and Ideology
• Prof. Ingrid Hutchinson

2
What is Satire?

• Satire is a form of social criticism that mocks
  or spoofs or ironically deconstructs attitudes
  and values that require revision (according to
  the satirist).
• Satires intention is to show how something may
  be wrong-headed, evil, or foolish.
• It can be mild or severe in tone sometimes uses
  humour and most often contrast or exaggeration to
  make its points.
• The final end is, of course, to seek improvement
  or to right wrongs.
• Monty Python, as leftist critique, makes fun of
  right-wing conservatism and stodgy traditionalism.

3
What is Parody

• Parody is often used in satire to mock something
  by imitating its form or content.
• Parody uses recognizable forms or content to make
  fun of something usually held to be serious.
• Parody may use either of the following applies
  low subject-matter to a high-toned style or the
  opposite-- a high (serious) subject presented in
  a low style.
• Monty Python uses parody, exaggeration, wit, and
  humour to mock social values or ideologies.

4
Monty Python and the Holy GrailBackground

• What is the Holy Grail?
• The cup that Jesus drank out of at the Last
  Supper
• Said to have caught the blood of Jesus at the
  crucifixion
• Taken and hidden in England by Joseph of
  Arimethea
• The object of search of the medieval knights of
  the Round Table
• Said to remit sins and restore the fertility of
  the earth, ruined when Arthur became a cuckold
  (his wife Guinevere had sex with Lancelot) the
  King became infertile, and so did the land.

5
(No Transcript)
6
The Tales of the San Grael

• The Quest for the Holy Grail (San Grael) was
  written up in story form by Malory, whose
  Arthuriad (tales of King Arthur) are called Morte
  dArthur.
• Malorys Morte dArthur was the next book to be
  printed on the Gutenberg Press, after the Bible.
• The Morte dArthur is a serious tragedy, in that
  the old world of magic and heroism is replaced by
  the new world of men (whose social system is
  hierarchical, rather than equalas in the
  paradise of Camelot and the ideal of the Round
  Table).

7
How Monty Pythons Film Mirrors the Original

• Brittany (part of Northern France) was also part
  of the English empire of the pasthowever, France
  liberated Brittany and returned her to French
  rule Britain and France were historical rivals
  (hence the French Knight taunts the Britons).
• Malorys Morte dArthur is episodica series of
  short tales (like the tale of Sir Robin the
  Not-So-Brave).
• In the original, women were seen as temptations
  demons would disguise themselves as sensual women
  who would lure knights from their quest (trapping
  them with the promise of food and sex).

8
Monty Python and the Original

• In the original story, Lancelot does not achieve
  the Grail.
• Galahad, his son, however, is pure in heart and
  deed, and does find the Grail.
• Is the Grail found in the film? What does it
  mean?
• Who initiates the Quest?

• William Morriss (1834 96) The Vision of the
  Holy Grail.

9
The Lady of the Lake is a traditional
representation of women as pedestal
figurespure, nubile goddesses of virtue and
beauty whose sex confers power on men.
Boormans Excalibur 1981
The Sword in the Stone is a phallic
image. Kissing the sword is also a sign of
deference to the King as supreme wielder of power.

• Her hand clad in glittering samite
• Some farcical aquatic ceremony
• Supreme executive power is derived from a
  mandate of the masses

10
Magic and Religious Order

• Merlin stands for the disappearing old order of
  magic in a world that comes to value science and
  rationality.
• However, his world is also pagan, pre-Christian,
  and thus represents chaos and a world where
  redemption is not possible.

• Tim the Enchanter (John Cleese) is Merlins
  parodic equivalent.

11
Religious Parody and the Film

• The Holy Hand Grenade is symbolic of military
  oppression invoking religious sanction.
• Think of other examples of religious parody in
  the film.

12
Social Satire and Ideology Left or Right?

• Arthurs society is feudal ruled by a King. No
  cooperatives or rights for the poor.
• Knights have privileged status (insiders) over
  the poor and women.
• Women are witches, whores, or cronesthe knights
  in the film are vulnerable virgins as well as
  victimizers.
• Lancelots resuce of Herbert (not what we or
  Lancelot expected).
• Violence is exaggeratedthe Black Knight scene.

13
Leftist Slant and Ideological Subtext

• Although silly, this sketch profiles the plight
  of the poor, the elderly, and the sickthe
  underdogs of society.

14
Structure, Postmodernism and the Film

• The film purposefully lacks a coherent structure.
• Alexander Nevsky (1938) parody at right (see
  Giannetti and Leach 230 31).
• Postmodernism also draws playful attention to art
  as contrived, eg., The Book of the Film.
• The historian is murdered by the actors and the
  film stops when the police enter the final scene.

15

• Product off-shoots include beer Holy Ail is
  tempered over burning witches.

• MORE PARODIES of the film itself!
• Watch the Lego film version on-line.
• The Dead Parrot Sketch done with Medieval Lego