Point of View

The story of King Arthur is narrated from the first person point of view of Derfel. However, there are two Derfel's. The first is a scribe in a monastery cell recalling the events of Arthur's life and deeds; he is writing on parchment in the Saxon language. The second Derfel is Lord Derfel of Cadarn, Warrior of the Cauldron, and one of King Arthur's most powerful and trusted warrior kings.

Each part of the story begins with a preamble as the monk Derfel discusses his unfolding narrative with his patroness, Queen Igraine. This device allows the narrator to discuss various aspects of his story and to foreshadow events in the subsequent pages of the chapter.

The switch to the recollections of Lord Derfel, the warrior king is made without any overt indication to the reader, but the exposition of the narrative makes it clear when the...