THE SHADOW UPON THE SCREEN: MERLIN (2008-2012) AND THE MATTER OF BRITAIN
THE SHADOW UPON THE SCREEN: MERLIN (2008-2012) AND THE MATTER OF BRITAIN

Summary/Abstract: This paper endeavours to explore the relationship between adaptation and cultural memory by focusing on the interplay between foundational texts (canonical literature, national mythology, key historical events, and so on) and the (re-)articulation of cultural identity which results from their adaptation. It starts from the premise that such foundational texts loom so large in a people’s cultural memory that any attempt at adapting them must also necessarily entail an attempt at legitimating or contesting the cultural identity of the peoples with whom they are associated, regardless of whether such an attempt is undertaken intentionally. Drawing on the work of such cultural theoreticians as Aleida Assmann, Linda Hutcheon, and Hayden White, this paper intends to examine the adaptational strategies employed by the creators of the hit BBC show Merlin (2008-2012) in their attempt at rewriting the Arthurian cycle so as to better conform to the tastes and norms of modern-day Britain. It aims to show that the ideal of “Britishness” that results from their adaptation is firmly rooted in a conservative understanding of national identity – one that is then projected into an ahistorical past and superimposed upon the narrative so as to suggest an unbroken sense of national continuity.

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