The Sword in the Stone

The Sword in the Stone Literary Elements

Genre

Young-adult fiction; Fantasy

Setting and Context

The novel is set in Arthurian England.

Narrator and Point of View

The novel is told from a third-person point of view with a perspective that stays fairly close to Wart.

Tone and Mood

The tone of the story is both comic and wise. The mood is mystical and wistful.

Protagonist and Antagonist

Wart is the protagonist of the novel. Kay is in a sense the overall antagonist, but there are also local instances of antagonists in particular chapters, such as Madame Mim, the griffins, and Queen Morgan.

Major Conflict

The major conflict in the novel is Wart's desire to be something more than Kay's squire.

Climax

The climax of the narrative occurs when Wart pulls the sword from the stone and is named king.

Foreshadowing

The fact that Merlyn singles out Wart for special, magical instruction foreshadows that he will become king.

Understatement

N/A

Allusions

The story alludes to other characters from Arthurian legend such as Robin Hood and Queen Morgan.

Imagery

N/A

Paradox

N/A

Parallelism

N/A

Metonymy and Synecdoche

N/A

Personification

N/A

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