Techniques
In keeping with the genre of fantasy, Bradley invokes elements of the fantastic in The Mists of Avalon—several marvelous elements assist the various characters throughout the text. These fantastical events are most profound in the practice of magic which is attributed to Morgaine and Merlin, and in the magical phenomena embedded within the plot: dragons lurk in forests, hands emerge from lakes bearing swords, magical islands suspend time, and people are granted immortality. Fantastic elements are at the base of all Arthuriana, no matter which author writes or rewrites the myth.
What does differ, however, is the treatment of magic within distinct texts; the notion of magic takes on different meanings within individual artistic representations. Moreover, these meanings are central to the issues addressed as magic often plays a central role in visual representations of women, sexual transgression, and gender stereotypes. Thus, through the use of magic (and in making The Mists of Avalon "Morgaine's story" instead of "Arthur's story"), Bradley is able to put women's issues, concerns, and developments at the forefront, ultimately challenging this male-centered traditional tale.
One of the most important examples of this can be seen in the treatment of the Grail Quest. The male-centered physical quest to be reunited with the Grail is not a focus of The Mists of Avalon. Instead, Bradley reinforces her female focus of the text (traditionally there is no place for women in the quest for the Holy Grail which is the subject of so many Arthurian texts) by diverting the magic associated with the Christian Grail to the Goddess. Thus, The Mists of Avalon denies the physical quest any substantial plot consideration and bypasses Christianity by attributing the Cup, the Sword, and the Dish to the Goddess. They are the Holy Regalia of Avalon, not the holy regalia of Jesus Christ. As Baring and Cashford note in a popular mass market study of the legend The Myth of the Goddess: Evolution of an Image, "The chalice, vessel, cup, dish, and stone that are the primary images of the Grail evoke the archetype of the Feminine, which becomes the inspiration, guide and goal of the knight's inner quest." In an attempt to restore the Grail legend to its pre-Christian origins, Bradley invokes the notion of the Goddess by altering the mystical Grail legend and its association with Christian tradition. In The Mists of Avalon the Grail originates in Avalon and is therefore associated with the matriarchal magical power of the Goddess (the Christians obtain the regalia only by thievery). Using her magical power from the Goddess, Morgaine reclaims the stolen regalia from the priests and returns it to Avalon where it remains. In addition to the Grail, The Mists of Avalon claims that the sword Excalibur originates in Avalon. More importantly, however, it is the magical scabbard woven by Morgaine herself and induced with all the power and magic of the Mother Goddess which keeps Arthur safe from fatal injury. This is an important challenge to the legend. Traditionally it is the powerful, masculine, and phallic sword Excalibur which is responsible for Arthur's safety. However, in Bradley's text, she diverts the attention from the sword and ascribes the feminine image of the scabbard with the powerful ability to heal all wounds.
What does differ, however, is the treatment of magic within distinct texts; the notion of magic takes on different meanings within individual artistic representations. Moreover, these meanings are central to the issues addressed as magic often plays a central role in visual representations of women, sexual transgression, and gender stereotypes. Thus, through the use of magic (and in making The Mists of Avalon "Morgaine's story" instead of "Arthur's story"), Bradley is able to put women's issues, concerns, and developments at the forefront, ultimately challenging this male-centered traditional tale.
One of the most important examples of this can be seen in the treatment of the Grail Quest. The male-centered physical quest to be reunited with the Grail is not a focus of The Mists of Avalon. Instead, Bradley reinforces her female focus of the text (traditionally there is no place for women in the quest for the Holy Grail which is the subject of so many Arthurian texts) by diverting the magic associated with the Christian Grail to the Goddess. Thus, The Mists of Avalon denies the physical quest any substantial plot consideration and bypasses Christianity by attributing the Cup, the Sword, and the Dish to the Goddess. They are the Holy Regalia of Avalon, not the holy regalia of Jesus Christ. As Baring and Cashford note in a popular mass market study of the legend The Myth of the Goddess: Evolution of an Image, "The chalice, vessel, cup, dish, and stone that are the primary images of the Grail evoke the archetype of the Feminine, which becomes the inspiration, guide and goal of the knight's inner quest." In an attempt to restore the Grail legend to its pre-Christian origins, Bradley invokes the notion of the Goddess by altering the mystical Grail legend and its association with Christian tradition. In The Mists of Avalon the Grail originates in Avalon and is therefore associated with the matriarchal magical power of the Goddess (the Christians obtain the regalia only by thievery). Using her magical power from the Goddess, Morgaine reclaims the stolen regalia from the priests and returns it to Avalon where it remains. In addition to the Grail, The Mists of Avalon claims that the sword Excalibur originates in Avalon. More importantly, however, it is the magical scabbard woven by Morgaine herself and induced with all the power and magic of the Mother Goddess which keeps Arthur safe from fatal injury. This is an important challenge to the legend. Traditionally it is the powerful, masculine, and phallic sword Excalibur which is responsible for Arthur's safety. However, in Bradley's text, she diverts the attention from the sword and ascribes the feminine image of the scabbard with the powerful ability to heal all wounds.