The quest for universal values

As part of their promotion for the musical, which will be performed on November 26 and 27, 2022, at the SM Seaside Centerstage, the cast of "The Path to Avalon: King Arthur, the Musical" has been visiting various campuses in Cebu. Even though there were no major performances for such a long time owing to the pandemic, the cast’s performance of some musical excerpts were well accepted by the students. But even more than this is the content itself, which illustrates the virtues of bravery, valor, love, compassion, and forgiveness that are universal. These ideals would manifest in front of their eyes as they will witness the musical on a large stage.

Today, we need guiding principles if we are to be genuinely human. The complexity of the world we live in causes us to frequently take these values for granted.

The King Arthur tale teaches us to have confidence in ourselves, basically saying that despite not knowing it, we are all capable of possessing "kings’ blood". That is equivalent to being chosen by a higher force to have a greater purpose in our life than we are aware of or having God on our side. One's worth is determined not by who we are at birth but rather by how hard we have worked. If we do not grab life by the proverbial horns and give it our all, we would not be able to draw Excalibur from the stone.

The cornerstones of how Arthurian fellowship has been characterized throughout the ages include moral purity, devotion to one's friends and family, abiding by the law, and defending the weak. They provide confidence that upholding moral principles is important, even if it results in momentary failure.

King Arthur's life narrative has become something of a benchmark for knightly heroes to aim for. He is seen as noble, bold, and kind --all qualities that some may argue are lacking today. His life was always grounded in the realities of the nations, as well as the eras and populations for which he was reimagined. By removing the historical aura and focusing on the values he stood for, the Arthurian revival of the late 19th century, for instance, helped put him back on the international cultural map, vastly different from the medieval attempts to use him as a national figure from whom medieval kings could derive their right to rule.

These interpretations all served purposes other than just shedding light on one of history's most fascinating characters. Audiences look for comfort in the historical models in this perplexing and occasionally terrifying environment. They seek a level of moral excellence and imaginative leadership that is both motivating and transformative. One thing they will learn about in the King Arthur stories but cannot find in the world around them.

King Arthur always chose a course that would unite people rather than drive them apart when faced with conflict or rivalry. King Arthur's example demonstrates how a great leader always seeks reconciliation rather than encouraging a continuing rivalry and prioritizes consensus over conflict.

In the past, reading and reflecting on mythical tales and metaphorical stories was a common way to acquire wisdom and morality. People have painstakingly searched throughout history for enlightenment hidden within the metaphorical teachings of sages, intellectuals, and mystics, from Aesop's tales to the Bhagavad Gita.

In the end, ethics and values triumph, and it is because of these enduring qualities that the stories have endured the test of time in so many people's hearts and minds.