#knight of swans; lohengrin

[ofdeedsglorious]

further muses;

knight of swans; lohengrin immune to all curses; eric undefeated rebel king; lot eyes like lavenders; ffxiv bors an unknown legacy; ffxiv arthur radiance of dawn; sylveret justice radiant as sunlight; escalus the shadows of betrayal; naoise madness and love under a crown; claudas a heart encased in ice; claudien divine musician of stars; orpheus a noble heart; bedivere ffxiv like rushes they fell; cynon noble father of heroes; ector light of venus; felix

[the-evil-clergyman]

Illustrations from The Tale of Lohengrin, Knight of the Swan by Willy Pogany (1913)

[diioonysus]

vintage illustrations + my tattoo list

[illustratus]

Poster for the Richard Wagner opera Lohengrin, The Swan Knight

by Alfred Choubrac

[mysterious-secret-garden]

William Andrew Pogány - The Tale of Lohengrin, Knight of the Swan by T.W. Rolleston, 1914.

[gawrkin]

I like how "the swan knight" (an archetype that includes the Arthurian Lohengrin) is basically a genderflipped version of the "Fairy Wife" Archetype

[schafpudel]

Things about early drafts of Fakir I’m haunted by:

was referred to for an unknown period of production as “the black prince” (to Mytho’s “white prince“), including during the development of the 2001 trailer. (source) (source) (source)

machine translation of the last source: “Since the character of Fakir was still in the process of being set up, the "black prince" image that director Kawamoto had in mind at the time can be glimpsed in the [promo]. The deep V-neck was also in line with the concept.”

is presented as not just a (less tsundere and more, uh, aggressive) romantic option for Duck, but implied to be a romantic rival on the same level as Rue and Duck for Mytho’s affections in the 2001 trailer

production sketch of Fakir dancing with Rue, as Kraehe, when they have never once been on good terms in the actual final show: (source)

[xfreischutz]

swan knight for magical knights zine! blessed by cygnus and themed after lohengrin (but only for the swan knight motif and none of the story)

[auntiebiotic]

Artwork by Willy Pogany, taken from The Tale of Lohengrin, Knight of the Swan: After the Drama of Richard Wagner

[sunshine-overload]

[BSTS] Main Story Season 5 Finale Follow Up ‘Fear Not’ - All Chapters

Chapter 1

-rehearsal room-

kei: The next show will be a Team K solo performance. Make sure to check your roles and read through the script.

-time pass, break room-

ginsei: Hey, have you read the script for our new show yet?

gui: I read it. The roles were the same as ‘During the demise’.

yoshino: This performance is a new interpretation of Lohengrin, isn't it?

yakou: It's the same as that recent medley performance Team W did. Both of those shows were based on Romeo and Juliet.

gui: Breakin’ and Riskin’

ginsei: Well, that’s one way to abbreviate them. 

-qu walks up-

qu: What's wrong? You’re all wearing such complicated expressions.

gui: We’re doing another show based on Lohengrin.

yakou: Our roles are the same as ‘During the demise’. It's the same as W’s Breakin’ and Riskin’.

qu: I see, so you're discussing your next show. Are you dissatisfied with the new interpretation?

ginsei: I wouldn't say I’m dissatisfied, it's just a strange adaptation.

yakou: The way Kei’s role, the Swan Knight, is written is very different.

ginsei: In ‘During the demise’ the Swan Knight is a strong man who doesn't waver. However the script this time puts a lot more emphasis on the struggles and anguish the Swan Knight experiences. It's almost a completely different story.

yoshino: When you put it that way, ‘During the demise’ was pretty faithful to the original story, wasn't it? This time the struggles the Swan Knight experiences and the climax is completely different. Before, my role Ortrud was the one that tempted the Princess into asking the Swan Knight for his name.

yakou: But in the new show, the Princess asks for his name of her own accord.

ginsei: The Swan Knight recognises her resolve and gives her his name. Meaning that their parting isn't a betrayal.

qu: I see. When you lay it all out like that it really does sound like a very different show.

ginsei: The script itself still suits Starless, and it's similar to our other shows… But when you think about it all together, it's clearly a show made solely for Kei.

yoshino: I’m surprised to hear you say that, Ginsei.

ginsei: Really?

yoshino: You're right though. The song is also made for Kei. It doesn't belong to me or Yakou.

ginsei: Is that why you didn't ask to sing it during our meeting?

yoshino: I mean, your reaction says that neither I or Yakou’s voices came to mind after you read the script.

ginsei: Ah, sorry.

yoshino: …I would've liked to try putting my own spin on the song.

qu: You two sure have changed. You're completely different from when you both used to be in P together.

yoshino: You think so? Thanks.

ginsei: …It's kind of embarrassing being told that by an observer.

qu: It's because I’m simply an observer that I can tell you’ve changed. Though, the same probably applies to everyone here.

yakou: …….

gui: Yakou?

yakou: Ah, it's nothing. Sorry.

–end

-

 Chapter 2

-starless restaurant area-

sotetsu: What would you like to order today, Saki? My recommendation is the pork stew.

saki: Oo, that sounds delicious. I’ll order that please.

sotetsu: Ok, I’ve sent it through. Say, are you free after the show today?

saki: Yeah, I am.

sotetsu: There's something I wanted to ask you about. Last year, was the person who kidnapped you–

gui: Stop, Sotetsu. Whatever you're saying, stop it.

saki: Gui-san…!?

sotetsu: Woah, hey now, what's gotten into you? Don't just appear like you suddenly want to kill me.

gui: You smell dangerous, Sotetsu. Stay away from Saki.

saki: Gui-san, Sotetsu-san was just taking my order, that's all.

gui: Your order? No, he can't do that either.

saki: (Huh?? What should I do…)

yoshino: What's the matter, Gui? Don't cause a scene.

gui: Sotetsu’s scent. He smells like he wants to put Saki in danger.

sotetsu: What a rude thing to say.

yoshino: I see, then, how about this. I’ll be in charge of this table instead of Sotetsu. So you can go look after the other tables, ok?

gui: …Ok.

-gui leaves-

sotetsu: I was just asking her a question. Y’know, about the culprit of the whole kidnapping incident last year.

yoshino: Gui was probably trying to tell you that asking her would put her in danger.

sotetsu: Is he really someone that reacts so rashly like that?

yoshino: Not in the past, no. But, I don't think it's a bad thing that he reacts that way now. He’s just doing what his heart tells him.

sotetsu: So he's a faithful dog that protects his owner based on his own initiative now? You’ve gone and tamed him huh, Saki. He used to only do whatever his orders told him to.

yoshino: I wonder if this is what Kei was aiming for all along.

sotetsu: Protecting Saki causes new emotions to bud and performing on the stage helps him learn the ways of the heart. Quite the romantic whoever came up with this plan. 

yoshino: Gui’s always been more honest than us. So I think it's a good thing. Whatever Gui wants to do is up to him. Don't you agree, Saki-san?

saki: Yes. I think he should do what he wants to.

–end

-

Chapter 3 

-rehearsal room-

yakou: Ugh, this turn is still no good. I’ll have to fix it in the group lesson. I can do the other turn just fine though… There we go.

sotetsu: Looking good. That's ‘During the demise’ isn't it?

yakou: Yeah, I wanted to try it out. I’m the understudy for this show, so. I can dance your part too.

sotetsu: You look as though you could steal my role at any moment. I’m not good at remembering the choreography to previous shows.

yakou: Doesn't that make the medley element difficult for you? You have to remember two shows back to back.

sotetsu: A medley huh. Like how W did.

yakou: I think the medley format suits our current show too. The guests enjoyed the last one and it makes comparing the two shows easy. When you put the standard show right next to the new one, it's easy to see the differences in the adaptation.

sotetsu: Hm, if you consider it a new interpretation then I guess that's true. However our adaptation is a lot different from W’s show.

yakou: Is it?

sotetsu: I know it's strange for me to talk in depth about a show but… I’d say the theme of this adaptation is the ‘behind the scenes’. The hidden side of the great knight who saves the country. This probably isn't the best analogy, but it's like getting to see a mascot character take its head off after an event.

yakou: There's people out there who do want to see that kind of ‘behind the scenes’. The more something is hidden, the more curious it makes you to find out what it is. That's what I think is being portrayed. But even so, that hidden side and the Knight’s true feelings are still partly left to the audience’s interpretation.

sotetsu: Did he no longer want to be the country’s salvation, or did he become unable to keep up appearances? Who knows. I have no idea what Kei’s thinking.

–end

-

Chapter 4

-alleyway, day-

sotetsu (on phone): So as I’d thought it wasn't due to a traffic accident?

Hmm. So that happened to Sin for a different reason then. Any information on the eyewitnesses? 

There weren't any huh… Would be nice if he threw me a bone like that other time. Oh well, I’ll contact you again soon, see you.

-street, day-

qu: Oh my, what a coincidence. Are you headed to Starless as well? Emerging from the back alleys like that suits you quite well, Sotetsu.

sotetsu: Thrills are an essential part of life.

qu: You should behave yourself at least while you have a show to perform in.

sotetsu: They're unrelated. You can still smoke while you're drinking y’know.

qu: What a strange analogy. Just make sure not to get anyone else caught up in your business.

sotetsu: I’ve been pretty focused on the stage lately thank you. Unlike Kokuyou.

qu: Ahh you're referring to W’s recent performance huh? I was surprised too, it's not like Kokuyou to miss a show.

sotetsu: Plus during that time Saki didn't visit the store. I heard she was sick. But don't you think it's all too much of a coincidence to believe, Qu? 

Sin suffered a sudden injury, Kokuyou missed a performance and Saki didn't visit the store. 

For all of that to happen at once and be unrelated would be quite the miracle. And yet, it all resolved itself without any further trouble.

qu: And does that bother you? You really are a demon that loves trouble. Are you trying to say some grand conspiracy occurred and behind the scenes someone settled whatever was going on?

sotetsu: I just think it’d be pretty interesting if that were the case. I feel like something similar has happened before too.

qu: What do you mean?

sotetsu: A year and a half ago, remember?

qu: Oh… When Saki was kidnapped you mean.

sotetsu: If you trace things back that far it paints a very intriguing picture. It makes me think that Kei must be involved in the recent incident somehow.

qu: It seems like a bit of a stretch to me, but oh well. I doubt you'll listen to me either way, but you're getting yourself involved in some dangerous territory there. Take it as a friend's advice.

sotetsu: I never thought I’d be given a warning from you. I thought you were the type that prefers running away from trouble.

qu: Usually I am, yes. But a certain demon was tempting me to say something.

–end

-

Chapter 5

-starless lobby-

sotetsu: Kei will be walking you home today right, Saki? He said he had to stop by the office for a bit.

saki: Is that so? I’ll wait for him then.

sotetsu: There's still a lot of guests milling about in the lobby, how about you wait elsewhere?

saki: Is that ok? Thank you.

sotetsu: Let’s go, Princess. It's not so bad being escorted by me every once and a while is it?

sotetsu (to himself): Now then, let's see if he’ll take the bait.

-starless office-

kei: ….. (looks at his phone)

-time pass, street, night-

sotetsu: ……

sotetsu: Oh you're here earlier than expected, I thought you weren't gonna show up.

kei: (sigh) For what reason did you call me here whilst using Saki’s name?

sotetsu: You saw right through me huh? Well that's not surprising. I just wanted to talk to you.

kei: About why you've been sniffing around for info behind my back?

sotetsu: That's unexpected, I figured you were too busy with the performance to notice that. I thought you’d been giving it your all facing your own reflection on the mirror.

Like the new interpretation of Lohengrin, are you also running down the path towards the you that you see in the mirror?

Tell me, Kei. What is it that you're trying to achieve?

kei: I’m taking back Starless. I have said this since the very start.

sotetsu: But you still haven't taken it back huh?

kei: It just proves that my resolve is still lacking. The path to self improvement is an endless one.

sotetsu: Don't go talking like a samurai. I don't know about the others but I won't be joining you on that endeavour.

kei: That's true. The others must all find their own paths to take. You on the other hand, have not changed one bit. You lack the courage to take control of your own life.

sotetsu: I’m just remaining  professional about it. I don't enjoy letting emotions sway me. I’m content with just having what’s within arms reach.

kei: And what do you gain from that?

sotetsu: I get to observe how this all ends. The very ending that you've been delaying.

kei: …….

kei: The ending that I’ve been delaying, you say…

sotetsu: You came here to save Starless right? And after that, what will you choose? Black Card?

kei: I would probably choose Starless.

sotetsu: It's Saki, isn't it. She is who you’d choose.

kei: Whatever I choose, you will still be nothing more than a bystander that has no say in the matter. I will choose my own path by my own hand.

–end

-

Chapter 6

-starless restaurant area-

saki: (The restaurant and stage is so lonely without anyone here. Sotetsu-san and Kei-san haven't come back yet…)

saki: Maybe I should go and look for them?

-lights go out-

master: Don’t move.

saki: –!? W-why are you here?

master: I won't harm you. I’m simply here to talk.

saki: To me? But why…

master: I came to offer my apologies to you. Though it may be quite late. I apologise for taking and detaining you against your will.

saki: …….

master: I’m aware it must be hard to believe me after what happened. But even so, I am sorry for putting you through something so scary.

saki: Who are you? Why did you… Why me…

master: I’m sorry, but I cannot answer that question now. However I can answer the one you asked when we last met.

You asked me if I’m acquainted with Kei. The answer is yes, I am someone who knew him before he moved to Japan. He calls me ‘Master’. In order to see his wish come true, I helped him out a little.

saki: You're Kei-san’s teacher…?

kei: Kei probably does not want you knowing this. However, I think it's best that you know the reason that Kei came here.

Kei would throw away anything for his goal, and persist through any roadblock. It was for this same goal that Kei made himself known in America.

Though I must say I was surprised that he returned to America only to throw that all away.

saki: He threw it all away? What do you mean by that?

master: Exactly as I said. Kei can no longer return to his life in America. There is no longer any place for him there.

He has always been a reckless man, a real handful. The desire to be stronger isn't dependent on age. And so I ended up being stuck with teaching him. No matter how harsh and challenging the task, that boy would complete it. 

I’ve yet to meet another person with conviction as strong as his.

saki: But still, to throw everything away, that's…

master: If it's for your sake, Kei has no qualms throwing anything away. 

Once everything is said and done, you will be free. Kei came here to save Starless because that is connected to protecting you.

saki: Protecting me… Kei-san is always telling me that.

master: Yes. Remember that well. Even if you are to forget everything else–

Once everything is said and done, you will be free. And when that time comes, you will have the right to make a choice.

saki: ……

master: Decide your own fate by listening to your heart.

-lights turn back on, Master disappears-

saki: What did any of that mean? That man… and Kei-san too… Just who are they?

–end

-

Chapter 7 

-starless lobby-

yoshino: Ah, you came to watch Saki-san. Thank you for coming to our closing show.

ginsei: Could you sense the evolution of ‘During the demise’?

saki: Yes. I can't really put it into words but… The show really resonated with me.

yoshino: I’m happy to hear that. It's a show that focuses a lot on character studies after all.

gui: I’m glad that you liked it. I had fun performing.

ginsei: Oh right, Princess, would you like to come with us backstage? Kei’s still there I think.

saki: Ok.

-backstage-

saki: Good work on your closing show, Kei-san.

kei: Did you come here to tell me that?

saki: Were you looking at the stage?

kei: I feel as though a piece of myself still remains upon it. Saki, allow me to express my gratitude to you once more. Thank you for watching our show until the end. Thanks to your support, we were able to make it to the closing show.

saki: Kei-san…

choice: express your thanks to kei / ask kei if he had fun

>thank kei

saki: Thank you too, Kei-san, for such a wonderful show.

kei: I’m happy to hear you say that. I feel as though I was able to create yet another show just for you.

saki: For me…?

kei: Would that burden you if it were so? Nonetheless, I am always devoted to doing my best for your sake. Because to me there is no greater joy.

saki: Fufu, you always exaggerate so much, Kei-san.

kei: Exaggeration or not, those are my true feelings. In any case, I will always stand on the stage for you. So please come and watch again. Now then, let us go. I’ll escort you home once I’ve changed.

-starless restaurant area-

kei: I am here to do whatever it is I can for you… Because I want you to choose the future. In order for that to happen, all I need is–

My resolve.

–end

-

>ask kei if he had fun

saki: Did you have fun performing?

kei: You're asking me that? Well… I can say that I had fun now, yes. I feel accomplished. It's thanks to the fact you’ve looked out for me like you are now. Thank you. Your kind heart has saved me more times than you know.

saki: Fufu, you always exaggerate so much, Kei-san.

[the-evil-clergyman]

Illustrations from The Tale of Lohengrin, Knight of the Swan by Willy Pogany (1913)

[thebeautifulbook]

THE TALE OF LOHENGRIN, KNIGHT OF THE SWAN after the drama by Richard Wagner. By T.W. Rolleston. (London: G.G. Harrap [1913]) Illustrated by Willy Pogany.

Brown cloth pictorially stamped in gilt and blind pressed. Color pictorial endpapers; 8 color plates plus color and b&w illustrations on every page.

First edition. A magnificently bound and illustrated masterpiece that showcases Pogány’s versatility, craftsmanship, and brilliance at design. Printed on heavy stock and featuring examples of several styles, many consider this to be among Pogány’s finest works.

source

[talonabraxas]

Willy Pogány illustrations from The tale of Lohengrin, knight of the swan 1914

[mysterious-secret-garden]

William Andrew Pogány - The Tale of Lohengrin, Knight of the Swan by T.W. Rolleston, 1914.

[sassafrasmoonshine]

Violet Oakley (American, 1874-1961) • Lohengrin, Knight of the Swan • Book Cover • c. 1910 • No publishing information available.

Knight of the Swan is a Medieval tale of a knight who comes to the rescue of a maiden on a boat pulled by a swan. His only condition is that he is not asked his name.

[schafpudel]

Swan Maidens, Swan Princes

So Duck is the ugly duckling and Tutu is Odette but in her entirety she's the little mermaid. A water-creature falls in love with a prince and would do anything to be with him as a human girl (but also there's the implication that her reasons are deeper than infatuation - the mermaid looks sadly at her fish's tail and is interested in humanity long before meeting the prince; the duck complains about her looks and voice, and you can imagine a human cradling a throat the wrong shape) and makes a faustian deal with a witch or sorcerer. Her fate is said to be to dissolve into sea-foam/turn into a speck of light and vanish, leaving neither soul nor body behind.

(Hans Christian Andersen was in love with a man. "I languish for you as for a pretty Calabrian wench… my sentiments for you are those of a woman. The femininity of my nature and our friendship must remain a mystery." He mailed a copy of The Little Mermaid to the man. The man was engaged to a woman. The love was doomed.)

Tutu is also a swan maiden. The typical narrative for the swan maiden is this: there is a woman who is also a swan. Naked, she is human, but when she puts on her cloak or shirt of feathers, she is a swan, and she prefers to live as a swan, taking off the garment mainly to bathe. A man finds her human form beautiful, steals her skin, and coerces her into a heterosexual marriage and a human life. She may even be forced to bear his children. Eventually, though, she finds her swan skin stashed away, and makes her escape, never to be seen again.

(I imagine many people can sympathise with the swan.)

But there are exceptions to this narrative, that lend themselves to different subtext. One intriguing one is found in the Dolopathos. In this version, the swan-woman's naked form is that of a swan, and she turns into a human by the means of a golden chain-necklace. Her marriage to the human man is consensual. Their children, explicitly, inherit the swan-maiden nature: they are born as human babies, but with gold chain-necklaces like their mother. The schemes of a wicked stepmother lead to the boy children immediately having their gold chains revoked, forcing them into their swan forms. The sister (whose chain was never stolen, and thus grew up human while still being able to join her brothers on the lake), later, manages to steal back her brothers' gold chains, and they take human form for the first time since birth.

Except one swan-boy continues to be denied his human form, for his gold chain is damages. He goes on to be the animal companion of Lohengrin, the Knight of the Swan, pulling the knight's boat-chariot through water with his golden chain.

In both the typical "human into swan via clothing" narrative and Dolpathos' "swan into human via a necklace" narrative, the naked form is not the shapeshifters preferred form. Being denied that which allows their transformation, whether into swan or man, is an act of coercion and violence, a denial of identity and bodily autonomy.

The heart shard necklace is what lets the duck become a girl and a swan-maiden ballerina. When returned to the prince, Mythos gains magical powers - and some of these, such as the summoning of flurries of pink petals, are exactly the same as Tutu's.

And yet duck is able to invoke Tutu's form and power, if only briefly, without the pendant. Duck is also written a lot less animalistically than other animal characters, and the obvious Doylist reason is that the show frames animalistic behavior as weird/creepy and Duck is supposed to be relatable to the human audience by contrast, but. She was literally conceptualized as human girl before Itoh developed the idea to make her a duck, and she is no more strange or inhuman than any other clumsy, ditzy, goodhearted mahou-shoujo heroine. She's just a quacking girl.

Yet the show says, "you were born in a duck's body. Back to a duck you must go."

Mytho is returned to his full princehood, but is still bound into a marriage by obligation. Intriguingly, for such an amatonormative show, Princess Tutu suggest to the audience that Mytho's obsession with Tutu was something other than (romantic) "love" all along; rather, the "feeling that burned in my breast when i thought of tutu" was Hope. It was simply construed as romantic by everyone around him.

(There's a brief shot of a younger Siegfried, presumably pre-heart-shattering, being told about Princess Tutu by an old man, within the pages of The Prince and The Raven. Siegfried expresses the desire to marry the fairy-creature. I wonder if that could be read as a displaced, misunderstood emotion as well, articulated as heterosexual love because a fairy tale character has no other way to understand a boy being mesmerized by a girl.)

Anyways it's literally not in the text but if you pointed at Mytho and told me he's actually the same kind of being as Princess Tutu - some sort of swan maiden fairy being - but was just raised as a human boy I'd like, buy it. It's a headcanon I can accept. If some birds want to be girls then some boys can long to be birds? hashtag gender envy

Also Fakir can't understand Duck's gender b/c hes the only tutu character who unambigiously isnt a bird in any way. Itoh and Sato put princess tutu in the public domain so the transgender furries can poop and twist it up. what was that. goodnight