AN ANALYSIS OF CONFLICTS IN KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD

Abstract

This research analyzes the conflict depicted in the film King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, directed by Guy Ritchie. This research aims to describe the conflicts experienced by the main characters, and characters in relation to the conflicts. The research applied qualitative method with a structuralist approach based on conflict theory by Kenney (1966). The results of the research are that the movie contains internal and external conflict which are experienced by main character named Arthur and Vortigern. Arthur has internal conflict of revolution where he is faced to a choice of doing revolution against the Kingdom of Camelot or not. It is very hard psychologically for Arthur to choose one of the choices. The two choices very difficult choice he must make because each choice brings a bad consequence. Doing revolution can cause many of his men to die, if not, meaning that he lets the kingdom ruled by a king who governs the kingdom illegally and who killed his father as a legal king. Vortigern also experiences internal conflict of gaining magical power to defeat Arthur. He must choose one of the two things - getting the magic power by killing his wife as a sacrifice or keeping his wife alive but not getting the magic power. The magic power is the only one strength which can be used to kill Arthur. The external conflicts of the movie is found in several types; man against man, man against nature, and man against society. The conflict of man against man is experienced by Arthur against Vortigern. Conflict of man against nature is between Arthur and strange creatures, and man against society is conflict Arthur against Vortigern’s troops and villagers of Londinium. The conflict happens in the plot of flash back and it happened due to the opposing traits of the characters.