Antagonist

Character Role Analysis

Vivien

Arthur believes people are basically honest and tries to make them better versions of themselves. Fat chance with Vivien. Vivien believes people are basically animals and tries to corrupt them. Her goals are completely the opposite of Arthur’s, so that everything she does threatens his kingdom. She tries to seduce his knights and spreads the rumor of Lancelot and Guinevere’s affair. Her tip-off enables Mordred to expose them, leading to the collapse of the Round Table.

Mordred

Mordred is just as much of an antagonist as Vivien, but his motivations are not as clear. We know Vivien hates Arthur because her father died fighting a battle with him, and because she has a fundamental disagreement with his principles. Mordred, though, seems to just be motivated by a lust for power. His exposure of Lancelot and Guinevere is merely an attempt to create unrest in Arthur’s kingdom so he can make a grab for the throne.

He is not as potent an antagonist as Vivien and is actually dependent upon her rumormongering and spying to bring down Lancelot and Guinevere. Yet in the end, Mordred gives Arthur his death-wound. Perhaps this reflects a gendered view of the roles men and women play: whereas women work their will indirectly, men take physical action.