Arthur has finally realized that Might should only be used for Right; his brother Kay reasons that Right could mean forcibly imposing a better way of life upon people. Merlyn becomes furious, and says, There was just such a man when I was young - an Austrian who invented a new way of life and convinced himself that he was the chap to make it work. He tried to impose his reformation by the sword, and plunged the civilized world into misery and chaos. Merlyn is referring to Hitler.

Merlyn juxtaposes the idea of Hitler forcibly imposing ideas on others with another reformer, Jesus, who made his ideas available and let people decide whether to accept them or reject them. This quiets Kay down, and Merlyn points out Arthur's current conflict with King Lot is because he wants to impose his ideas upon him, which is not the true meaning of Might only for Right. If Arthur is going to be a new kind of King, he needs to stop acting like the old ones.

ALLUSION

HOW IT ENHANCES MEANING

THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING