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Background
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- English Title: Asterix
in Britain
- French Title: Asterix
Chez les Bretons
- Asterix Book Number:
8
- First Published: 1966
- First Published in English:
1970
- Written by:
Rene Goscinny
- Illustrated by: Albert
Uderzo
- Translated By:
Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge
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In my opinion the best Asterix books have
Asterix and Obelix traveling to another country where the
authors deal with the typical foreigners caricatures to hilarious
effect. Asterix in Britain is no exception, and is arguably
the best "foreign country" book with the authors
providing a comic commentary on British society and quirks.
When Asterix in Britain was released in English,
the authors, worried that the book might offend, published
a message to readers:
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"As usual, we caricature what
we are fond of, and we are fond of the British, in spite
of their strange way of putting Nelson on top of their
columns instead of Napoleon.
However, when it comes to presenting
this skit on the British to the British, we feel we
owe them a word or two of explanation.
Our little cartoon stories do not
make fun of the real thing, but the ideas of the real
thing that people get into their heads, i.e., cliché's.
We Gauls imagine the British talking
in a very refined way, drinking tea at five o'clock
and warm beer at the peculiar hours of opening time.
The British eat their food boiled, with mint sauce;
they are brave, phlegmatic, and always keep a stiff
upper lip. Suppose we were British, caricaturing the
Gauls, we would say they all wore berets, ate frogs
and snails and drank red wine for breakfast. We might
add that that all have hopelessly relaxed upper lips,
and that phlegm is not their outstanding characteristic.
And most of all, we should hope that
the Gauls would have as good a sense of humour as the
British"
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The British readers weren't offended in the
slightest, and Asterix in Britain has sold more copies than
any other English Asterix album. That message is no longer
published in the english editions of the book.
Asterix in Britain was later adapted into
a cartoon film
version of the same name.
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Plot
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"One little ancient British village
still holds out against the Roman invaders. Asterix and Obelix
are invited to help. They must face fog, rain, warm beer and
boiled boar with mint sauce, but they soon have Governor Encyclopaedius
Britannicus's Romans declining and falling. Until a wild race
for a barrel of magic potion lands them in the drink. It's
not quite cricket - how about a nice spot of hot water, though?
Or even the first ever tea-party?."
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Take
a look Inside
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You can view Images
from Asterix in Britain here.
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Notable
Characters
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Chief Mykingdomforanos
- What it means: Reference to the line "A
horse, a horse, my kingdom for a HORSE!" from Shakespeare's
Richard III.
- About: Mykingdomforanos is the chief of
the only British tribe that is still holding out against
the Roman invaders. But the tribe is struggling, so he sends
his trusted friend Anticlimax to get help...
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Anticlimax
- What it means: Just that, an anticlimax
(Something trivial or commonplace that concludes a series
of significant events).
- About : Anticlimax is the first cousin once
removed of Asterix the Gaul. Using this connection, he enlists
the help of Asterix to bring a barrel of magic potion to
his tribe.Anticlimax is an expert rower, having been raised
by the tribe of the Oxbrigienses.
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Encyclopaedicus Brtiannicus
- What it means: Refers to the Encyclopedia
Britannica, a very comprehensive Encyclopedia. You may have
heard of it.
- About: Encyclopaedicus Brtiannicus
is the Roman Governor of Britain. It is he who has to try
and stop the Gauls from delivering the barrel of Magic Potion
to the British village. He comes up with the idea of confiscating
all the barrels in Londinium. This idea backfired when his
soldiers over indulged on the barrels filled with wine...
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Compare
the Caricature!
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Chief Mykingdomforanos
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Winston Churchill
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