King Arthur

1
King Arthur

• The Classic Romance

2
The Middle Aged Romance

• The Middle Ages marks the period from 1066 to
  1517 approximately.
• New form of literature developed in the middle
  agesthe Romance
• A Romance is a long verse narrative about the
  adventures of knights and other heroes.
• Romances express nostalgia for a past, more
  perfect, age.

3
Middle ages cont.

• Storytelling was big entertainment scops,
  bards, minstrels, etc. spread their stories
  orally, as most were illiterate.
• By the mid 12th century, literate poets such as
  Chretien de Troyes began to write the legends,
  creating more polished, courtly versions to be
  recited at formal gatherings.

4
Who was a Knight?

• Celebrated in romance stories as believers in
  chivalry
• Followed a chivalric code bravery, honor,
  loyalty, piety, generosity to foes, protector of
  women
• Usually a brave, but crude warrior in early
  stories
• In 12th century, became polished and
  aristocratic

• His lady was rarely his wife or anyone he could
  hope to marry.
• Proved himself to his lady by adventure or
  quest
• His quest was fulfilled by a long journey with
  supernatural events, evil adversaries, and
  magical allies
• Struggle between good and evil (journey into the
  dark side of humanity)

5
Was King Arthur real?

• The legend is based on a 6th century Celtic
  warlord who lived in Wales.
• He led his people against Saxon invaders from
  Germany.
• He supposedly was wounded in battle and buried at
  the abbey of Glastonbury in England.

6
The legend emerges

• In 817, a monk named Nennius composed the 1st
  written account of King Arthurin Latin.
• In 12th cent., Geoffrey of Monmouth, a historian,
  added Arthur to his history of British kings,
  including the story of Merlin and Queen
  Guinevere.

7
The legend grows

• Stories about Arthur grew in number and detail as
  the legends cycled through France, Spain,
  Germany, and Italy.
• New characters were added, including Sir
  Lancelot, Sir Galahad, and Sir Percival
• In the 12th century, Chretien de Troyes wrote the
  version which became popular and accepted all
  over Europe

8
Sir Thomas Malorys Arthur

• Malory completed a prose version of the Arthurian
  saga in 1470.
• He gathered all of the tales circulating in
  Europe since the onset of the Middle Ages.
• Le Morte d Arthur was published 1st in 1485 by
  William Caxton, the first English printer.

9
Malorys legacy

• Le Morte d Arthur proposes a return to the
  ideals of chivalry, to a simpler way of life with
  established codes of behavior.
• Le Morte d Arthur is the first English prose
  epic, the last great medieval romance and one of
  the 2 most important pieces from the Middle Ages
  (2nd is Canterbury Tales).

10
T. H. White continues the chronicles of Arthur

• The Once and Future King a tetralogy consisting
  of The Sword in the Stone, The Witch in the
  Wood, and The Ill- Made Knight.
• He published The Book of Merlyn in 1977.

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The story behind The Sword in the Stone

• King Uther of England loved Igraine, another
  Knights wife
• With help of magic, he deceived Igraine into
  thinking he was her husband.
• Arthur was the child conceived of this trick.

12
Merlin and Arthur, the child

• The great magician Merlin protected Arthur,
  taking him to Sir Ector and asking him to raise
  Arthur as his own child.
• No one knew Arthurs identity until he revealed
  it by pulling out the famous sword in the stone.

13
The Round Table

• As a part of his education, Arthur had been
  turned into animals to see the world from
  different perspectives.
• While he was King, Arthur established an order of
  knights who believed in might for right.
• To equalize ranking, knights would join each
  other at the Round Table to make laws and
  discuss ways to help the oppressed.

14
Deadly family ties

• Arthurs half sister, Morgan le Fayan evil
  sorceress herself-- constantly plots to destroy
  him and his knights.
• Mordred, perhaps Arthurs son by Morgan le Fay or
  just his nephew, wars against Arthur for
  possession of his kingdom, Camelot.

15
Arthur the Warrior King

• Fought war against the Roman emperor Lucius and
  conquered much of Europe
• Called home because his nephew Modred had seized
  his kingdom and queen
• Began the quest for the Holy Grail upon returning
  home

16
Arthur, the husband and friend

• Guinevere, the beautiful daughter of a king,
  became Arthurs beloved Queen.
• Launcelot, the greatest of Arthurs knights, was
  the best and worst of friends to Arthur.
• Arthur, Guinevere, and Launcelot emerge as the
  worlds most famous love triangle.

17
Sir Launcelot du Lake

• 150 Knights sat with King Arthur at the Round
  Table, but only one was his favoriteLauncelot.
• Devoted to Arthur and in love with Queen
  Guinevere, Launcelot became torn causing great
  suffering for all three.
• To prove his worthiness and overcome his dilemma,
  Launcelot set off on a quest like any brave
  knight would do.

18
Even when man dies, the legend lives on.

• Arthur returns Excalibur before he dies.
• Arthur is taken away by the ladies of the lake
  to be buried in Avalon.
• The ruins of Glastonbury Abbey may be the
  original isle of Avalon.

19
Arthurs gravesite?A marker there reads

• Site of King Arthurs Tomb
• In the year 1191 the bodies of King Arthur and
  his queen were said to have been found on the
  south side of the Lady Chapel.
• On 19th April 1278 their remains were removed in
  the presence of King Edward and Queen Eleanor to
  a black marble tomb on this site. The tomb
  survived until the dissolution of the abbey in
  1539.

20
Is there romance today?

• J.R.R. Tolkein was a professor of medieval
  languages and literature at Oxford University.
• His Lord of the Rings trilogy draws upon medieval
  romance characteristics to create the memorable
  characters and story lines we love today.