Arthurian Legend Historical Arthur Arthur existed a war

Arthurian Legend

Historical Arthur • Arthur existed, a war leader in the dark days following the collapse of Roman rule, around 450 A. D. May or may not have been a king. • The Roman-Celtic population was being driven west by Anglo-Saxons. • Arthur briefly rallied and stopped the tide of Anglo. Saxons. • Won a mighty battle over the Anglo-Saxons at Mount Badon.

Arthur in Wales • As Britons were driven west into Wales, the legend of Arthur grew. • Around the legendary King Arthur clustered a series of marvelous figures, (i. e. Merlin, questing beast, Lady in the Lake, fire-breathing serpents) • And wondrous events (i. e. Quest for the Holy Grail, an embodiment of salvation, which had been brought to England by Joseph of Arimathea) frequently set around the festival of Pentecost (descent of the Holy Spirit into Christ’s apostles 50 days following Easter. )

The Legendary Arthur • Legends spread across Europe, particularly France (which comes to be entangled with England through William the Conqueror, Plantagenet Kings, 100 Years War. ) • Legends get “romanticized” through the poems of Chrétien de Troyes and many others. • Arthur becomes the hero who came to epitomize England of the 15 th century. • King of the British Isles and Holy Roman Emperor. • Brings an age of justice and glory to England. This golden age was symbolized by the palace at Camelot.

Chivalry • Notions of trust and obligation were strong. • Honor defined relations between people. • Honor was a complex concept in which one had to have a reputation and a commitment to integrity and courage. • Conduct on the battlefield and off. • From the chevalier, from French word for horse.

Chivalric or Courtly love • In medieval Europe, in both secular and religious life, love was elevated into a cult. • Worshipping from afar. • Gives a sacred character to courtly love • In reality, much seduction and infidelity. • Both pure and impure carnal love plays a significant role in the story of King Arthur.

Malory’s Morte d’Arthur • Religious and carnal love, history and myth came together in the literary cycle of King Arthur and the search for the Holy Grail. • King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, the love of Lancelot and Guinevere, and Sir Galahad and the Grail brought together themes of chivalry, courtly love, and religious mysticism.

Malory’s Morte d’Arthur (cont. ) • Captures passion, consequences, contradictions of romantic & spiritual love. • One of the first great works of English prose, it summarizes the civilization of medieval chivalry in its ideal form. • Morte d’Arthur has inspired poems, novels, musicals, movies, comic books, role playing games, operas, video games, etc.

Thomas Malory • English knight served with distinction in the Hundred Years’ War, elected to Parliament. • In 1459, he and a group of fellow knights allegedly beat up and robbed some monks. • Sentenced to jail, where he died in 1471. • Used jail time to come to grips with the question of love & to write Morte d’Arthur.

Morte d’Arthur • Uther Pendragon, a mighty ruler over the western part of the British Isles, falls for Igraine, wife of Duke of Tintagel • Merlin arranges for Uther to assume the form of the duke and be transported to his castle. • The real duke is killed in battle three hours before Uther visits Igraine, who then marries Uther. • Their son is Arthur, accepted as legitimate. • Uther Pendragon dies.

Succession • Arthur rides to an assembly in London. Word is the next king will be the man who can draw a sword from a stone. • Only the young Arthur can do so. Some nobles agree that Arthur should be the king of England. Some do not > war. • This is not Excalibur.

Arthur as King • A strange woman in a lake gives the sword Excalibur to Arthur. • With that sword and his innate goodness, Arthur unifies Britain and the whole of Europe into one kingdom, with himself as Holy Roman Emperor.

The Round Table • Knights come to serve King Arthur at his capital city at Winchester, or Camelot. The knights sit at a round table (the dowry of Guinevere) because everyone is equal (ergo peers). Arthur is “first among equals. ” • Arthur weds Guinevere. • The knights gather and serve the cause of good.

Lancelot • French, Ill-formed knight, knight of the cart • The greatest of all the knights: brave, courteous, and bold • His only flaw is that he loves Queen Guinevere—and she loves him. • Rescues Gwen and many other maidens • Does NOT succeed in Quest for Grail • Stays unwed to remain pure

Birth of Galahad • On a journey, Lancelot arrives at the castle of King Pelleas, who asks him to sleep with his daughter Elaine so that he will to sire the perfect knight. • When Lancelot refuses, Pelleas changes his daughter’s appearance so that she looks like Guinevere. • Lancelot sleeps with Elaine, sires Galahad.

Galahad • Truly the perfect knight. • Raised by nuns, who lead him to Camelot. Takes the unfilled Siege Perilous, designated for the person that God chose to find the Holy Grail. Anyone else taking the chair would be struck dead, but for Galahad, a chalice appears.

Search for the Grail • The knights decide that a young boy should not seek the Holy Grail by himself, and the entire Round Table sets off. • Arthur is distraught, believes that many of these men of honor, courage, and faith will die on this lonely journey.

The Quest • Lancelot and many others fail. • Galahad remaining pure, and with Perceval and Bors find it and return it to Sarras, its rightful place. • Content to have achieved this goal, Galahad and Perceval die peacefully. • Bors, returns to tell about Galahad’s ascension to heaven for his goodness.

The Fall • Lancelot’s life is about gossip, defense of rep. • Lancelot and Guinevere are overcome by lust, and their affair is an open secret. Arthur shuts his ear to these rumors. • Modred tells Arthur he must show the world whether Guinevere is innocent or adulterous. Tests Lancelot, who fails. • Arthur, shamed, must exile Lancelot.

The Revolt • Arthur, without Lancelot, faces the forces of revolt led by Modred. • In a great battle, Arthur and Modred slay each other -- maybe. • As he is (maybe) dying, Arthur requests his sword thrown into the lake. When told that a woman’s hand reached up to take the sword, Arthur can die.

The Future King • According to Malory, Arthur was taken away to islands in the west by four queens, where he awaits the time when Britain needs him and he will return. • Guinevere becomes a nun; Lancelot, a monk, fasting and serving God until Guinevere dies. Can no longer eat or drink, wastes away and dies. • Buried by knights who fought beside him.

What’s it All Mean? • Story of love, search for the Holy Grail, becomes a story of redemption. • Sinners, such as Lancelot and Guinevere, bring destruction to those they love. God can take away their sin so that they die in peace. • A great love story and a religious story. • Speaks to values of the Middle Ages. • Absolutely part of the British canon.

Is this a great book? • The theme: distinction between lust and true spiritual love. • Written in noble language. The first long work of prose fiction in English language. • A universal story; each generation has new movies, novels, comic books about Arthur. • Morte d’Arthur summarizes a culture—the world of the Middle Ages—at its apex.