An Overview of the Arthurian Legend - Essay Example

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table Despite the lack of conclusive evidence regarding their actual existence, it is undeniable that King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table have greatly influenced and inspired people across the ages. The adventures and gallantries of these remarkable characters have served as theme for myriad forms of literature which we continue to enjoy hitherto. This paper provides an overview of the Arthurian legend. Moreover, it discusses the pursuits of Arthur and the chivalrous Knights of the Round Table as well as the ongoing debates among scholars about their historical authenticity. Overview of the Arthurian Legend Arthur is known to be the semi-legendary king of the Britons who fought against the Anglo-Saxon invaders. According to legend, he was the son of Uther Pendragon, king of Britain, and Ygraine of Cornwall. During his childhood, Arthur's identity was kept anonymous. Upon his maturity, he was abruptly presented to the people as their king and became a prudent and brave ruler ("Microsoft Encarta"). On the other hand, in the early Latin chronicles, Arthur is characterized as a "dux bellorum," i.e. a military leader rather than a king or emperor ("Camelot Project"). Despite the varying depiction, Arthur consistently appears as the epitome of ideal kingship ("Wikipedia"). Based on the Arthurian romances that gained popularity in the 12th century, Arthur gained the throne as he was the only one who had successfully withdrawn the Excalibur, a magical sword, from a stone. Many others attempted but failed since this act could not be accomplished apart from the "true king." This implied that Arthur was indeed the divinely appointed king and the true heir of Uther Pendragon ("Wikipedia"). He then established a court at Camelot, which is believed to be the modern Caerleon on the southern border of Wales or the great hill fort at South Cadbury in Somerset ("The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy"). At Camelot, Arthur gathered the Knights of the Round Table, which were comprised of Sir Aglovale, son of King Pellinore of Listinoise; Sir Agravaine, son of King Lot of Orkney; Sir Alymere; Sir Aristant; Sir Bedivere; Sir Bors, king of Gannes; Sir Constantine; Sir Ector de Maris, son of King Ban of Benwick; Sir Florence, son of Sir Gawain; Sir Gaheris; Sir Galahad, Sir Lancelot's son and the hero of the quest for the Holy Grail; Sir Gareth; Sir Gawain, Arthur's nephew, who at some points appeared as the embodiment of knightly courtesy and bitter opponent of Lancelot; Sir Geraint; Sir Kay, Arthur's villainous foster brother; Sir Lamorak; Sir Lancelot; Sir Lucan; Sir Palamedes the Saracen; Sir Percival; Sir Tristan; and Sir Yvain, son of King Uriens of Gore (Lacy). These knights were awarded the highest order of chivalry at the court of King Arthur as narrated in the literary cycle, the Matter of Britain. According to Sir Thomas Malory, the knights abided by a set of rules called the Code of Chivalry. Provisions of this code include not committing outrage or murder; fleeing treason; not succumbing to cruelty but instead giving mercy to those who ask; helping and never forcing ladies, gentlewomen or widows; and not taking up wicked battles for love or worldly goods. Aside from Arthur and his knights, the Arthurian legend also featured notable characters such as Merlin, a powerful wizard possessing the gifts of prophesy and metamorphosis who partook in the court at Camelot and revealed the existence of the Holy Grail to Arthur, and Queen Guinevere, the wife of Arthur. Moreover, it gives an account of the knights' numerous quests, perhaps the most famous of which is the search for the Holy Grail ("Wikipedia"), and Arthur's wars and victories, which extended to the European continent where he triumphantly fought the Roman Empire forces ("Microsoft Encarta"). One of the main themes in the Arthurian legend is the downfall of Arthur's kingdom, which is primarily attributed to two reasons. In the chronicle tradition, the treachery of Mordred, a knight of the Round Table and nephew of Arthur, who in some versions is depicted as the Arthur's son through an incestuous relationship with the Queen of Orkney, brought forth the collapse of Arthur's kingdom. On the other hand, in the romance tradition, the treachery is committed due to the love affair between Arthur's champion Lancelot and his beloved wife Queen Guinevere. ("Camelot Project"). Amidst the battle he was then fighting, Arthur was called to return home because of the threat of Mordred, who had rebelled against him and seized his kingdom ("Microsoft Encarta"). Arthur was killed in the Battle of Camlann, where he fought against the forces of Mordred ("Wikipedia"). Both Arthur and Mordred fell, pierced by each other's spear. Upon his death, Arthur was mysteriously carried away to the mythical island of Avalon, where Morgan le Fay, half-sister of Arthur who possessed magical powers, reigned as queen. In Avalon, sometimes identified with Glastonbury in Somerset, England, Arthur would be healed of his grievous wounds. Some stories mentioned that Arthur would return in the future, thus, he was dubbed as "the once and future king." ("The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy") Sources of the Arthurian Legend The mass of legend pertaining to Arthur and his knights was popularized during the dark ages in the medieval time. The Arthurian legend is said to have ramified from the stories of Celtic mythology. It is likely that traditional Irish hero stories fused with the literature of the Welsh, Cornish and the Celts in North Britain. Such resulted in the advent of Arthur as the hero ("Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia"). Arthur's life has been retold over and over again in the past centuries, thus, most stories about him have multiple versions ("The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy"). The earliest known mention of Arthur in literature is a brief reference to a powerful warrior in the Welsh poem Gododdin, in around 600 ("Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia"). The earliest continuous narrative is given in the Historia Regum Britanniae in approximately 1139 by the English writer Geoffrey of Monmouth, who elaborated on the achievements of King Arthur who is depicted as the conqueror of Western Europe. From Geoffrey's work, Wace's Roman de Brut (circa 1155), which imbued the legend of Arthur with the essence of knightly romance, was derived. From Wace's work evolved the first English Arthurian story, Layamon's The Brut, which characterized Arthur as a warrior and national hero. ("Microsoft Encarta") In the French realm, the oldest Arthurian romance is a series of poems by 12th century poet Chrtien de Troyes. One of his poems introduces Lancelot as Arthur's chief knight and rival for Guinevere's love ("Microsoft Encarta"). Another poem entitled Percival contains the earliest version of the quest for the Holy Grail ("Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia"). Chrtien's work had substantially influenced later Arthurian romance, specifically the early Roman versions. Although no significant medieval Arthurian literature was produced in Europe after 1225, the legend continued to flourish in England. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (circa 1370), an anonymously written masterpiece, is considered as one of the best Middle English romances as it embodies the ideals of chivalric knighthood. The last significant medieval work is Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d' Arthur. His work has become the foremost source for Arthurian literary works that followed. ("Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia") Numerous contemporary writers have utilized the stories of Arthur as their theme. For instance, Alfred, Lord Tennyson based his Idylls of the King, an allegorical approach to Victorian society, on Arthur. Similarly, the poet Edmund Spenser used Arthur as the epitome of a perfect knight in The Faerie Queene, an epic allegory of the Elizabethan Society. Mark Twain also adopted the Arthurian theme in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court to contrast New England progressivism with medieval society. Aside from these, T.H. White's The Once and Future King remains a widely read modern adaptation of the legend. ("Microsoft Encarta") In the modern times, Arthur and his knights continue to be a celebrated subject of books, films and television shows. Movies such as First Knight and King Arthur are apparently based on the legend (Mersey). Historians' Perception of Arthur To date, there is no categorical evidence that would confirm nor deny Arthur's historicity. In this regard, his existence as a historical figure continues to be debated upon ("Camelot Project"). Some historians like Loomis believe that there may have been a mighty British commander in the late 5th century who bore the same name. However, Loomis admits that it would be erroneous to presume anything about his background in light of the warrior's name. On the other hand, other historians such as Dumville advocate the rejection of Arthur from history due to the lack of historical evidence to prove his existence. Similarly, Wood calls for the same conclusion since there is no definite evidence that would prove that Arthur actually lived. Despite all the varying opinions, as Morris asserts, "His impact upon future ages mattered as much, or more so...." With this, it becomes clear that, although the answer about Arthur's as well as his knights' existence remains elusive, what is more essential is for us to learn from the valuable lessons which their stories impart and how to apply these for the enhancement of today's society. Works Cited Camelot Project. 18 December 2005 The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Columbia University Press, 2003. Dumville, David. "Histories and Pseudo-histories of the Insular Middle Ages." Variorum Collected Studies, 1990. Lacy, N.J. et al, ed. The Arthurian Encyclopedia. 1987. Loomis, Roger S., ed. Arthurian Literature in the Middle Ages. Clarendon Press: Oxford University, 1959. Malory, Sir Thomas. Le Morte d' Arthur: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table. New York: Signet Classic. Mersey, Daniel. Arthur King of Britons: From Celtic Hero to Cinema Icon. Summersdale: Chichester, 2004. Microsoft Encarta Premium Suite. Microsoft Corporation, 2005. Morris, John. The Age of Arthur. New York, 1973. The New Dictionary of Cultural LiteracyThe New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. Third Ed. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002. Wikipedia. 18 December 2005 Wood, Michael. In Search of the Dark Ages. Checkmark Books, 2001. Read More