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Arthur: Once and Future Legend

Arthur: Once and Future Legend. Introduction. Paths for Study. Chronological Generic Thematic. Chronology. Legend History Pseudo-History Timeline. Legends. Modena Cathedral in Italy Mabinogion Merlin Arthur. Mabinogion.

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Arthur: Once and Future Legend

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  1. Arthur: Once and Future Legend Introduction

  2. Paths for Study • Chronological • Generic • Thematic

  3. Chronology • Legend • History • Pseudo-History • Timeline

  4. Legends • Modena Cathedral in Italy • Mabinogion • Merlin • Arthur

  5. Mabinogion • Once thought to date to 10th C with stories dating much earlier. • Culhwch and Olwen often accepted as the oldest story to feature Arthur. • It shows him as already ruling all of Britain and having a group of knights ready to go on quests • Now established as written around 1100 AD with details added later

  6. History/Pseudo-History • Gildas • Nennius • Welsh Annals • Geoffrey of Monmouth • Wace • Layamon

  7. Gildas • De ExcidioBritanniae548 AD • Confirms the battle of Mt. Badon • Does not mention Arthur perhaps for political reasons • Describes a dux bellorumnamed Aurelius Ambrosius who is English

  8. Nennius • HistoriaBrittonum830 • Welsh text commissioned by King • 12th C tradition names writer as Nennius • First clearly dated text to mention Arthur by name • Description of his “twelve battles” • Despite authorial hints, the Historia has no known sources

  9. Welsh Annals • In Latin, AnnalesCambriae950 AD • First attempt to place Arthur in a specific time period • Describes Arthur at the battles of Badon and Camlann

  10. Geoffrey of Monmouth • Twelfth Century Writer • Most Influential on later Arthurian writers • Three Books • Prophecies of Merlin • The History of the Kings of Britain • Vita Merlini

  11. Wace • French • Translated and expanded Geoffrey • Roman de Brut • Much less bellicose than Geoffrey • First mentions the Round Table • Influenced by Capellanus’ Art of Courtly Love

  12. Layamon • Translates Wace into English and expands • The Brut • Returns to celebration of war • Uses Anglo-Saxon alliterative form

  13. Genres • Chronicles • Legends • Romances

  14. CHRONICLES • Definition: presents the story of Arthur as history • Written with a political and/or religious agenda • Includes works by Gildas, Nennius, (Bede), AnnalesCambriae, (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle), by Geoffrey, Wace, and Layamon

  15. Legends and Lays • “Lanval” by Marie de France points to Arthurian influences in Breton songs. • The Mabinogion connects Irish and Welsh mythology to the story of Arthur.

  16. Romances • Definition: • Adventure chosen vs. survival demanded • Tests values of chivalry and service to ladies • Leads to personal perfection • Elements of marvelous or supernatural • Hero’s inner consciousness is explored

  17. History of Romance • Begins with Chrétien de Troyes in France • Lancelot • Grail Legend • Other romances • Robert de Boron associates Grail with cup of the last supper • Vulgate Cycle vastly expands especially Grail • Spreads to the Continent outside France

  18. Themes • Journey of the Hero • Chain of Being seen in the Three Estates • Spiritual/Contemplative vs. Secular/Active Life • Nature of Love (esp. Courtly Love) • Fisher King • Other

  19. Odds and Ends Reflecting my Biases • Knighthood as created around 1240 to refer to mounted military forces. • References to earlier military are anachronistic even in the legend as a whole. • “Feudalism” was invented in 1839 by historians disdainful of the social structures in the Middle Ages.

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