Table of Contents ARGUMENTS INTRODUCTION…………..…………………….………...…1 Chapter I - King Arthur a Vivid Legend……………..2 Chapter II - King Arthur Before the Romances…… .... 5 Chapter III - King Arthur a Real Hero………………….7 Chapter IV - The real King Arthur……………………..9 Chapter V -King Arthur,death and burial… ..... …….11 CONCLUSIONS…………………………………………… .... 12 BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Table of Contents
ARGUMENTSINTRODUCTION…………..…………………….………...…1
Chapter I - King Arthur a Vivid Legend……………..2 Chapter II - King Arthur Before the Romances……... .5 Chapter III - King Arthur a Real Hero………………….7 Chapter IV - The real King Arthur……………………..9 Chapter V -King Arthur,death and burial….. . . .…….11
CONCLUSIONS……………………………………………... .12BIBLIOGRAPHY
Argument
A re as on fo r wh i ch I have c hose n “Ki ng Ar t hu r be tw ee n l egend a nd t r u th” i s t ha t I
am a b ig f a n o f t h i s l egenda ry k ing w ho has f a sc ina t ed m e f rom a m e a r ly age . I
f i r s t hea rd o f t h i s l e gend a t t he age o f n i ne ,w hen I s aw the mov i e , ”K ing A r thu r a nd
the K n igh t s o f t he Round Ta b le”a nd , s i nce t he n , I have kep t i t ve ry c lo s e t o my
hea r t . I l i ke , a s w e l l a s be l i eve i n t h i s o ld t heme , tha t t he good a l wa ys w in ove r t he
ev i l , and f rom t h i s t a l e , I a l s o found my de t e rmina t ion ,m y conc ep t o f
cou rage ,p r ide , a s w e l l a s hono r .
Ki ng A r thu r wa s a se mi - l ege nda ry Br i t i sh k ing , o f t en r ep re s en t ing the i dea l o f
ch iva l ry , bo th i n wa r and in peac e . T h i s l e genda ry k ing appea re d e i t he r a s a g r ea t
wa r r io r de f end ing Br i t a in f rom hum an and s upe rna t u r a l enem ies s ome t im e i n t he
l a t e 5 th t o ea r ly 6 t h cen t u ry , o r a s a mag i ca l f i gu re o f f o lk l o r e .
Th roughou t cen t u r i e s s t o r i e s abou t Ki ng Ar t hu r ' s popu la r i t y ha s g row n beyond the
bo rde r s o f Gre a t B r i t a in . I n Eu rope and Am er i c a i n pa r t i cu l a r have appea red
numerous l ege nds , s t o r i e s , books and f i lm s tha t enhanc e the f i c t i ona l un ive r s e o f
t he s e l ege nds . S o lv ing t he mys t e ry a bou t K ing A r thu r i s l i ke t r y i ng to a s se mb le a
huge j i g sa w puz z l e .M any ha ve t r i e d t o com ple t e t he p i c tu r e ,bu t ve ry o f t e n t he
p i ec es we re wrong l y a r r anged a nd un t i l r e cen t ly s ome w ere mi s s ing en t i r e ly .
Th i s pape r work i s one o f t hos e wh i ch com e to s uppo r t t he l a t e r hypo thes i s - the
ex i s t a nce o f K ing A r thu r a s a de f endan t o f t he poo r , a good w ar r io r , a nd l a s t bu t
no t l e a s t a g r ea t Ch r i s t i an and t r u th - s eeke r i n se a r ch fo r t he Ho l y Gra i l .
And l a s t bu t no t l e a s t , i s t he i r ony o f t he en t i r e s to ry .E ve ry de t a i l t ha t w e a r e
ce r t a in o f o r i g ina t e s f rom Fra nce .S o r e a l l y K ing Ar t hu r , t he “K ing o f t he
Br i t ons ”w as p roba b ly a f r e nch i nven t i on , a s t he r e a r e s o m any de t a i l s o f t he l ege nd
tha t come f rom thes e e a r ly F rench w r i t e r s .Fo r t h i s pu rpose I dec i ded to ana ly s e h i s
pe r s ona l i t y and dee ds a s t hey occu r r e d in ch ron i c l e s , l e gends ,my ths and romanc es .
Introduction
Li t e r a t u r e c ou ld no t ha ve e x i s t ed wh i thou t g r ea t he roe s l i ke : U l yss e s ,
Orphe us , Be owul f , a s f rom i t s ve ry be g inn ing i t cons i s t e d ma in l y o f my ths ,
l ege nds a nd he ro i c poe ms . I t i s w e l l known t ha t t he y a l l appea re d a s a r e s u l t o f
peop le ’ s need to l i s t e n t o t h r i l l i ng adve n tu re s a nd tha l e s a bou t c ou rageous
he roes and t o be l i e ve i n t he i r pow er t o s ubdue t he fo r ce s o f na t u r e .
The pe r s ona l i t y o f A r thu r , bo th d i s pu ted and cha l l eng ing , con t inuous ly s t i r
t he i n t e r e s t o f ma ny w r i t e r s and c r i t i c s w ho de vo ted a l l t he i r knowl edge and
t im e in t he a t t emp t t o r eve a l t he t r u th a bou t h im .The m y ths abou t h i s ex i s t ence
may ha ve a ba s i s a s t he r e i s poss ib l e t ha t t he h i s to r i ca l K ing A r thu r d id i ndeed
ex i s t i n t he s i x th cen tu ry A .D. ,bu t i t i s a l s o poss ib l e t ha t suc h a f i gu re d id no t
ex i s t .
Thus ,my work cons i s t s o f f ou r cha p te r s .T he f i r s t c hap te r i s a s o r t o f r ound
up o f t he A r thu r i an l e gends a nd the w ay t hey we re r e f l ec t e d bo th i n t he w orks
o f t he m os t impor t an t r om ance r s and h i s t o r i ans o f t he M idd l e A ges .
The s ec ond chap te r a s i t s t i t l e “ Ki ng Ar t hu r Be fo re t he Romanc es ” , dea l s
wi th K ing A r thu r a s he w as dep ic t ed i n t he o r a l t r ad i t i on , f o l k lo r e a nd o ld
manus c r i p t s and how cons t i t u t ed a s t a r t i ng po i n t f o r l a t e r w r i t i ngs .
The t h i rd and fou r t h chap te r , come to p rove tha t one o f t he mos t d i spu t ed
wa r lo rd i n E ng l i s h l i t e r a tu r e -K ing A r thu r - r ea l l y e x i s t ed , t he sa me a s o the r
cha ra c t e r s be l ong ing to h i s e n tou rage w ere p roved to have ex i s t ed .
The l a s t pa r t o f t he pape r con ta i n s c onc lu s ions focus ed on the
demons t r a t i on o f A r thu r ’ s ex i s t ence a s w a r r io r a nd ch i e f t a in de sc endan t f rom a
ru l l i ng f ami ly o f t he Ki ngdom o f G wyne dd .
I. King Arthur a vivid legend
Undoub t ed ly t he pe r s ona l i t y o f k ing A r thu r , t hough enve l oped in
mi s t e ry ,has been ove r t he yea r s a c ha l enge to eve ry r e se a r che r bo t h i n l i t e r a tu r e
and in t he h i s to r i ca l dom a in .F rom t h i s po in t o f v i ew ,Ki ng Ar t hu r ha s a lw ays
r ep re s en t ed a l a ndmark . T hus , f a s c i na t e d by the g r andour o f h i s c ha rac t e r and o f
h i s deeds , t he t r u th s eeke r s t h roughou t cen t u r i e s s e t o f f t o e luc i da t e t he m i s t e ry
wh i ch s u r rounds h i s m y th .
Le t u s t ake a l ook now a t t he wa y the l e gends and s to r i e s conce rn i ng K ing
Ar t hu r envo lve d in t i me .T he l ege nd sa ys t ha t i n a f a r -o f f t i me , w hen Br i t a in w as
dev ide d and w i thou t a k ing , ba rba r i an ho rds l a i d wa s t e t he once ma n who c ou ld
f r ee t he peop le .Bu t on ly he ,who d re w f rom the s tone a magn i f i cen t sw ord cou l d
p rove h im se l f t he r i gh t fu l l he i r .A f t e r many ye a r s , a young man s ucce eded w he re
even t he s t r onges t had ha d f a i l ed .The pe op le r e j o i ce d ; the k ing had com e and h i s
name wa s A r thu r .
Af t e r bu i l d ing the impre gnab le fo r t r e s s o f Ca me lo t and found ing a n o rde r
o f va l i an t w a r r i o r s , t he kn igh t s o f t he Round Tab l e , t he K ing s w ore fo r th t o sw ee p
a s ide t he ev i l w i ch had be se t t he l and .The l i be r a t ed pe asa n t s qu i ck l y t ook h im to
t he i r hea r t s , and A r thu r r e i gned j u s t l y ove r h i s new ly p ros pe rous k ingdom, t ak ing
fo r h i s queen t he beau t i fu l L ady G u ineve re .
Ar t hu r ’ s s ub j ec t s m oun ted a ques t t o de s cove r t he H o ly Gra i l , t he
f abu lous cha l i ce t ha t he ld t he se c r e t cu r e fo r a l l i l l s . Soon , a r ebe l l i on to r e t he
k ingdom apa r t , a n a rm y l e d by Modre d ,Ar t hu r ’ s t r a i t o rous nephe w.Y e t , t he r e w as
one pos se ss ed by da rk fo r c e s who l ay a t t he hea r t o f t he s t r i f e : t he mys t e r ious
and sa t an i c M organna . I n a f i na l ba t t l e ,M odred w as a t l a s t de f e a t ed and
Morga nna des t royed by M er l in , t he cou r t m ag ic i an .Bu t a l l d i d no t go w e l l , f o r
Ar t hu r h ims e l f wa s m or t a l l y w ounded . As he l ay dy ing on t he f i e l d o f ba t t l e , t he
l a s t r e ques t by the m igh ty k i ng wa s t ha t E xca l i bu r , t he s ou rce o f a l l h i s pow er ,be
ca s t i n to a s ac r e d l ake a nd lo s t f o r eve r t o mor t a l ma n .When t he mag i ca l sw ord
f e l l t o t he w a te r , a s y lph id a rm ro se f rom the s u r f ace , ca t c h ing i t by t he h i l t and
t ak i ng i t dow n in to t he c ry s t a l dep t h s .W hen t he g r e a t k ing wa s c lo s e t o dea th he
wa s s p i r i t ed a way on a ba rge t o t he i s l e o f Ava lon , a ccom pan ied by t h r ee
mys t e r i o s m a ide ns , ea ch d r e s s e r compl e t e ly i n w h i t e . Ma ny sa y tha t he d i ed a nd
wa s bu r i ed upon the i s l e , ye t t he r e a r e t hos e w ho be l i eve t ha t A r thu r ’ s s ou l i s no t
t o be found a mongs t t he dead . I t i s s a i d t ha t he on ly s l ee ps a nd wi l l one da y
r e tu rn .
T h i s i n e s s ence i s t he t a l e o f K ing At rhu r and the kn igh t s o f t he Round
Tab l e a s mos t peop l e know i t .T he re w e re m any au t ho r s t ha t w ro t e a bou t t h i s
l ege nd and a l s o f i l ms l i ke “Cam e lo t ” we re made a f t e r i t .Wi th t he pa s s i ng o f t im e
Ki ng Ar t hu r ha s been m any th ings t o m an t pe op le ,bu t i n r ece n t yea r s A r thu r i a n
my th -m ak ing has s u rpas s ed a ny l i mi t s .S ome o f t he more ex t r e me no t ions a r e
mind -bogg l ing , f rom A r thu r be ing an e x t r a t e r r e s t r i a l , t o h i s be i ng the k i ng o f
At l an t i s . .One r ecen t t heo ry t ha t a c tua l ly ga i ned a deg re e o f acc ep tanc e c l a ime d
tha t he w as t he f i r s t E u ropean t o d i s cove r A mer i ca .O bs ses ive s ha ve s pen t
f o r tunes t r y i ng to t r a ck h im down .S ome even c l a im ed to hev d i sc ove red h i s
r ema ins .
As we cou l d s ee t he mu l t i t ude o f s t o r i e s conce rn i ng h i s pe r s ona l i t y ha ve
cons t i t u t ed t he s t a r t i ng po in t f o r m any f a s c i na t ed a u tho r s s t a r t i ng wi th t he
Mi dd le A ges and con t i nu ing t i l l p r e sen t .The s to ry o f K ing A r thu r w e know t oday
wa s t he w ork o f S i r Thoma s M a l o ry .He d i d no t i nve n t t he s t o ry ,he s imp l y
co l l ec t ed t oge the r w ide va r i e ty o f ex i s t i ng t a l e s wh i ch w ere popu la r a t t he t ime
and r e to ld t he m. A s one the f i r s t book t o be p r in t ed , M a l o ry ’ s e s t ab l i s hed i t s e l f
a s t he s t a nda rd ve r s ion .
Ye t f rom t he M idd le A ges , t he e r a o f ch i va l ry and kn igh t s i n a rmour i n
wh i ch the t a l e s s eem to be se t , t he r e a r e no r ec o rds o f s uch a k ing ac t ua l l y
ru l i ng e i t he r i n Eng l and o r e l s ew he re .Even i f w e go ba ck to t he Norm an
Conques t i n 1066 ,w e f i nd no Ar t hu r . I f we go back s t i l l f u r the r t o t he n in th
cen t u ry w hen At he l s t an beca me the f i r s t Sa xon k ing o f a l l Eng l and , a ga in no s uch
mona rc hs e x i s t ed . S o w ho was A r thu r?H ow d id he be come s o f am ous?
Ac co rd ing to t he we l s h c l e r i c G eo f f r ey o f M onmou t h in h i s 1135 ’ s
work ,A r thu r w as bo rn a t T in t age l Cas t l e i n Cornw a l l a s t he sun o f t he Br i t i s h
k ing Ut he r P end ra gon .Af t e r be comi ng k ing ,A r thu r un i f i e s t he na t ion and r e igns
peac e fu l ly tw e l ve ye a r s w i th h i s que en G anhum ara .Be i ng aw ay in ba t t l e s w i t h h i s
a rmi e ,he i s f o r ce d to r e t u rn t o B r i t a in t o que l l a r evo l t l ed by h i s nephe w M odred
unwi se ly l e f t t o r u l e a s r egen t i n h i s abs ence .Al thoungh he s ucce eds i n c ru s h ing
the r e be l l i on a t t he ba t t l e o f Camla nn hav ing h i s m ag ica l s word Ca l ibu rn by h i s
s i de ,A r thu r i n m or t a l l y w ounded and t a ken to t he i s l e o f A va l on fo r h i s wounds
t o be t ended .G eof f r ey o f M onmou t h f a i l e s t o t e l l u s wha t t ha n becam e o f k ing
Ar t hu r .The a u tho r a l so w ro te t wo poe t i c works abou t Mer l in , t he gu id ing
in f lue nce beh i nd the t h rone .
II. King Arthur Before the Romances
Af t e r w e have t aken i n to acc oun t and d i sc uss ed the works o f s ome
romanc e r s f rom the M idd le A ges , i t wou l d be i n t e r e s t i ng to go ba ck i n t ime ,m ore
p r ec i se ly i n A r thu r ’ s t ime , to s ee how t he o r a l t r ad i t i on and fo l k lo r e con t r i bu t ed
to t he deve l opmen t o f t he s e roma nces .
We know tha t ove r t he yea r s much has be en m ade o f K ing Ar t hu r ’ s
i nc l u s i on in ea r ly We l sh l i t e r a tu r e ,m any w r i t e r s ha v ing emp l oyed i t i n s uppo r t o f
va r ious Ar t hu r i an t heo r i e s .U nfo r tuna t e l y , any e xami na t ion o f W e l s h l i t e r a tu r e i n
t he s ea r ch fo r h i s t o r i ca l a ccu rac y enc oun te r s a s e r ious d r a wba ck :none o f t he
su rv i v ing cop i e s o f t hos e w orks m en t ion i ng Ki ng Ar t hu r da t e s f rom the t ime
be fo re t he A r thu r i an Roma nces had becom e f i rml y e s t a b l i s hed . None the l e s s ,
maybe th i s Ce l t i c poe t ry and p rose p rov i de u s w i t h i n s i gh t i n to t he s t a tu s o f t he
Ar t hu r i an l egends a s t hey e x i s t ed w hen G eof f r ey o f M onmou t h and h i s im med ia t e
suc ces s o r s com pose d the i r works .Th i s i s p r e c i s e ly w hy I dec ided to p r e se n t t he
sou rc es w h ich cou ld have b rough t i n s p i r a t i on to t he p r e v ious ly men t i oned
romanc e r s .
The o ldes t s u rv iv ing manus c r i p t i s t he s even t h ce n tu ry poe m “ Y God d od in ”
wh i ch con t a in s one o f t he f i r s t r e f e r ences t o A r thu r a nd wi ch t e l l s u s o f a de f ea t
i n f l i c t e d on the Br i t ons by the A ng le s a t Yorks h i r e , and may ha ve a h i s to r i ca l
ba s i s .The se cond m anus c r ip t con t a in i ng a We l sh poem w h ich men t ions A r thu r i s
Th e B l ack Book o f C armarth en , compi l ed a round the mid t h i r t e en th
cen t u ry .Unfo r t una t e ly t he poems s upp l i e s u s w i t h no th i ng conc e rn ing the
h i s to r i c i t y o f A r thu r , bu t f o r de t a i l s c once rn he on ly encoun t e r s w i t h
demons ,mons t e r s a nd mys t i ca l bea s t s .
How eve r , t he t r ad i t i ona l k i ng and w ar r io r A r thu r i s a l so found i n “ Th e
Tr iad s ” .The ba t t l e o f Caml ann i s men t ioned a s a con f l i c t be t wee n A r thu r and
Modre d .One o f t he s t o r i e s i n” Th e Tr iad s -Th e Wick ed Un cove r in gs ” has A r thu r
b l am ed fo r t he u l t ima te de f ea t o f t he Br i t ons ,be i ng gu i l t y o f r e mov ing the head
o f t he god Bran tha t had been bu r i ed London’ s T owe r H i l l a s a t a l i sm an a ga in s t
f o r e ign i nvas ion .Wors e s t i l l , i n “Th e Th ree R avages ” ,Ar t hu r i s dep i c t ed a s a
cu r s e upon the l and i t s e l f ;w he re he goes no g r a s s w i l l g row fo r se ven yea r s .
F rom th i s e a r ly We l s h l i t e r a tu r e tw o conc lu s ions ca n be d r aw n :e i the r
Ar t hu r wa s i n t e rpo l a t ed i n to We l s h fo lk lo r e a f t e r he had becom e a t heme o f
popu la r r omanc e ,o r G e f f r e y o f Monm ou th a nd t he rom ance r s d r ew ma te r i a l f r om
suc h t a l e s t o e l a bo ra t e t he i r ow n s to r i e s .
The re i s a l s o an a r c hwa y on the no r th po r t a l o f M odena Ca thed ra l i n
Nor t he rn I t a ly ca rve d w i t h f i gu re s t ha t appe a r t o be f rom A r thu r i an
sc enes .Bes ides one o f t he f i gu re s i s t he i n s c r ip t i on”A r tu s de Bre t an i a ” .The
ca rv i ng wa s da t ed by expe r t s a s s ome whe re be tw ee n 1120 -1140 .The re i s t he r e fo re
a s t r ong pos s i b i l i t y t ha t i t p r eda t e s G eo f f r e y o f Monm ou th . I t i s pos s i b ly t he
ea r l i e s t monume n ta l sc u lp tu r e t o f ea tu r e t he Ar t hu r i an l egend .