THE ARTHURIAN LEGEND

Period 4

Sarralane AmonCindy MuñozRen Salvania

The Legend

The Arthurian Legenddepicts the story of Arthur,his origins, his rise to the

crown, and his reignthereafter.

The legend itself gives

life to a romantic image of Medieval Britain, of gallant knights engaging in heroic quests, of dignified women in stone castles, and much more.

The legend never actually existed but its prominence over Britain has never faltered.

The Legend

Although there are innumerable incantations of the legend, the basic story has remained the same.

As always, the main characters are Arthur, Merlin, King Pendragon, Morgan le Fay, Mordred, Guinevre, the Lady in the Lake, Sir Lancelot, and many more.

The Story

The following is the basic story:Arthur is the illegitimate son of King Uther Pendragon.After King Pendragon’s death, Arthur gains the crown bysuccessfully pulling a sword from a stone. Merlin thenreveals Arthur’s lineage and Arthur’s reign commences.As the wheel of time slowly turns, Arthur proves both

hisnobility as king and his strength as a warrior until his

ownwheel ceases its movement.

Origin

The main source of information for the Arthurian Legend

comes from Geoffrey of Monmouth, a Welsh Cleric. He

wrote the book Histroia Regum Britannia, translated as The

History of the Kings of Britain, in 1136. Though it isoften debated when the legend was first

conceived, thename Arthur can be traced to as early as the sixth

centuryin the poem “Gododdin” where the name Arthuris mentioned.

Prominence

Although the legend is just a story, it has influenced many.

The image of the legend became fact as people during the Medieval era took on the fashion. Its image and beliefs soon became the norm in society.

Even if Arthur himself is fiction, that hasn’t stopped the Kings of England from claiming to be his lineage to justify their claim on both the Welsh and English thrones. Indeed, it was convenient for royalty to turn these myths into “hard facts” to suit their purposes.

Conclusion

The King Arthur Legend continues to live on today. From books to television, we learn the story of King Arthur.

The stories of King Arthur of course differ. However, we still learn of a boy who became a great king.

Works Cited

R. H., Fletcher, and Loomis R. L. "The Arthurian Legend." The Arthurian Legend. N.p., 16 Sept. 2009. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. <http://www.ramsdale.org/legend.htm>.

Taylor, Patrick. "Arthurian Legend." Arthurian Legend. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. <http://www.arthurian-legend.com/>.

Alchin, L.K. "The Legend of King Arthur." Legend of King Arthur. Lords and Ladies, 16 July 2012. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. <http://www.lordsandladies.org/legend-of-king-arthur.htm>.