The King Arthur Legend

Historical Background

517 the Britons were led by

“Arturius”

Led them to victory many

times but was finally defeated.

Killed in defeat and buried in

Glastonbury.

Six centuries later an excavation

uncovered a tomb.

The coffin bore the following

inscription: ”Here lies buried the

renowned King Arthur in the Isle

of Avalon.”

Legend

A tale that is handed down for

generations among people of

a certain region.

Usually magnifies the

achievements of a real-life

individual

Figure becomes a larger-than-life

hero.

Gives people a proud image of

their history.

Expresses the values of the era in

heroic and exciting terms.

Arthurian Legend

King Arthur was featured in

several epic poems in which

the British people celebrated

the Saxon Conquest.

In these stories, Arthur took

on mythic powers.

These tales were told in the oral

tradition, and grew more

elaborate with each retelling.

The stories spread throughout

Europe.

Versions of the stories were

eventually written down.

Medieval Romance

Forerunner of modern fiction

Loose collection of incidents

concerning: a noble hero, his

exciting adventures, and

especially, his pursuit of love.

Focus on chivalry

Chivalry

Knightly code of behavior

Focus on bravery and

courtesy

Sir Thomas Mallory

An English knight

Wrote his version of King Arthur while he was in prison.

Le Morte d’ Arthur ( The Death of Arthur)

This version focuses more on the Chivalric Code

Modern Day Versions

The Sword in the Stone

First Knight

Merlin

A Knight’s Tale

Excalibur

The Mists of Avalon

And many, many more