Arthurian legends

Chivalrous romance was the most significant genre of medieval literature. It was originally a narrative poem but from the 14^th century onwards it started to be written also in prose. This genre was brought from France by Norman invaders who started Anglo-Norman culture.

The British already had a brave warrior in their poetry but the Normans introduced a new type - noble knight. He had to be an excellent warrior and faithfully serve his master but newly he could also serve a lady and love her with total service and devotion which added an aspect of sensitivity to the fighting. This courtly love had to be only platonic and pure, though it is often not. J Chivalrous romance was the most popular genre that features a noble knight who follows the chivalric code and courtly love as well.

We distinguish 3 different cycles or romances with the same subject matter and only different historical circumstances:

·         Matter of France – legends about Charles the Great

·         Matter of Rome – legends featuring antiquity period (Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar)

·         Matter of Britain – legends about King Arthur

·         Contemporary scholars also add the Matter of England concerning native heroes like King Horn and Havelok the Dane.

King Arthur became the most popular English historical figure but did he really live? Well, there was King Arthur but Welsh historian NENNIUS (9^th century) describes him in his Historia Brittonum as a pagan Celtic king who was actually fighting against invading Anglo-Saxons which is a paradox since the English made him into the founding king of all British people. The picture of Arthur as an embodiment of noble Christian laws is a myth then.

Bishop GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH put many aspects of the legends together in his work History of the Kings of Britain (early 12^th century) but he was also a great narrator so he mixed legends and invented stories. According to him, Arthur was a Christian king, living in the 11^th century.

WACE was an Anglo-Norman poet who worked with Arthurian motives in his French work Roman de Brut (12^th century) and added more aspects to Monmouth's version.

A French author CHRETIEN DE TROYES added the Holy Grail to the existing matter. This shows that Arthurian legend was a living organism as writers were adding new aspects and made it even more legendary.

According to the legend, King Arthur gathered the Knights of the Round Table at his castle Camelot. He owned a sword Excalibur, his court wizard was famous Merlin and wife Queen Guinevere /ginevra/. Some knights took life of their own and had their own stories, they also pursue for the search of Holy Grail. The first knight was Lancelot, other knights included Mordred, Gawain /gwein/, Percival…). Merlin’s opponent was a witch Morgan le Fay. Excalibur and wizards encompasses a pagan element of magic, the Quest for the Holy Grail Christian aspect in which the knights search for the blood of Jesus that is supposed to heal every injury but also holds spiritual power.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (14th century) was written by an anonymous author who we call PEARL POET. It is a chivalric romance in the form of an alliterative poem. Although alliteration was by that time already replaced by rhyme, in the14th century there was a revival of alliteration. The subject matter is temptation to adultery and the moral lesson to be drawn from it.

La Morte d’Arthur (15th century) by Sir THOMAS MALORY was published by the first official English publisher William Caxton in 1485. In that time chivalric romance no longer existed so it can be understood as a nostalgic retrospective over an ending age. Written in prose, this book is a forerunner of the novel, in fact a collection of short stories. However, it does not have all features of the novel because all characters are flat. It remained popular even to this day since it is still fresh. Malory included English and French stories but also his own original material.

It features many Knights of the Round Table but the most famous story is a love affair between Lancelot and Guinevre in Book 20 which brings disaster to brotherhood of knights and chivalry. It also symbolically marks the end of this culture. Their love was not platonic at all (Sir Lancelot lieth daily and nightly by the queen) so they actually broke the chivalric code. Agravaine and Mordred hated the fact that they ashamed the king but they needed to catch the pair red-handed. Since King Arthur would not approve their plan as he trusts Lancelot, they sent him hunting. Agravaine and Mordred really found lovers in the Queen´s chamber and surrounded them.

Lancelot is brave, fights them face to face and eventually kills them both. Although he defences their love, he knows life will never be the same. In addition, it is quite strange that after all that killing Lancelot kisses the Queen as if nothing happened. Courtly love is mixed with violate killing. This piece contains theme of forbidden love and moral dilemma. Lancelot´s loyalty is divided between his love Queen Guinevere and his King to whom he should be devoted primarily. Author shows that a knight is also a human, not only a hero. Malory is not moralising, he does not pass the judgment and that makes his work so progressive.

Later Arthurian texts

The Lady of Shalott is a Victorian ballad by ALFRED TENNYSON that retells Arthurian subject matter. The Lady of Shalott lives in an island castle but little is known about her by the locals. She suffers from a mysterious curse and must continually weave images on her loom without ever looking directly out at the world. Instead, she looks into a mirror which reflects the busy road and the people of Camelot which pass by her island. The reflected images are described as "shadows of the world", a metaphor that makes clear that they are a poor substitute for seeing directly (I am half-sick of shadows.) She sees Sir Lancelot in her mirror and as a result, the lady looks out of her window toward Camelot, bringing about the curse. She leaves her tower, finds a boat and floats to Camelot but dies before arriving. Among the knights and ladies who see her is Lancelot, who thinks she is lovely.

The Mists of Avalon (1983) is a novel by MARION BRADLEY in which she relates the Arthurian legend from the perspective of the female characters. The book follows the struggle of Morgaine (often called Morgan le Fay in other works), a priestess fighting to save her matriarchal Celtic culture in a country where patriarchal Christianity threatens to destroy the pagan way of life. The epic is focused on the lives of other women who are often marginalized in Arthurian retellings. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are only supporting characters. The book is in contrast to most other retellings which consistently cast Morgan le Fay as one-dimensional evil sorceress. The typical battles, quests, and feuds of King Arthur's reign act as secondary elements to the women's lives.