Arthurian Legend:

The Romance Hero

Ms. Eckman

Eng 12

King Arthur: Fact or Fiction?

• Lady of the Lake

• White and Red Dragon

• The sword in the stone

• The Round Table

• Did Arthur truly exist?

• Geoffrey of Monmouth (1136)

*Good for Morale

*Public looking for a HERO

*National Pride

King Arthur’s Family Tree

• The genealogy of King Arthur and his family has

changed from one generation to another, during

the medieval period. The main difference

between one source from another, is that of

number of sister and half-sisters, or the number

of nephews Arthur had.

• The spelling of names had also changed,

depending on languages or regions.

Source: http://www.timelessmyths.com/arthurian/housearthur.html

There are many variations: • Family Tree of King Arthur (Geoffrey‘ of Monmouth’sversion)

Family Tree of King Arthur (Chretien de Troyes' version)

• The family tree of King Arthur shown here, comes from Chretien de Troyes' five

Arthurian romances. Chretien was the first to introduce Lancelot and Perceval into

the legend. He was also responsible for beginning the Grail legend.

• Here, Morgan le Fay is Arthur's full sister. He had another unnamed sister in Conte

du Graal ("Story of the Grail" or "Perceval“). But if we followed the First Grail

Continuation, then her name was either Norcadet or Morgawse. Also, Chretien had

listed three brothers to Gawain, but no Mordred.

Family Tree of King Arthur (Vulgate / Post-Vulgate version)

(This is) almost identical to the next family tree, which used Sir Thomas

Malory's work, Le Morte d'Arthur, 1469. The difference is mainly in the spelling

of Arthur's nephews and the number of his sisters. Notice that here, Morgeuse

and Morgan are Arthur’s half sisters.

Family Tree of King Arthur (Sir Thomas Malory's version)

This is one of the more popular versions….it is based on the work by Sir

Thomas Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur (1469)

Romance Narrative

• “ a narrative set in a world of pure wish fulfillment, where the ordinary laws of nature are suspended and where idealized and superhuman heroes fight and almost always conquer the forces of evil.” (Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 158)

• The adventures of a knight/hero on a quest (good-vs-evil), overcoming danger to save a noble lady or for love

• So- what does this really mean?

Characteristics:

1. There is a hero

2. Goes on a quest or

journey

3. In search of

something valuable

4. Done in the name of

love, honor, duty….

(chivalry)

“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”

• Unknown author

• Setting:

-The woods around the Green Chapel

-1 year and 1 day after the challenge

-New Year’s Day

• The Conflict:

-The challenge made by the Green Knight & accepted by Sir Gawain

-The Lord and Lady of the manor/castle

-gaining the green sash

• The Climax:

-The swinging of the axe…..

• The Resolution:

-Earned his life

• The Moral:

-Everyone is flawed and can strive to redeem themselves

Sooooo….

What made this a Romance

Narrative?

• Hero?

• Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

• Quest or Journey?

• Search for the Green Chapel and the 3 nights in the castle

• Search for something valuable?

• No…..maybe, he got the green sash

• Done in the name of Chivalry?

• YES!!!!

The Romance Hero…. 1. Born under mysterious

circumstances

2. Grows up in obscurity

3. Undergoes childhood initiation (usually involving a magical weapon

4. Fights evil-promotes good

5. Aided by magical weapons & wise mentors

6. Mysterious events surround his departure from earth (death?)

Romance Hero Defined:

• “a larger-than-life figure who usually has

mysterious origins and in the course of his

life performs extraordinary deeds with the

aid of magic forces.” (Holt, Rinehart &

Winston, 170)

“Le Morte D’Arthur”

• Written by Sir Thomas Mallory

• Written appx. 1460

• Combined many Arthur legends/tales to

become the main source of the modern

tales (i.e. the sword in the stone)

“Le Morte D’Arthur”

• Opens with Arthur dreaming

• Visited by ghost of Sir Gawain

• His enemy is his illegitimate son, Mordred

• Warned to make peace or a treaty with Mordred

• Day of treaty, a knight is frightened by a snake that starts the battle

• At the end of the battle, only 4 survive:

1. Mordred

2. Bedivere

3. Lucan (dies soon after battle is over)

4. Arthur

• Arthur & Mordred fight- Mordred is killed & Arthur is “mortally wounded

• Arthur asks Bedivere to throw his sword into the lake- Bedivere fails 2x’s before he finally succeeds

• A hand reaches out of the lake and grabs the sword (shakes it 3 x’s)

• Arthur is taken to Avilon by a group of wailing/crying women (Morgan le Fay, Queen of North Wales, Queen of Wastelands, Ninive)

• Bedivere meets the hermit (Bishop of Canterbury)

• Guenevere becomes a nun

Was Arthur a true Romance Hero?

Born under mysterious circumstances?

Yes- Uther Pendragon poses as Igraine’s husband in order to bed her

Grows up in obscurity?

Yes- raised by Merlin and a surrogate family

Undergoes childhood initiation (usually involving a magical

weapon)?

Yes- the sword in the stone

Fights evil-promotes good?

Yes

Aided by magical weapons & wise mentors?

Yes- Merlin and Excalibur

Mysterious events surround his departure from earth (death?)?

Yes- goes to Avalon, did he die & where was he buried….

Were Sir Gawain and the Green

Knight Romance Heroes?

The Romance Hero….

1. Born under mysterious circumstances

2. Grows up in obscurity

3. Undergoes childhood initiation (usually involving a magical weapon

4. Fights evil-promotes good

5. Aided by magical weapons & wise mentors

6. Mysterious events surround his departure from earth (death?)

Were these stories Romance

Narratives?

1. Is there a hero?

2. Is there a quest or journey?

3. Are they in search of something

valuable?

4. Is it done in the name of love, honor,

duty…. (chivalry)?