What are the best King Arthur books?
King Arthur, considered as one of the most famous heroes from history, was a British leader who protected Britain against the invasion of Saxons. Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are known to the world, how they led a path of enlightenment in the dark ages.
What is the greatest book ever written on King Arthur?
Books shelved as king-arthur: The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Once and Future King by T.H. White, Le Morte d'Arthur: King Arthur and th... Home My Books
Is King Arthur a true story?
King Arthur: Sir Thomas Malory's History of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table (Scribner Classics) Part of: Scribner Classics (4 Books) | by Sidney Lanier and N.C. Wyeth | Nov 6, 2018 4.7 out of 5 stars 65
Is King Arthur fact or fiction?
Did King Arthur exist book?
The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of Welsh and English folklore and literary invention, and modern historians generally agree that he is unhistorical.
Who wrote the book about King Arthur?
Howard PyleThe Story of King Arthur and His Knights / AuthorHoward Pyle was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people. He was a native of Wilmington, Delaware, and he spent the last year of his life in Florence, Italy. In 1894, he began teaching illustration at the Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry. Wikipedia
Who is King Arthur and why is he important?
He was a warrior, a knight and a king who killed giants, witches and monsters and led a band of heroes on many daring adventures. He is known for his Knights of the Round Table and for uniting the peoples of his land. Even though his end was tragic, he is still known and celebrated all over the world today.
What is King Arthur's story?
King Arthur is a medieval, mythological figure who was the head of the kingdom Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table. It is not known if there was a real Arthur, though it is believed he may have been a Roman-affiliated military leader who successfully staved off a Saxon invasion during the 5th to 6th centuries.Apr 27, 2017
What is the most famous book written about Arthur who wrote it?
1. Geoffrey of Monmouth, History of the Kings of Britain. Among other things, this chronicle, written in Latin in the twelfth century by a Welsh monk, popularised the story of King Arthur.
Is Merlin a true story?
Merlin was indeed an historical figure, living in what are now the lowlands of Scotland at the end of the sixth century A.D...an authentic prophet, most likely a druid surviving in a pagan enclave of the north."Jul 20, 2019
Was Lancelot a real person?
Malory's Lancelot 1415-1471 CE) was a political prisoner at Newgate in London in 1469 CE when he wrote his Le Morte D'Arthur. His version of the legend is informed by the period of the War of the Roses (1455-1487 CE), the conflict which landed him in prison, on and off, beginning in c.Apr 25, 2019
Why is King Arthur a hero?
King Arthur and Queen Guinevere held court in the castled city of Camelot. He and his knights bravely fought beasts, rescued damsels in distress and searched for the Holy Grail. They were known for their chivalry, high moral character and loyalty.
Geoffrey of Monmouth, History of the Kings of Britain
This chronicle, which was written in Latin by a Welsh monk in the 12th century, made the story of King Arthur more well known. It was a best-seller before there were any books like that. It is one of the most exciting and important medieval English books ever written.
Chrétien de Troyes, Lancelot
In fact, Geoffrey of Monmouth doesn’t even mention Lancelot. It wasn’t until Chrétien de Troyes wrote Lancelot and came up with the idea of Guinevere and Lancelot having an affair that Arthurian legend really became romantic.
Anonymous, The Mabinogion
Even though we can’t be sure when these eleven medieval legends were first written down, we think they were first written around 1060 to 1120. Even though this would make them the oldest book on this list, they were changed over time. The Red Book of Hergest, which was written in the 14th century, was important in the development of the Mabinogion.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Idylls of the King
It was called “Chaucer retold for children” by T. S. Eliot, which isn’t true. Tennyson’s epic collection of verse stories about the people who appear in Arthurian myth is a Victorian classic, though it isn’t always good.
T. H. White, The Once and Future King
Beginning with The Sword in the Stone in 1938, a year after J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit came out, this series grew into a tetralogy (or a pentalogy if we include the posthumously published The Book of Merlyn). White’s books take place in “Gramarye,” which is the name he gave to his fantasy version of medieval Britain.
Mary Stewart, The Crystal Cave
Stewart put Arthur back in the world of Roman Britain rather than in a land of knightly chivalry and medieval pomp. This combination of fantasy and history is both memorable and winning. The Crystal Cave, which was made into a now-forgotten BBC miniseries in 1991, was written in 1970. It was made into a TV show in 1991.
Alan Lupack, The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend
A reference book rather than a work of fiction or poetry, this fat volume brings together all of the characters, stories, and storytellers under one cover. It gives the King Arthur fan useful information as they embark on a journey of discovery through Arthuriana.
Who was King Arthur?
King Arthur ( Welsh: Brenin Arthur, Cornish: Arthur Gernow, Breton: Roue Arzhur) was a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries.
What is King Arthur's name?
Some scholars have suggested it is relevant to this debate that the legendary King Arthur's name only appears as Arthur or Arturus in early Latin Arthurian texts, never as Artōrius (though Classical Latin Artōrius became Arturius in some Vulgar Latin dialects).
What was Geoffrey's Historia?
The popularity of Geoffrey's Historia and its other derivative works (such as Wace 's Roman de Brut) gave rise to a significant numbers of new Arthurian works in continental Europe during the 12th and 13th centuries, particularly in France . It was not, however, the only Arthurian influence on the developing " Matter of Britain ". There is clear evidence that Arthur and Arthurian tales were familiar on the Continent before Geoffrey's work became widely known (see for example, the Modena Archivolt ), and "Celtic" names and stories not found in Geoffrey's Historia appear in the Arthurian romances. From the perspective of Arthur, perhaps the most significant effect of this great outpouring of new Arthurian story was on the role of the king himself: much of this 12th-century and later Arthurian literature centres less on Arthur himself than on characters such as Lancelot and Guinevere, Percival, Galahad, Gawain, Ywain, and Tristan and Iseult. Whereas Arthur is very much at the centre of the pre-Galfridian material and Geoffrey's Historia itself, in the romances he is rapidly sidelined. His character also alters significantly. In both the earliest materials and Geoffrey he is a great and ferocious warrior, who laughs as he personally slaughters witches and giants and takes a leading role in all military campaigns, whereas in the continental romances he becomes the roi fainéant, the "do-nothing king", whose "inactivity and acquiescence constituted a central flaw in his otherwise ideal society". Arthur's role in these works is frequently that of a wise, dignified, even-tempered, somewhat bland, and occasionally feeble monarch. So, he simply turns pale and silent when he learns of Lancelot's affair with Guinevere in the Mort Artu, whilst in Yvain, the Knight of the Lion, he is unable to stay awake after a feast and has to retire for a nap. Nonetheless, as Norris J. Lacy has observed, whatever his faults and frailties may be in these Arthurian romances, "his prestige is never—or almost never—compromised by his personal weaknesses ... his authority and glory remain intact."
Where did the name Arthur come from?
The origin of the Welsh name "Arthur" remains a matter of debate. The most widely accepted etymology derives it from the Roman nomen gentile (family name) Artorius. Artorius itself is of obscure and contested etymology, but possibly of Messapian or Etruscan origin. Linguist Stephan Zimmer suggests Artorius possibly had a Celtic origin, being a Latinization of a hypothetical name *Artorījos, in turn derived from an older patronym *Arto-rīg-ios, meaning "son of the bear/warrior-king". This patronym is unattested, but the root, *arto-rīg, "bear/warrior-king", is the source of the Old Irish personal name Artrí. Some scholars have suggested it is relevant to this debate that the legendary King Arthur's name only appears as Arthur or Arturus in early Latin Arthurian texts, never as Artōrius (though Classical Latin Artōrius became Arturius in some Vulgar Latin dialects). However, this may not say anything about the origin of the name Arthur, as Artōrius would regularly become Art (h)ur when borrowed into Welsh.
What was the new code of ethics for the 19th century?
A new code of ethics for 19th-century gentlemen was shaped around the chivalric ideals embodied in the "Arthur of romance".
What is King Arthur's first account of his life?
King Arthur in a crude illustration from a 15th-century Welsh version of Historia Regum Britanniae. Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, completed c. 1138, contains the first narrative account of Arthur's life.
How long did the last printing of Le Morte d'Arthur take?
Social changes associated with the end of the medieval period and the Renaissance also conspired to rob the character of Arthur and his associated legend of some of their power to enthrall audiences, with the result that 1634 saw the last printing of Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur for nearly 200 years.
Who wrote the legend of Arthur?
Writers from Geoffrey of Monmouth —widely credited with creating the legend of Arthur— to Mark Twain have written about the medieval hero and the other characters of Camelot.
Who examined the question of Arthur's existence in his 2004 book The Reign of Arthur?
The Reign of Arthur: From History to Legend. Christopher Gidlow also examined the question of Arthur's existence in his 2004 book The Reign of Arthur: From History to Legend.
What is the book The Once and Future King about?
Set in the fictional Gramayre in the 14th century, the four-part story includes the stories The Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight and The Candle in the Wind.
What is the story of a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court?
Mark Twain's satirical novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court tells the story of a man who is accidentally transported back in time to the early Middle Ages, where his knowledge of fireworks and other 19th-century "technology" convinces people he is some kind of magician.
What is the book before Malory?
Before Malory: Reading Arthur in Later Medieval England. Richard J. Moll's Before Malory: Reading Arthur in Later Medieval England pieces together the varied chronicles of Arthur's legend, and examines their literary and historical significance.
When was Le Morte d'Arthur published?
Le Morte D'Arthur. First published in 1485, Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory is a compilation and interpretation of the legends of Arthur, Guinevere, Sir Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table.
When was Arthur's rise and fall published?
This narrative poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, was published between 1859 and 1885, describing Arthur's rise and fall, his relationship with Guinevere, as well as separate chapters telling the stories of Lancelot, Galahad, Merlin, and others in the Arthurian universe.
Chrétien de Troyes, Lancelot.
- In fact, Geoffrey of Monmouth doesn’t even mention Lancelot. It wasn’t until Chrétien de Troyes wrote Lancelot and came up with the idea of Guinevere and Lancelot having an affair that Arthurian legend really became romantic.
Anonymous, The Mabinogion.
- Even though we can’t be sure when these eleven medieval legends were first written down, we think they were first written around 1060 to 1120. Even though this would make them the oldest book on this list, they were changed over time. The Red Book of Hergest, which was written in the 14th century, was important in the development of the Mabinogion. We don’t usually get a good l…
Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte D’Arthur.
- It was one of the first books to be printed in England, by William Caxton in 1485. Le Morte d’Arthur tells the story of King Arthur and the Round Table in a lot of words. There is no way to be sure who “Sir Thomas Malory” was. The most likely candidate is the Thomas Malory of Newbold Revel in Warwickshire, who was a career criminal and ended up in prison many times, most recently duri…
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Idylls of The King.
- It was called “Chaucer retold for children” by T. S. Eliot, which isn’t true. Tennyson’s epic collection of verse stories about the people who appear in Arthurian myth is a Victorian classic, though it isn’t always good. Here we find the stories of Lancelot and Elaine, Geraint and Enid, Merlin and Vivien, and many more, told in Tennyson’s skilful blank verse.
Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
- Time-travel books were all the rage at the close of the nineteenth century, as H. G. Wells’s The Time Machine and William Morris’s News from Nowhere, among numerous others, suggest. For this comic novel, Twain transports an American engineer, Hank Morgan, back to the England of King Arthur, after Morgan receives a blow to the head. Big fun, it shows Twain’s humor at its bes…
T. H. White, The Once and Future King.
- Beginning with The Sword in the Stone in 1938, a year after J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit came out, this series grew into a tetralogy (or a pentalogy if we include the posthumously published The Book of Merlyn). White’s books take place in “Gramarye,” which is the name he gave to his fantasy version of medieval Britain. Unlike Stewart’s series, which takes place in the immediate post-Ro…
Mary Stewart, The Crystal Cave.
- Stewart put Arthur back in the world of Roman Britain rather than in a land of knightly chivalry and medieval pomp. This combination of fantasy and history is both memorable and winning. The Crystal Cave, which was made into a now-forgotten BBC miniseries in 1991, was written in 1970. It was made into a TV show in 1991. Stewart shows us not the old enchanter, but the boy and you…
Alan Lupack, The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend.
- A reference book rather than a work of fiction or poetry, this fat volume brings together all of the characters, stories, and storytellers under one cover. It gives the King Arthur fan useful information as they embark on a journey of discovery through Arthuriana. There’s also a long introduction to the history of “Arthur” and how Arthurian literature has changed over time.
David Day, The Search For King Arthur.
- Besides Lupack’s work, this might be the best non-fiction book about King Arthur’s possible life (if he ever lived) and how he has been used in literature for centuries. It’s clear that Day knows what he’s talking about. He’s a good guide through Arthuriana, which has a lot of different twists and turns.
Overview
King Arthur (Welsh: Brenin Arthur, Cornish: Arthur Gernow, Breton: Roue Arzhur) was a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of Welsh and English folkloreand literary invention, and modern historians generally agree that he is …
Medieval literary traditions
The familiar literary persona of Arthur began with Geoffrey of Monmouth's pseudo-historical Historia Regum Britanniae(History of the Kings of Britain), written in the 1130s. The textual sources for Arthur are usually divided into those written before Geoffrey's Historia (known as pre-Galfridian texts, from the Latin form of Geoffrey, Galfridus) and those written afterwards, which could no…
Historicity
The historical basis for King Arthur has been long debated by scholars. One school of thought, citing entries in the Historia Brittonum (History of the Britons) and Annales Cambriae (Welsh Annals), saw Arthur as a genuine historical figure, a Romano-British leader who fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons some time in the late 5th to early 6th century.
Name
The origin of the Welsh name "Arthur" remains a matter of debate. The most widely accepted etymology derives it from the Roman nomen gentile (family name) Artorius. Artorius itself is of obscure and contested etymology, but possibly of Messapian or Etruscanorigin. Linguist Stephan Zimmer suggests Artorius possibly had a Celtic origin, being a Latinization of a hypothetical nam…
Decline, revival, and the modern legend
The end of the Middle Ages brought with it a waning of interest in King Arthur. Although Malory's English version of the great French romances was popular, there were increasing attacks upon the truthfulness of the historical framework of the Arthurian romances – established since Geoffrey of Monmouth's time – and thus the legitimacy of the whole Matter of Britain. So, for example, the 16t…
See also
• Arthur's O'on
• Artus Court
• Historicity of King Arthur
• King Arthur's family
• King Arthur's messianic return
External links
• International Arthurian Society
• "Arthurian Gwent". Blaenau Gwent Borough County Council. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2008.. An excellent site detailing Welsh Arthurian folklore.
• Green, Caitlin. "Arthuriana: Studies in Early Medieval History and Legend".. A detailed and comprehensive academic site, which includes numerous scholarly articles.