![Book Cover of King Arthur](/image/book/king-arthur.webp)
King Arthur
'King Arthur' Summary
Arthur is a central figure in the legends making up the Matter of Britain. The legendary Arthur developed as a figure of international interest largely through the popularity of Geoffrey of Monmouth's fanciful and imaginative 12th-century Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain). In some Welsh and Breton tales and poems that date from before this work, Arthur appears either as a great warrior defending Britain from human and supernatural enemies or as a magical figure of folklore, sometimes associated with the Welsh otherworld Annwn. How much of Geoffrey's Historia (completed in 1138) was adapted from such earlier sources, rather than invented by Geoffrey himself, is unknown.
Although the themes, events and characters of the Arthurian legend varied widely from text to text, and there is no one canonical version, Geoffrey's version of events often served as the starting point for later stories. Geoffrey depicted Arthur as a king of Britain who defeated the Saxons and established a vast empire. Many elements and incidents that are now an integral part of the Arthurian story appear in Geoffrey's Historia, including Arthur's father Uther Pendragon, the magician Merlin, Arthur's wife Guinevere, the sword Excalibur, Arthur's conception at Tintagel, his final battle against Mordred at Camlann, and final rest in Avalon.
The 12th-century French writer Chrétien de Troyes, who added Lancelot and the Holy Grail to the story, began the genre of Arthurian romance that became a significant strand of medieval literature. In these French stories, the narrative focus often shifts from King Arthur himself to other characters, such as various Knights of the Round Table. Arthurian literature thrived during the Middle Ages but waned in the centuries that followed until it experienced a major resurgence in the 19th century. In the 21st century, the legend continues to have prominence, not only in literature but also in adaptations for theatre, film, television, comics and other media.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1893Author
![Joseph Comyns Carr image](/thumbs/image/author/joseph-comyns-carr.webp)
Joseph Comyns Carr
United States
Joseph William Comyns Carr often referred to as J. Comyns Carr, was an English drama and art critic, gallery director, author, poet, playwright and theatre manager. Beginning his career as an art cri...
More on Joseph Comyns CarrListen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
![Legend Land Volume 1 Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/legend-land-volume-1.webp)
Legend Land Volume 1 by Lyonesse (George Barham)
Legend Land is a collection of some of the OLD TALES told in those Western Parts of Britain served by the GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY, now retold by LYONESS...
![Twilight Land Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/twilight-land.webp)
Twilight Land by Howard Pyle
The room was all full of twilight; but there they sat, every one of them. I did not count them, but there were ever so many: Aladdin, and Ali Baba, an...
![The Book of Nature Myths Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-book-of-nature-myths.webp)
The Book of Nature Myths by Florence Holbrook
This is a book of myths told by the Indians of North America to their children. They could be compared to present day Fairy Tales.
![Travels of Puss in Boots, Jr. Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/travels-of-puss-in-boots-jr.webp)
Travels of Puss in Boots, Jr. by David Cory
Embark on an enchanting journey beyond imagination in "Travels of Puss in Boots, Jr." by David Cory. Join a young and adventurous feline named Puss in...
![Curious Myths of the Middle Ages Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/curious-myths-of-the-middle-ages.webp)
Curious Myths of the Middle Ages by Sabine Baring-Gould
An anthology unlike any other. An investigative approach to European fables of the middle ages, and tracing their origins across time and space, even...
![Viking Tales Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/viking-tales.webp)
Viking Tales by Jennie Hall
Viking tales are tales from Iceland, featuring the king Halfdan and his son Harald. These tales are about Viking adventures exploring the world. They...
![Blackfeet Indian Stories Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/blackfeet-indian-stories.webp)
Blackfeet Indian Stories by George B. Grinnell
The Blackfeet were hunters, travelling from place to place on foot. They used implements of stone, wood, or bone, wore clothing made of skins, and liv...
![The Faerie Queene Book 4 Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-faerie-queene-book-4.webp)
The Faerie Queene Book 4 by Edmund Spenser
"The Fourth Book of the Faerie Queene contayning the Legende of Cambel and Telamond or of Friendship." The Faerie Queene was never completed, but it c...
![The Children of Odin Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-children-of-odin.webp)
The Children of Odin by Padraic Colum
Master storyteller Padraic Colum's rich, musical voice captures all the magic and majesty of the Norse sagas in his retellings of the adventures of th...
![Tales of Folk and Fairies Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/tales-of-folk-and-fairies.webp)
Tales of Folk and Fairies by Katharine Pyle
In "Tales of Folk and Fairies" Ms. Pyle tells 15 different children's stories from around the world; each more delightful than the last. Each story st...
Reviews for King Arthur
No reviews posted or approved, yet...