...King Arthur's Knights Was Arthur a true, historical figure or only a hero of legend? This is truly up to each and every one of us to decide for ourselves. Arthur represents a man who was the epitome of good against evil, light against darkness, and that eternal, never-ending struggle between what is right and that which is wrong. King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and his historical existence is debated and disputed by modern historian. there is no historical evidence, that King Arthur ever exist…But, as people say '' no smoke without fire'' CAMELOT was declared as the chief residence of the High-King Arthur and embroidered the elaborate portrayal that we recognise today. The Tradition: The Name "Excalibur" was first used for King Arthur's sword by the French Romancers. It was not the famous "Sword in the Stone" (which broke in battle), but a second sword acquired by the King through the intercession of his druidic advisor, Merddyn (Merlin). Worried that Arthur would fall in battle, Merlin took the King to a magical lake where a mysterious hand thrust itself up from the water, holding aloft a magnificent sword. It was the Lady of the Lake offering Arthur a magic unbreakable blade, fashioned by an Avalonian elf smith, along with a scabbard which would protect him as long as he wore it.Towards the end of his reign, during the troubled...
Words: 805 - Pages: 4
...were telling the fabulous tales and romances about Arthur and his kingdom. The common people heard them sung by bards, while in the court poets wrote different versions. In each retelling the speaker would select certain details for emphasis and introduce new elements, so that the story could be adapted to the particular time and audience. Although most historians believe that there actually did exist an Arthur, they differ on how major his role was on influencing society during his time. To understand the most widely accepted view on when and how Arthur gained fame, one must be aware of the historical time period surrounding Arthur. The unity that the Roman government imposed on Britain disappeared around 410 AD. In its place arose small villages whose rulers struggled for political and military supremacy. Around 540, a Welsh monk and historian named Gildas wrote in his book Concerning the Ruin and Conquest of Britain that The disasters that the British people suffered at the hands of the Anglo-Saxons after the Roman withdrawal were clear evidence that god was punishing them for their sins. It was during these disasters that the monk was referring to that Arthur held up resistance for the Britons against the Saxons, at a time when Britain was constantly being threatened by invaders. Through being the commander who routed the battles against the enemy and thereby saving the south of Britain from distruction of the Saxons, Arthur became the image of the hero and savior whose death...
Words: 2298 - Pages: 10
...King Arthur – Characters’ Analysis To give a myth, story, or any work of literature the ability to lure the reader in, it’s critical that the writer make the characters relatable. When the reader is able to connect to one or more of the characters, they can transfer many of their own feelings, struggles or life experiences onto the story itself. Even when the characters are portrayed with god-like qualities or traits, they often still exhibit some traits of mortality which tends to give the reader a perceived one on one connection. As a child, and as the eventual King, Arthur’s ideals, morals and overall character change very little. He is always depicted as a feeling, considerate person who uses his abilities, skills, and influence for the betterment of his people. In the story of King Arthur, from our book, Arthur is presented as a larger than life hero and warrior that is pre-ordained to become king through divine intervention. The book’s story also has him battling giants, monsters and sorcerers. However, I felt the movie shown him to be more mortal and susceptible to mortal weaknesses. There wasn’t so much of a divine force influencing the plot and characters, so much as a force of deep loyalty, moral and ethical tones. Arthur shows some traits of immaturity when he is a child, but I believe this is another way the writer attempts to convey to the reader Author’s mortal side and vulnerabilities. His immaturity is short lived and he quickly takes on the characteristics...
Words: 1078 - Pages: 5
...Stone of the Arthurian Legend King Arthur and the knights of the round table belong to a long line of books and stories of the Arthurian legend. Merlin, Lancelot, The lady of the lake, King Arthur, and Excaliber are all very important in the Arthurian legend. In this essay we will talk about King Arthur, the knights of the round table, and Merlin in the famous story, The sword in the stone. The Sword in the stone is a book about an adopted child named wart. He is of royal blood and does not know this. One day when Wart is in the forest, he finds a magician named Merlin. Merlin comes home with Wart and agrees with Sir Ector, Wart’s guardian, to become Wart’s tutor. Merlin goes about educating Wart by Transforming him into different animals. Through each transformation Wart experiences different forms of power, each being a part of how he should rule as king. The first transformation takes Wart and Merlin into the castle’s moat as a fish. They then meet the largest fish in the moat, which is an alligator who is the ruler. The alligator takes what he wants because of his size. In a speech about power, he tells Wart that “Might is right,” and might of the body is greater than might of the mind. Because of the way the alligator rules, his subjects obey him out of fear for their lives. Wart experiences this firsthand when the gator tells him to leave. He has grown bored of Wart, and if Wart does not leave he will eat him. The king uses his siz... ... middle...
Words: 416 - Pages: 2
...King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, Green Knight, and Sir Gawain are all admirble knights, but thats not what is importtant; the actions that made them admirble are. In the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain is more admirble. Reason one is that the Green Knight is already a known knight sir Gawain is a non-known knght. The following quote shows that " I am the weakest, the most wanting of wisdom, i know, / And my life, if lost, would be least missed." (154-155). This quote relates on the fact that he is taking the place of his king when he is not a Beowulf of knights, or known, nor a strong knight. Another reason on why Sir Gawain is more admirble is that he would not accept the ladies seducing or gifts. These next quotes state this " For two days, while the lord is/ hunting, the lady of the castle attempts to seduce Gawain,/ but Gawain nobly rejects her advances."(prolog). "She proffered him a rich ring wrought in red gold... But the courteous man declined it." (243-247). This relates because it says he was nobel, and by him not accepting the gifts makes him loyal. Admirble knights are both nobel and loyal. The final reason on why sir Gawain is more admirble is that even though he is not the best knight he still accepts the game, and goes to look for the Green Knight. This Quote relates to that "as the end of the next year apporaches, Sir Gawain sets out/ on his horse Gringolet to seek the Green Knight." (prolog). This relates on the level that he had enough loyalty to the...
Words: 338 - Pages: 2
...King Arthur From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For other uses, see King Arthur (disambiguation). Statue of King Arthur, Hofkirche, Innsbruck, designed by Albrecht Dürer and cast by Peter Vischer the Elder, 1520s[1] King Arthur is a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and his historical existence is debated and disputed by modern historians.[2] The sparse historical background of Arthur is gleaned from various histories, including those of Gildas, Nennius and the Annales Cambriae. Arthur's name also occurs in early poetic sources such as Y Gododdin.[3] 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).[4] However, some Welsh and Breton tales and poems relating the story of Arthur date earlier than this work; these are usually termed "pre-Galfridian" texts (from the Latin form of Geoffrey, Galfridus). In these works, 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.[5] How much of Geoffrey's Historia (completed in 1138) was adapted from such earlier sources...
Words: 6395 - Pages: 26
...High king of Great Britain, son of Uther Pendragon and Igraine. Arthur stands as one of the greatest mythical heroes that the world has ever known. So great was the influence of Arthur, that stories of the high king traveled far beyond the realm of Britain into France, the rest of Europe, the Middle East, and even into parts of Asia. The coming of Arthur was prophesied years before he was born. Arthur was born into a world of chaos and disorder where wars between different Celtic tribes were prevalent, different Saxon raids charged through the countryside brining fear and terror, and bandits and other criminals ran free all over the British isles, spreading crime like a disease. When Arthur took the throne however, this chaos dissolved within a matter of years and Britain became an ideal place of chivalry, honor, and justice. It is truly amazing how much of an influence that one man could have. With his advisor Merlin at his side and with the fellowship of the courageous knights of the Round Table, Arthur transformed a chaotic land of villainy and danger into a realm of peace, tranquility, and adventure. All of Britain looked up to Arthur and spoke of him with awe and admiration. The real Arthur was most likely a Celtic general that lived sometime in the 6th century. He advised various kings to unite together to fight the raiding Saxons. He was most likely a military genius. In those dark days, true heroes were very scarce and the people looked for someone like Arthur to tell...
Words: 2661 - Pages: 11
...Ben Carson is the New King Arthur King Arthur is a fictional character found in many stories and folktales. King Arthur’s stories are about him learning valuable lessons, going on quests, and becoming King at Camelot. Ben Carson is a man from Detroit, Michigan. Ben Carson’s stories are about growing up, becoming a doctor, and recently running for president. Ben Carson is the reincarnation of King Arthur because of his past, wanting to help others, and his morals. Ben Carson grew up mainly with his mom in Detroit, Michigan. King Arthur grew up in Sir Ector’s castle of the Forest Sauvage with his ‘dad’. Growing up, Ben didn’t learn much in school, until he started reading more and found he could “see himself as the central character of what...
Words: 487 - Pages: 2
...Imagine your life as it is now and then suddenly you are the King of Britain and you are only fifteen years old. The instant that Arthur Pendragon removed that sword his life was changed forever for the inscription read “The one who pulls this sword out of the stone is the rightful ruler of all of Britain”. As the new ruler of Britain, King Arthur will gather the bravest and most worthy knights in all of the land to join his round table and together they will bring justice and order to Britain. From fighting the most dangerous foes to searching for the Holy Grail King Arthur and the Knights take on each of their challenges with courage. In this essay I will talk about how the author uses mood, author’s purpose and imagery to tell the story...
Words: 475 - Pages: 2
...Although Batman and King Arthur both ended up becoming heroes, King Arthur did not have the desire to become king once he pulled the sword out of the stone. Initially Arthur pulled the sword out of the stone in order to give it to his foster brother, Kay. Arthur did not obtain the sword for his own benefit and personal well-being. As a result of Arthur pulling the sword out of the stone he ended up becoming the new king of Camelot. Engraved on the sword was this saying, “Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil, is rightwise king born of all England.”(McBride). Arthur became the king to help the people and to instill a code of ethics; he did not want to become king for the glory or honor that came with it. However, Batman did have...
Words: 692 - Pages: 3
...“King Arthur: Sword and the Stone” Informational Essay ‘“I hereby proclaim that on Christmas morning, one month from today all those who consider themselves worthy of attempting to pull this sword from the stone will be given the opportunity. He who wins the sword, thereby wins the kingdom”’ (Talbot 418). King Arthur: Sword in the Stone written by Hudson Talbott tells the beginning of the Arthurian Legend and it explains how arthur's pulls out the sword, he is the only one who can pull out the sword, and become the king and owner of the sword. “Sword in the Stone” relates to a hero's journey in the ultimate battle and the road back. The first reason “King Arthur: Sword in the Stone” relates back to the hero's journey is the ultimate battle....
Words: 491 - Pages: 2
...still debate over whether King Arthur was a historical person or not. This is because there is no real evidence of what Arthur did or how he went about his lifestyle. Writers have different opinions on how Arthur came to be the king, how he was as the king, and what time period King Arthur lived during. Most historians and writers agree on the most popular story of King Arthur; King Uther, Arthur’s father, made a deal with Merlin the Wizard to help Uther have a child with Ygraine, the Queen of another village. The deal is that Uther has to give his child up to Merlin. Uther’s plan is a success, and he conceives a child with Queen Ygraine. The son was named Arthur, and Uther held up his end of the deal. Arthur...
Words: 947 - Pages: 4
...The story of King Arthur is one of the most well know legends of all time. Scholars, teachers, and children all know the story of Arthur and his sword in the stone. Not many people know the actual story of Arthur. He is seen in many different ways. He is seen as either a warrior or a wart, depending on where a person is getting the information from. Who King Arthur was, his importance, and his exaggeration throughout time can be seen in both history and literature. Who was King Arthur? Many scholars do not even have the answer. Most of them believe Arthur was actually from the fifth or sixth century. They believed he was a military commander of the Britons against Anglo Saxons that were invading Great Britain at the time. The historian Gildas...
Words: 820 - Pages: 4
...The Legend of King Arthur is timeless. It is the story of a great king who accomplished much and continues to be an inspiration. There have been many works of literature written about him, as well as movies and plays. The origins of the legend are not completely known, but some of the earlier recorded works include Pearl-Poet's Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur. By analyzing ancient British paganism and Christianity, one can see how they each influenced the creation of the legend of King Arthur to make it the well known story many know and love today. It begins with pagans, the ancient Britons- the Aryans. Pagans are considered the people who had their own local religions as opposed to Christianity....
Words: 1252 - Pages: 6
...King Arthur and Jesus Christ Ron Couts University of Phoenix Com/170 Dr. Phil Johnson November 2, 2011 | For centuries, tales of heroes and their quests have fascinated both the young and the old. Two of the most recognized heroic stories passed down are the legends of King Arthur and Jesus. The legends of both of these heroes closely resemble one another. Both legends include a magical conception a humble but glorious life, and a horrible death at the hands of evil. The striking similarities between the legendary figures of Jesus Christ and King Arthur have caused many people to speculate the shared mythology between the two is actually the same story. With each telling, details have often changed to accommodate the current needs or cultural differences of the people. The first major resemblance in the stories is their origins. Their conceptions share a parallel in the fact they are both highly unusual. Both characters are conceived in a mystical way. Jesus is conceived indirectly by the Holy Spirit, and Arthur by a king disguised by sorcery. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is miraculously impregnated while remaining a virgin. According to the story, Mary is visited by angels who told her she is chosen to be the mother of the Son Of God. When she accepted the request...
Words: 1259 - Pages: 6
