Arthurian Legend and Mythology

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The legendary story of King Arthur and his noble knights of the round table is known throughout the world. The names of Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, and Guinevere (to but name a few) invoke great thoughts of knights in shining armor, love, honor, and battle. Camelot was the most famous castle in medieval literature and was where Arthur established this noble court full of great and chivalrous warriors. The mythology of Camelot, and the story of Arthur has been told over the centuries with many different versions and spins.

The Arthurian literary cycle is the best known part of the Matter of Britain. It has succeeded largely because it tells two interlocking stories that many later authors have been intrigued by. One concerns Camelot, usually envisioned as a doomed utopia of chivalric virtue, undone by the fatal flaws of Arthur and Sir Lancelot. The other concerns the quests of the various knights to achieve the Holy Grail; some succeed (Galahad, Percival), and others fail (Lancelot).

The medieval tale of Arthur and his knights is full of Christian themes; those themes involve the destruction of human plans for virtue by the moral failures of their characters, and the quest for an important Christian relic. Finally, the relationships between the characters invited treatment in the tradition of courtly love, such as Lancelot and Guinevere, or Tristan and Iseult. In more recent years, the trend has been to attempt to link the tales of King Arthur and his knights with Celtic mythology, usually in highly romanticized, early twentieth century reconstructed versions.

Was Arthur in fact a true historical figure, or only a hero of lengend and stories? Whether he and those associated with him were real or not, does not take away from what he and the knights represent...good against evil and that eternal struggle between that which is right and that which is wrong.

 

Partial Source: Wikipedia

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Arthur was best known as a great hero, king, and creator of the round table. Upon Arthur's birth he was taken by the wizard Merlin to be raised. Upon the death aof his father the knights were prompted to make King the one who could pull the sword from the stone. Many years went by and many knights tried. Ironically, while searching for a common sword, Arthur pulled the famous Excalibur from the stone. Excalibur was a mighty sword with a scabbard that would prevent the loss of blood in battle. With Merlin's help Arthur was able to bring peace to Britain. With the aid of King Leodegraunce he was able to defeat the Anglo-Saxons.

Death: During the great battle against his nephew Arthur was gravely wounded. While being carried away he had Excalibur returned to the lake; where a hand reached up to catch it. He was then placed on a magic boat to Avalon. "Here lies Arthur, king that was, king that shall be."

Historical Basis: Romanised Briton or King Alfred the Great

Father: Uther Pendragon

Mother: Igraine

Wife: Guinevere

Nephew: Mordred

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Sir Gawain was the first son of King Lot and after his death went on to be the Orkney clan leader. He is featured in many Arthurian Legends often as one of King Arthur's main knights. He is generally portrayed as either the principal or secondary hero with much courtesy, chivalry, and noblity. Throughout all of his trials and tales he is considered very well respected, loyal, and honest. However, in his goal to maintain these traits to the highest esteem, is faced with many problems and trials along the way. In one of his most well-known texts, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain experiences a brief fall from this tower of perfection as he struggles with his inner demons. Gawain's greatest traits are also his greatest weaknesses in that he follows these to the letter rather than to the spirit.

It is important to note that in both the Prose Tristan and the French novels he was often portrayed as a villian, evil, and sometimes a murderer. This version for the most part was not popular and is not prevelant in most later works. More recently many writers went back to the old English and Welsh sources and turned him back into the hero many know him as.

Father: King Lot of Orkney and Lothian

Mother: Morgause or Anna

Siblings: Aggravain, Gaheris, Gareth, Mordred, sometimes sisters

Children: Florence, Lovell, Gingalain

Uncle: King Arthur

Symbols: Shield with Pentagram

Other Names: Walwen, Gwalchmai, Gauvain, Gawan, Gwalchmei ap Gwyar

Texts: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Morte d'Arthur, Avowyng of Arthur, Awntyrs of Athur, Carle of Carlisle, Jeaste of Sir Gawain, King Arthur and King Cornwall, Knightly Tale of Gologras and Gawain, Libeaus Desconus, Sir Gawain and the Carle of Carlisle, Turke and Sir Gawain, Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle, Ywain and Gawain, Culwch and Olwen, Welsh Triads

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Guinevere was the most beautiful woman in the world. The only knight to succumb to her charms was Lancelot. This drastic union caused the breaking of Arthur's heart and the end of Camelot as it was known. It is said that once Camelot ended she returned to her previous goddess identity. However, there are many movies and books that turn her into a nun of Glastonburry.

Origins: Gwynhwfar was a cloud-goddess who often, for mischief, took mortal form and entered the world of humans to cause havoc. Soon after Arthur became king of Camelot, she entered the womb of a Roman princess whose husband ruled in Britain, and was born, as a beautiful mortal.

Husband: Arthur of Camelot

Lover: Lancelot

Other Names: Guinever, Gwynchwfar

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Lancelot was the greatest of King Arthur's knights. He was so loved by Arthur that he was all but considered a brother. Lancelot helped with the rescue of Guinevere from Meleagant, and the quest for the Holy Grail.

Father: King Ban of Benwick

Consort: Elaine of Astolat

Children: Galahad

Lover: Guinevere

Other Names: Lancelot of the Lake, Lancelot du Lac

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Merlin was best known as Arthur's advisor, prophet, and magician. He originally served Arthur's father Uther Pendragon, but was later given Arthur to care for and raise as a man.

History: It is said he is the creation of Geoffrey of Monmouth, who in his twelfth-century History of the Kings of Britain (known as Historia Regnum Britanniae or History of the Kings of Britain) combined the Welsh traditions about a bard and prophet named Myrddin with the story that the ninth-century chronicler Nennius tells about Ambrosius.

Mother: Nun of Royal Birth

Designs: Round Table, Camelot, and Stone Ring at Stonehenge

Master: Bleise

Other Names: Myrddin, Merdinus, Merlinus, Merlin Ambrosius

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Morgan Le Fey is most often presented as an adversary of Arthur's, however, in some versions she is shown to be a woman of healing and compassion (Geoffrey of Monmouth). In what is known as the Vulgate Cycle of Arthurian Legend, we learn that she became Guinevere's lady in waiting and fell in love with the King's nephew, Giomar. Guinevere did not approve and exposed the affair. Morgan later got her revenge by exposing Lancelot and Guinevere's affair. The compassionate side of Morgan is seen when she is one of the women who takes Arthur in a barge to Avalon to be healed. This side of her has it's roots from the beginning and possibly when she was a part of Celtic Mythology.

There is a common misconception that has worked its way through recent Arthurian Legend. It has been presented by some that it was Morgan that used her sorcery to provoke the incestuous affair with Arthur. This is not the case and is what led to many author's merging Morgan Le Fey and her sister Morgause together. In recent Arthurian Legend, Morgan is thought to be the evil sister that plots against her brother and tries to bring his downfall with their child Mordred.

Origins: Celtic Mythology - One of nine sisters who rule The Fortunate Isle

Depicted: She is often depicted as being very dark eyed with dark hair and clothing.

Father: Gorlois the Duke of Cornwall

Mother: Igraine

Siblings: Arthur, Elaine, Morgause

Aunt: Sometimes Morgause

Consort: Sometimes King Urien of Gore

Children: Sometimes Mordred, Sometimes Owain

Other Names: Morgaine, Morgana La Fey, Morgan of the Fairies, Morganna, Morgaine, Modron

Symbol: Raven, Apple Bough

Texts: Accolon of Gaul, Morgan Le Fay, Aavalon, The Mantle, Morgain