Essay on King Arthur: Distinguishing Fact from Fiction

The most widely accepted myth says that Arthur wins acknowledgement as king by pulling a sword from a stone, after which Merlin reveals Arthur’s true parentage. Despite his young age, Arthur proves to be an able warrior and a noble king and manages to push the Saxon invaders out of Britain. Arthur possessed the sword Excalibur, which was given to him by the inscrutable Lady of the Lake. Arthur surrounded himself with loyal followers that became known as the Knights of the Round Table. Like every good legend, Arthur had a nemesis, his sister Morgan le Fay. Morgan le Fay is usually an evil sorceress who spends her time attempting to steal Arthur’s throne for her and her lover. Mordred, or Modred, is another enemy of Arthur’s. Mordred is either Arthur’s son or nephew by his sister Morgawse. Mordred seizes Arthur’s throne whilst he is away and in ultimately slain by Arthur, but not before fatally wounding the king. Arthur is then said to have retreated to Avalon, where he waits to once again take his place as king, earning him the title the Once and Future King.

Who was King Arthur? Most people would tell of a great King; a devoted circle of heroic knights; mighty castles and mightier deeds; a time of chivalry and courtly love; of Lancelot and Guinevere; of triumph and death. Historians and archaeologists, especially Leslie Alcock, point to shadowy evidence of a man who is not a king, but a commander of an army, who lived during the late fifth to early sixth century who may perhaps be the basis for Arthur. By looking at the context in which the stories of King Arthur survived, and the evidence pertaining to his castle Camelot and the Battle of Badon Hill, we can begin to see that Arthur is probably not a king as the legend holds.

The story of King Arthur is widely known, either his beginnings told in The Sword in the Stone or how he led the Knights of the Round Table. While there are many version of his story T. H. White’s written version and Disney’s animated version of The Sword in the Stone are two of the most recognized versions. Most movies have the ability to embody the original intent of the book they were based upon. Disney’s movie version of T. H. White’s rendition of The Sword in the Stone, however, while portraying the correct story, does not truly convey enough elements of White’s version to be effective in telling the original story. The characterization and Merlyn’s ‘lessons’ within the movie inhibit the film from being an effective portrayal of the

There are countless versions of the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. Most English versions are based on Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, but where did these tales originate, and what different interpretations are there today? This essay seeks to examine the roots and different renditions of the various legends circulating today. The first section deals with the origins of the legend. The second section speculates on who the "real" King Arthur could have been. A comparison of several different versions, and suggestions of why they differ are given in the third section, and the conclusion presents an analysis on the ambiguity of the legend.

King Arthur is an outstanding British leader of the 5th and the 6th centuries, son of Uther Pendragon and the Lady Igraine. Arthur is one of the greatest mythical heroes that the world has ever known. Arthur has had a great influence on other people and many of them looked up to him. The coming of Arthur was prophesied years before he was even born. Arthur was born into a world of chaos and disorder, full of love and tragedy. Nowadays, many of the scholars continue to argue whether or not King Arthur was a real person or just a mythological figure. Based on facts however, many believe that Arthur was not a real person; just a legendary British leader in the 5th and 6th centuries. According to history, there wasn't anyone named King Arthur

The legend of King Arthur has inspired, and continues to inspire, many retellings of the well known stories and cast of characters. Ranging from film to literature to art, these retellings often include depictions of two key characters in the legend: King Arthur and and the wizard Merlin. Disney’s The Sword and the Stone (1963) and the British Broadcasting Corporation program Merlin (2008-2012) both showcase the relationship between Merlin and Arthur in the development of Arthur, but they differ in approach; in the animated version, Merlin assumes the role of a mentor while the television program depicts Merlin as a friend to Arthur.

Merlin has successfully brought up King Arthur to become a virtuous man and a worthy king who is exceptionally capable of fulfilling Machiavelli’s guidelines. For example, Machiavelli states in “Concerning Things for Which Men, and Especially Princes, are Blamed” from The Prince that “…a man who wishes to act entirely up to his professions of virtue soon meets with what destroys him among so much that is evil.” Merlin taught Arthur integrity and goodness. King Arthur takes this wisdom to build the

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.

Ideally, a king has an old look, a great amount of power, and naturally rules his domain with an iron fist in literature. In the two works, Le Morte d'Arthur and First Knight see two different versions of how king Arthur is portrayed. Yet the honor and respect that a king should have remains undisturbed, much like how both are products of their time. First Knight is told as a modern retelling of the legend and Le Morte d'Arthur is a minorly altered, much older work. While the depictions of king Arthur are seen as the paramount backbone for arthurian times, these two works have also proven to exhibit differences and similarities, illustrate Arthur’s figure in character, and serve as preservation of the time period.

    In all the long history of literature, some fictional characters have loomed above others, written about again and again by various authors of various eras. Arthurian literature is one area of fiction that has always been popular for writers to recreate in new versions, and one of the most intriguing characters of all Arthurian literature is Merlin, the magician/ prophet who aids Arthur early in his reign. As the Arthurian saga develops, so does Merlin, changing from an aloof, druidical character into a more human, magical being, though always retaining some traces of his Welsh origins.

Morgan le fay was first introduced in 1150 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. The is when Le Fay was described as a “beautiful healer”. In this story Le Fay is stranded on an island with her nine siblings, and King Arthur. King Arthur who is said to be her half brother gets hurts, and Le Fay uses her witchcraft healing powers, and helps him get better. After this story was told authors changed their perspective on le Fay, and started writing about the relationship issues with King Arthur and Morgan le Fay. The authors changed the story, so the readers stayed interested, and made them wonder what actually happened. Some of the stories say that Le Fay is the

People thought as Merlin as just a wizard who could do magic, but he was more than just that. He was also a mentor to Arthur as he was growing up and becoming a king. Merlin’s transfer from childhood to adulthood was very problematic. He was once kidnapped by Queen Mab as a teenager. He was tied down to a tree to be sacrificed to a dragon and survived. His mother and aunt were both murdered by Queen Mab.

Morgan Le Fay, also known as Morgan Le Faye, Morgaine, Morge and many other names as well. She is known to be the daughter of Queen Ygraine and her first husband Gorlois. Morgan is often said to be the half-sister of King Arthur. Also, sometimes she is mistress of Merlin, who is said to be the one who taught her magical arts in a nunnery. This is why Morgan Le Fay Is known for witchcraft, healing and the ability to change the way she looks when she desires. Morgan is known to be the largest enigmas of Arthurian legend also the most intelligent and educated woman in that time. She is a female of power. She represents control, manipulation and of course sorcery. She uses different manipulative ways to create her power. During Arthurs reign, she shows up as a shape-shifter. She can turn herself in many things, and anything that she desire to be. In other told legends, she was a fairy, a beautiful young women, a queen, a hag and of course a witch. Morgan Le Fay has a bad reputation, she is a evil, sexual, and temptress. The amount of research material that is available makes it somewhat difficult

Merlin is always by Arthur’s side and giving him advice or just being a friend. Merlin is also losing his powers due to old age and takes on an apprentice, Nimue, who he believes is a boy but is really a girl named Ninian. Merlin teaches Nimue all he knows about magic and then falls in love with her. Ninian is the one who sees Guinevere and Bedwry affair and also Queen Morgan steeling Caliburn from Arthur. At some point Merlin falls into a comatose state and is buried in a chamber in the crystal

The Arthurian Legend is seen to be extremely influential in benefitting the English people during the Romantic Era. Even if King Arthur is a fictional character of myth and legend in England, his childhood, countless glories and achievements as the king of Camelot, and the final down fall of his strong empire validated his importance to English literature. Proof of King Arthur’s existence would possibly solidify the impact he had on the English culture (Arthurian Legends Vol. 1).