King Arthur Research Paper

Released on Christmas 1963, Director Wolfgang Reitherman introduced The Sword in the Stone; Disney's animated adaption of King Arthur's earlier life. The film portrays Arthur being educated by a legendary wizard called Merlin but his intentions seem to backfire in the end. However, Geoffrey of Monmouth’s account, the reliable and factual account called The History of the Kings of Britain, tells very little of Arthur’s backstory but enough for comprehension. The two adaptions of Arthur's life have differences in that the development of Arthur's character in the film wasn't similar to Geoffrey's book; Merlin was aiding Arthur with his education and finally, according to the movie, the sword that made Arthur king was in an anvil over a large stone but Geoffrey says otherwise, and that there were two swords. Overall, the Sword in the Stone may have been created for the entertaining purpose and not the educational purpose which may be the reason why Arthur's life didn't stay true to the books.

The Once and Future King, or King Arthur, is a legend that is, despite its age, known by all. Everyone has heard of King Arthur and his loyal knights that make up the Round Table, but the rest of the famous legend is less known. If asked about Arthur’s parentage or birthplace, most people would not know. How many people can name off Arthur’s knights? Everyone knows Arthur’s name, but the details are less defined. Arthurian legend has many parts, the first being how Arthur came into being, then the most well-known part of the legend, but there is also his famous knights, the possibility of a historical Arthur, and how the legend has evolved over the ages.

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.

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.

The events that have been described in the tale of King Arthur are not linked to any authentic historical events. For example, in the myth of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, when they were searching for the Holy Grail, it was described that they found the Grail but, in reality, the Grail was nowhere to be found. It is quite extreme to believe that the King himself and his

The Arthurian legends are well known in today's society. However, very few people know of the "real" Arthur -- who he was and what his accomplishments were. This paper will establish a difference between legend and truth, show evidence to support and explain who the real Arthur was, and shed some light on the sometimes confusing Arthurian legends.

The Significance of this article is highly evident as it depicts the importance King Arthur had on literature as well as the impact he made on his followers. King Arthur is depicted as a mythical legend who obtains the sword Excalibur from the mystical Wizard Merlin. It is also believed that he may have been a real figure who was a “Roman-affiliated military leader who successfully staved off a Saxon invasion during the 5th to 6th centuries.” (2)

Merlin made a deal with the former ruler of Britain, Uther. The deal was that in exchange for Merlin's help Uther would give him his first born son, that son was Arthur. After he was born, instead of raising Arthur himself, Merlin secretly took him to the castle of Sir Ector to be raised

Was King Arthur Real or Not? King Arthur, a historic name that is known by nearly everyone in Europe and across the entire world. However, was he an actual person, or was “Arthur” just a name given to a man who was credited with doing extraordinary acts that may or may not have been true? Through the research that I have done, I would say the facts point toward “King Arthur”; in fact, being someone that was meant to create hope within the people of Britain, and in that, made an actual person seem as though he was more than human.

The legend of King Arthur is undoubtedly one of the most famous stories of all time. People from all walks of life know the tales of his courage and loyalty, his knights and the search for the Holy Grail. But, the big question is, was King Arthur a real person? In 540 CE, Gildas, a Welsh Historian, reported that near the turn of the century there was a great warrior named Ambrosius who stopped the Anglo-Saxons from taking over the western part of Britain. Gildas never directly said he was a commander of the army but did imply he was responsible for the victory at the Battle of Badon. He also never mentions if Ambrosius was a king. This was the most solid evidence found that would lead to the conclusion that Arthur was real. There are other

Oral tradition is not to be ignored” (Castledon 33). The last sentence is perhaps the strongest piece of pro-Arthur evidence in existence and it, like the magic of watching the old cartoon hero story on a Saturday morning, will not be forgotten. Based on the likely dates of Arthur’s service as a soldier, Arthur would have been 41 at Badon and 62 at Camlann, credible ages (Castledon 108). There is proof that suggests, “there was a mighty British ruler around the time of the early invasions by land-hungry tribes” (Berthold 2). Dumnonian pedigrees cannot be used to prove or disprove Arthur’s existence because they were often faulty and excluded many important figures (Castledon 108). During the period following Arthur’s supposed death, a vast crop of new princes named Arthur sprung up (Castledon 121). Castledon writes that the number of kings naming their sons after Arthur must have been a “tribute to the great Arthur” who died in 537 at Camlann (121). Many anti-Arthurian authors argue that Arthur’s story is too romanticized to be much good. However, this romance may actually defend pro-Arthurian authors’ points. Geoffrey of Monmouth created Historia “in which he elaborated on the feats of King Arthur whom he represented as the conqueror of

For years there has been a debate over the fact if King Arthur was either a real person or if he was a legendary myth. Many articles, books, and papers have been written about King Arthur. For centuries, no hard evidence has been found to prove the existence of Arthur and the Knights at the Round Table. His existence can not be proven, because back then they did not keep records of who was born and when they died. They did not have the technology that we have today. “No one is certain that King Arthur is dead.”(Malory). Even if King Arthur existed he would not be alive in 2017. If he existed in the late 5th century, and early 6th century there is no possible way he would still be alive. The average human lifespan is only 79 years of age. Then again, back in that time they did not have the medicine that we have today. Most of the citizens were dying from diseases. The point here is that there is no way that King Arthur would be alive, he would be thousands years old.

The story goes that Arthur was born in Tintagel Castle on the northern coast of Cornwall, England. He was the only son and heir to the throne of King Uther of Pendragon. To protect Arthur from his enemies, King Uther had the boy raised in a secret place under the supervision of Merlin the magician. Merlin cast a spell to insert the magic sword Excalibur into a stone. He decreed that only

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).

There are many legends about king arthur. King arthur became king because he pulled the sword out of the stone. King arthur named his sword Excalibur. king arthur became king when his dad died. king arthur was a young kid when his dad died.