King Arthur Research Paper

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.

He was also the first to use the name "Camelot" for Arthur's headquarters, and it was he who first told us of the Grail, though he didn't associate any religious meaning to it (It was Robert de Boron who is responsible for transforming the grail into a holy symbol, in 1210). He was "the first to supply the literary form of the romance, to the transmission of the stories of Arthur." (Britannia web page)

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

King Arthur, the legendary king of Camelot, was the son of King Uther Pendragon of Britain and Queen Igriane. When he was born, King Uther feared for his life, since Arthur was the only heir to the throne. He gave the responsibility of keeping Arthur safe to his trusted advisor and friend Merlin.

No other British hero has as much literature written to their name as King Arthur. The Arthurian Era began in the early 1000’s and was a major advancement in literature for its time; this is because it consisted of tales with realistic falsehood, this style at the time was not yet a common part of writing. The legends quickly became a primary reading source for many. Hundreds of tales and thousands of adaptations have been made of the legends of King Arthur both past and present; most are pieces of well-established literature. Arthurian legend has not only impacted British literature, but also continues to be adapted and reinterpreted by many authors: three fundamental works of Arthurian legend that are still prevalent today are : King Arthur

There are those who believe that King Arthur was just a part of Celtic Mythology. These historians and literary professionals rely on the hundreds of stories he has appeared in. For example, the first life story of King Arthur was written by Geoffrey of Monmouth. His story include

The Arthurian Legends were an effect of the Romantic Era and resulted in abstract thinking, as well as the arts including music, painting, poetry, and writing. The birth of the Arthurian Legends came from Celtic mythology and medieval romance, while the existence of magic confirms the conception of artistic intellect. Whether or not King Arthur truly existed, his influence dramatically changed the English society and English Literature to its current form (Arthurian Legends Vol. 1).

“He was a warrior, a knight and a king who killed giants, witches and monsters and led a band of hers on many daring adventures” (Wood). Wood is alluding to the legendary King Arthur, who has inspired books, oral traditions, movies, and television shows to this day. With the appeal of both magic, romance, and adventure, Arthurian legends continue to pique the interest of both children and adults. Many know the famous tales about Guinevere and Lancelot or the story of the Sword Excalibur, but the legends of Arthur include many other tales about the epic adventures of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. However, some of the most important stories to know of the Arthurian legends are where the legends originated, the Sword Excalibur,

King Arthur never gave up hope on his kingdom, Guinevere, or his son. King Arthur fought to the very end. After King Arthur got struck by lightning he never gave up hope that his knights would fulfill the quest to find the Holy Grail (Karl). This selection begins after King Arthur has traveled to France at the insistence of his nephew, Gawain, to besiege his former friend and knight, Lancelot, for his involvement with Queen Guinevere. However, the king’s attempts to punish Lancelot are halfhearted, and he is soon forced to abandon them altogether when he learns that his illegitimate son, Mordred, has seized control of England.

Although King Arthur is one of the most well-known figures in the world, his true identity remains a mystery. Attempts to identify the historical Arthur have been unsuccessful, since he is largely a product of fiction. Most historians, though, agree that the real Arthur was probably a battle leader of the Britons against the Anglo-Saxons in the sixthth century. In literature, King Arthur's character is unique and ever changing, taking on a different face in every work. There is never a clearly definitive picture that identifies Arthur's character. It is therefore necessary to look at a few different sources to get better insight into the character of Arthur, the once and future king.

Arthur was the first born son of Uther Pendragon. When King Arthur got older he became a knight. Then his father died and he took over as the new and proud King. This took place in the late 5th to 6th century.

The BBC television series called Merlin is based on the story of King Arthur. This is a popular legend that’s popularity was seen throughout the medieval era. The story is thought to have been based at the fall of the Roman Empire, this was also a time when there was an increase in tribes from Germany, called Saxons, in England. Arthur was thought to have helped with the removable of knights from Rome and the Saxons. The legend spans 12 years set in what is thought to have been a fictional time of peace, when the Saxons and the Celtic Britons were not fighting. King Arthur was thought have a court that was great and it was seen in the Kingdom of Camelot. When the Saxons invaded the Celtic Britons relocated to Wales. Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote a book, The History of the Kings of Britain, in the 1100s that is thought to have been base on a Manuscript by the Celts. This book included Queen Guinevere, Excalibur; which is Arthur’s magical sword, Lancelot, and Merlin. After this it is thought that the legend of King Arthur was added to by poets and developed to include situations such as Guinevere’s, Arthur’s Wife, and Lancelot’s, one of the knights of the round table, relationship. The story continued to develop from the 1100s and the people of the medieval era were inspired by the legend. The round table, one of the important elements from the story, was seen created in the 1200s for King Edward I.

The story of King Arthur is one that has fascinated schoolchildren and adults alike for many years. Children (and, admittedly, many adults as well) adore the action and adventure found in the tales and delight in the sheer romance of it all. The story of an idyllic kingdom with the most glorious king in the world and his noble knights going on adventures is one that has appealed to audiences for a very long time. However, some adults are more interested in the legends not for the storybook aspects of it, but for the historical basis. It isn’t known who the “real” Arthur was, where he came from, or even whether he actually existed or not, but this hasn’t stopped people from looking. This is a subject of discussion because the legend holds such

Lancelot was brought to Camelot by the Lady of the Lake who was very fond of Arthur and wanted to help him whenever she could. Lancelot was knighted as once, and became an amazing knight with unmatchable ability. Lancelot, Guinevere, and Arthur became nearly inseparable. One day Lancelot disappeared and despite his best efforts Arthur could not find him. One day several years later he returned with a tale to tell. He had gone on a journey to Corbenic where he had slayed a dragon and was rewarded with the King’s daughter, Elaine. They were married and had a son. He then went on to tell Arthur that he had only been with Elaine because he reminded him of his one true love, Guinevere. King Arthur couldn’t bare to hear that and was devistated. He foolishly allowed Lancelot to stay in Camelot. Before long Lancelot and Guinevere were caught in company of each other. When Guinevere was tried and found guilty, she was sentenced to be burned at the stake. Just moments before she was burned alive Lancelot came to her rescue. King Arthur had lost the love of his life, and in a short time would lose his kingdom and his

King Arthur, was he man of truth or myth? King Arthur was a real person, not just a fictional character. While many believe that King Arthur was a non-fictional character, others feel that he was a fictional character. This was because there is no written record of a King Arthur in any area where he was reportedly born or deceased. King Arthur was real because there many people recall King Arthur or who have known personal stories of him, his family, and the wars he so bravely participated in. There are many people who recall King Arthur or know someone he was based off of. King Arthur was not real because it was not recorded in history that there was ever a “King Arthur.”