Essay on The Legend of King Arthur

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.

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 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 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

Most Americans recall lying gleefully in front of the television, arms and legs splayed across the carpet, enchanted by an eccentric cartoon of Merlin’s antics. A few of us might even remember Gawain’s short segment from Between the Lions on PBS. King Arthur’s legend is certainly many a child’s favorite fairytale, but some historians propose that a fairytale is all King Arthur is. Significant evidence, such as a lack of credibility and personality consistency, prove their points. However, according to other historians, there is still reason to believe in Arthur’s legend. Without one examining both sides of the argument and Arthur’s role in history, it is impossible to determine whether Arthur is fact or fiction.

Many have heard the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table or even Camelot, but who really was he? Arthur was said to be born in the United Kingdom around Tintagel.

King Arthur was a tale told long ago, there had always been a mystery if he was a real king or not. There had been beliefs that he may have been a Roman-affiliated military leader who successfully staved off a Saxon invasion during the 5th to 6th centuries. There also were beliefs that the Knights of the Round Table were real knights that had quests to Camelot. Lancelot was the most well-known knight. He had multiple quests that were in the king’s name, and fighting many challengers.

“King Arthur was said to be the son of Uther Pendragon and Ygraine of Cornwall. Arthur is a near mythic figure in Celtic stories such as Culhwch and Olwen. In early chronicles he is presented as a military leader, the dux bellorum. In later romance he is a king and emperor. The Tudor monarchs traced their lineage to King Arthur and used that connection as a justification for their occupation of the English throne.” (So who was King Arthur) . As it says in this quote Arthur has been said to be the son of Uther Pendragon and Ygraine of Cornwall. He is a military leader, and we all know later on in his life that he becomes king and emperor. “Irrespective of whether King Arthur was real or mythical, it cannot be denied that King Arthur has been

King Arthur is a legendary medieval, mythological figure who was the head of the Kingdom of

    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.

Many people looked up to him, and praised him for all of the success he had in battles, ruling England, and his life choices. I believe that he is a legend, not a real person, for many different reasons. First, in many stories he is described with these amazing powers, some seem too unbelievable for any average human to have. Also, he is involved in numerous battles which some occur at the same time. This meaning he would have to be at two places at once. I know Arthur has many talents, but I do not believe duplicating into separate people is one of them.

Arthur was believed to be as a hero who helped fight off the invading Anglo-Saxons. During this time, The Britons were victims to many invasions, hunger, and oppression. There was a huge gap between rich and poor and educated people as well. There was a lot of uncertainty and no security in this society. The people waited for a savior from the long and continuous invasions from the Saxons, Danes, and Vikings. This is where the story of King Arthur is born, this is where the legend begins and spreads through Europe. Arthur’s warrior like skills and great leadership carry a legacy that still lives today. Arthur’s story is hard to figure out because many historians have created their own version of Arthur’s life. Due to the lack of remaining evidence for his existence, historians often have to use their own judgment and observation to tell his

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.

The early childhood of King Arthur seems to be the foundation of the epic journey of his life. Even though his achievements as a child were brief, they were extremely important to King Arthur’s outlook on life, as well as character. As an optimistic squire, King Arthur had hopes of one day overcoming his social standing. He received his wish when he unknowingly pulled the magical sword out of the stone.

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.