The world of King Arthur / Christopher Snyder ; original illustrations by Samuel Valentino.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Snyder, Christopher A. (Christopher Allen), 1966-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Arthur, King.

Arthurian romances.

Legends--Great Britain.

Legends.

Great Britain.

Local Subjects:

Arthur, King.

Physical Description:

192 pages : illustrations, portraits ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

London : Thames & Hudson, 2000.

Summary:

King Arthur, Camelot, Excalibur, Merlin, the Holy Grail, Lancelot and Guinevere -- these names are some of the most recognizable and evocative in the cultural heritage of the West. They conjure up vibrant images of medieval Europe, of chivalry and of romance. But did Arthur really exist, or is Camelot only a dream?

In this illustrated survey, Christopher Snyder examines the realities and the impact of the Arthurian legends on history and the arts. Medieval texts and the latest archaeological discoveries are used to piece together a picture of the fifth and sixth centuries, when Arthur was believed to have reigned as champion of the Britons. The stories of Arthur -- the so-called "Matter of Britain" -- took shape as Welsh and Breton bards sang of the exploits of Arthur and his knights, in turn inspiring French poets like Chretien de Troyes to compose the first chivalric romances of the Middle Ages. Snyder traces the development of Arthurian literature in medieval Europe, showing how writers brought the stories of the Grail and Tristan into association with Arthur.

The nineteenth-century revival of interest in Arthur reached its height in the poetry of Alfred Tennyson, the paintings of the Pre-Raphaelites and the operas of Richard Wagner, while in the twentieth century Camelot found new adherents through novels, movies and computer games. The account of recent developments includes recommendations of Arthurian Internet sites. Never before has one book attempted such a thorough exploration of King Arthur's world.

Contents:

I Introduction: Who Was Arthur?

Arthur, Myth and Reality 8

Sources of Evidence 12

An Outline History 15

II Background: Britons and Romans

Prehistoric Britain 22

The Iron Age 23

The Roman Conquest of Britain 26

The Coming of Christianity 28

Late Roman Britain 29

III The Age of Arthur (Ad 400-600)

Tyrants and the End of Roman Britain 36

The Historical Evidence 38

Inscriptions 40

The Archaeological Evidence 41

The Peoples of Post-Roman Britain 46

The Britons 47

The Picts 54

The Irish 57

The Saxons 60

IV The Chronicles of the Britons

Patrick and Gildas 68

The Welsh Annals 72

The History of the Britons 76

Geoffrey of Monmouth 80

V The Legends of the Britons

The Pseudo-Chronicles 88

The Welsh Tradition 92

The Breton Material 99

The French Romances 101

The Perceval-Grail Tradition 110

The Tristan Tradition 116

Arthurian Tradition and the Medieval World 118

The Late Medieval English Tradition 121

VI Monarchy, Chivalry and the Return of Arthur

The Plantagenets 128

The Tudors and the Stuarts 132

The Victorian Revival 137

VII The Quest for Camelot

The Historical Arthur 146

Merlin and Myrddin 154

In Search of the Holy Grail 158

VIII Conclusion: An Age of Arthur

Modern Arthurian Fiction 166

Arthurian Films and Television 169

Arthurian Music 172

The Once and Future King 174

The Story of Arthur

The Isle of the Mighty 32

The Birth of Arthur 64

Arthur, Leader of Battles 74

The Knights of the Round Table 78

The Beguiling of Merlin 90

Lancelot and Guinevere 102

The Quest for the Holy Grail 108

Tristan and Isolde 114

The Lady of Shalott 140

The Battle of Camlann 152

The Isle of Avalon 162.

Notes:

Includes index.

Bibliography: pages 182-185.

ISBN:

0500051046

OCLC:

45536612