Background to the Arthurian Tradition

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Background to the Arthurian Tradition
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Le Morte dArthur (1469) Sir Thomas Malory

• Comprehensive narrative of the Arthurian cycle
• Definitive Arthurian tale in the English language
• Follows Chaucer as a great example of the
  narrative form in the English language

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Arthur

• No definitive image
• No known historical figure
• A made to order hero who exemplifies the
  chivalric code of a new civilization gaining
  significant power
• Plants the seeds of the tragedy genre

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Literary Constructs

• Loose cause and effect
• Magic
• Logic often unimportant
• Retribution worked out unconsciously
• Sudden quarrels followed by sudden reconciliations

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Motives

• Elemental passions bravery, love, revenge,
  jealousy
• NOT greed, lust, or cruelty

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King Arthurs House
Gorlois of Cornwall Duke of Tintagel
Igraine
Uther Pendragon
Arthur m. Guinevere (no children)
Morgan le Fay m. Uriens
Elayne m. Nentres of Garlot
Morgause m. Lot of Lothian and Orkney
Mordred
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Lots House
Lot m. Morgause

• Gawain
• the courteous
• Killed by
• Lancelot
• Kills Pellinore
• (who killed Lot)
• Kills Lamorak
• (Morgauses
• Lover)
• Kills Uwayne
• (Morgan le Fays
• Son)

• Gaheris
• Beheads
• Morgause
• when he
• finds her
• with
• Lamorak

• Gareth
• fair hands
• Killed by
• Lancelot
• while Lancelot
• saves
• Guinevere

• Agravaine
• Joins
• Mordred in
• the plot
• against
• Arthur
• Killed by
• Lancelot

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Further Resources

• Select this link for excellent Arthurian
  resources
• The Camelot Project at University of Rochester