King Arthur: A Very British Messiah?
King Arthur is undoubtedly one of the most enduringly popular heroes to come out of the medieval era, and he has meant many things to many people for hundreds of years. Over time, the mythology of Arthur grew as new stories were added to the existing ones and his fame spread throughout Britain and beyond. As a result of his popularity through the ages, King Arthur has come to represent various political causes as a symbolic figurehead, earning him a reputation as “champion of causes”.
From medieval Welsh rebels to 20th century anti-Nazi campaigners, the British peoples have rallied behind Arthur’s war banner since a time before the idea of “Britain” ever existed. But was Arthur more than just a hero to these people? Britain has had countless heroes throughout its history, but is Arthur’s enduring, overwhelming popularity a sign that he has become something more? Something like a Messiah?
Historia Regum Britanniae , known in English as
The History of the Kings of Britain . This masterpiece of medieval literature is well-known for being the origin of the story of King Arthur most of us are familiar with today. But, what do we know about the author himself? Who was Geoffrey of Monmouth, and why did he write this controversial history?
Was the whole story a figment of Geoffrey’s wild imagination, or was the
Historia an ambitious new venture that would change the course of historical thought in medieval Britain? While as much controversy and debate still surrounds Geoffrey’s
Faithful to what exactly? Well, that’s the question. It’s not something Snyder goes into in what was only a throwaway comment in an interview. The legend of King Arthur has been told and retold many times over the centuries, from medieval historians and poets to Mark Twain and Monty Python. (Our favourite is John Boorman’s 1981 version, Excalibur, by the way). Scholars debate whether Arthur existed at all. There is scant historical evidence. Those who think he did mostly follow the line that he was a leader of Britons fighting the Anglo-Saxons. Oh, and possibly Welsh.
Welsh? Wasn’t Camelot in Falkirk?
Whence Britain ? northcoastjournal.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from northcoastjournal.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.