The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and LegendThe Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend is both a critical history of the Arthurian tradition and a reference guide to Arthurian works, names, and symbols. It offers a comprehensive survey of the legends in all of their manifestations, from their origins in medieval literature to their adaptation in modern literature, arts, film, and popular culture. Not only does it analyse familiar Arthurian characters and themes, it also demonstrates the tremendous continuity of the legends by examining the ways that they have been reinterpreted over the years. For instance, the motif of the abduction of Guinevere can be traced from Chrétien de Troyes's Lancelot or the Knight of the Cart and the vulgate cycle of French romances in the 13th century, to Malory's retelling of the story in the Morte d'Arthur, through various modern adaptations like those in T. H. White's The Once and Future King and the contemporary film First Knight. This indispensable reference guide contains seven essays that trace the development of the Arthurian legend, encyclopedic entries, bibliographies, and a comprehensive index. The essays explore the chronicle and romance traditions, the influence of Malory, the Grail legend, the figures of Gawain and Merlin, and the story of Tristan and Isolt. The entries, which highlight key Arthurian characters, symbols, and places, offer quick and easy references. The extensive chapter-by-chapter bibliographies, which are subdivided by topic, augment the general bibliography of Arthurian resources. Comprehensive in its analysis and hypertextual in its approach, The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend is an essential reference book for Arthurian scholars, medievalists, and for those interested in cultural studies of myth and legend. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
EARLY ACCOUNTS OF ARTHUR CHRONICLES | 13 |
English Metrical and Prose Chronicles | 36 |
Copyright | |
49 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
adventures Arthur's court Arthurian Legend Arthurian Literature Avalon Badon ballad battle Britain British brother called Camelot castle century character chivalry Chrétien de Troyes Chrétien's chronicle courtly Cycle daughter death defeats depicts dragon Elaine English Erec Excalibur father fight film Fisher King French Galahad Gareth Gawain Geoffrey of Monmouth Glastonbury Graal Grail knight Green Knight Guinevere Guinevere's hero Holy Grail Idylls Igraine Iseult Isolt John Joseph of Arimathea killed King Arthur Lady of Shalott Lancelot Lancelot and Guinevere Lanzelet later London lovers Malory marry medieval Merlin modern Mordred Morgan Morgause motifs named narrative novel Parzival Perceval Perlesvaus play poem poet Press Prose Prose Tristan queen quest recounts repr romance Round Table Saxons says Sir Gawain slaying story sword symbol tale tells Tennyson theme Thomas tournament tradition trans translated Tristan Tristram Uther verse Vivian Vortigern Vulgate Walewein Welsh wife William woman wounded York Yvain