Research Paper on King Arthur
One of the most loved stories in the English language is the story (or legend) of
King Arthur of Camelot and his knights of the Round Table. Because these stories were usually told by mouth in the past, some of the "facts" are different from others and it is hard to distinguish between the stories. There is no proof as to which parts are true because their is no actual proof that King Arthur existed. The legend of King Arthur has been made into movies and story books for kids and adults. Many of the details have been changed. Using some stories by Sir Thomas Malory who was born in the 15th century and a few movies that are popular today, I hope to tell about the main characters in Arthur's life.
The stories appeal to people because of their characters and the struggles that each character faces. For example, one of the first stories in the tales of King Arthur is about Merlin, the wizard. Wizards and sorceresses were used in many stories to amaze the reader and to give answer to the questions about why some things happened.
Merlin is the same character in most of the different tales, but his role in certain aspects of Arthur's life differs from movies and stories. Merlin was a powerful wizard who, according to the movie made in 1998 named "Merlin", was born to Queen Mab. She needed a son to carry out her legacy as one of the greatest sorcerers in the world. She and her sister, the Lady of the Lake, were dying out because people no longer believed in them and their powers.
Without the belief in magic, it did not exist. Queen Mab impregnated a woman with a boy who would be raised as an ordinary boy until she was ready to teach him magic. He would not know of her or her meaning in his life until she came back for him. So, Merlin grew up with a gift of magic that he did not want. Queen Mab was disappointed in his lack of interest in magic when she tried to teach him. She grew angry with him and decided to present a challenge for Merlin and to trick him into using his magic. Merlin did use his powers to fight Queen Mab on a number of occasions.
In the movie "Merlin", Merlin was quite young (about 25-30) when he met a man who would be King Arthur's father. The man's name was King Uther Pendragon. In many of the different stories, the part of Uther is the same. Uther Pendragon fell in love with a woman whom he saw at a feast. She was married to the duke of Tintagel who was fighting with Uther for years. The lady's name was Igraine and she andher husband were feasting with Uther for peace when Uther decided that, above all else, he wanted this woman. Uther sent for Merlin the wizard to make such a thing possible.
In the movie "Excalibur" (1980's), Merlin was and old man (75 or better) when he came to Uther and disguised him as Lady Igraine's husband, so that he might sleep with her. Uther promised to give the child that was born of this engagement to Merlin in return for the disguise. According to a book written by Sir Thomas Malory, Merlin took the baby to Sir Ector to be raised until the time came for him to be king. In most of the tales, Arthur grew up knowing Merlin as a friend but not knowing that he was a wizard. In the movies "Merlin" and "Excalibur", Merlin went to the Lady of the Lake and received the most beautiful sword in the world. He placed it in a stone where no man but the true king would pry it from the grand rock. In both "Excalibur" and Sir Thomas Malory's tales, Sir Ector and his son Sir Kay were with Arthur when he pulled the sword from the stone. Arthur was made to do it a number of times before people would accept the fact that he was the true king. In all the stories, Arthur became the king at a rather young age. Arthur reestablished the lands and their leaders. He appointed some of the best knights in the world to serve in his kingdom at the Round Table (which was believed to be a part of Guinevere's dowry).
As the most popular of all the different tales of knights and adventure, people love the action between King Arthur, Lancelot Du Lake, and Guinevere. Guinevere was Arthur's wife and Lancelot was a member of the Round Table. Some tales say that Lancelot was a married man when he met Guinevere and fell in love with her. Other say that he was all alone in the world with no family when he met Guinevere.
The tale from "Excalibur" and the one from "First Knight" names Lancelot as being alone when he meets Guinevere. The tale from "Merlin" shows that Lancelot has a wife and a son, Galahad, when Merlin brings him back to Camelot as the "supposed" answer to the king's problems, (in the end, Merlin discovers that Galahad was the answer). The tale from Sir Thomas Malory's book states that Lancelot was tricked into conceiving a child, Galahad, with Lady Elaine because he thought that Elaine was Guinevere. In this story, Guinevere had asked Lancelot to meet her in her chamber a number of times in the past without the king's knowing anything about it. The love shared between Guinevere and Lancelot throughout all the stories became Arthur's doom.
The death of King Arthur is also a controversial tale. One fact that remains is that Arthur did die by the hands of his son (also his half sister's son) Sir Mordred. According to Sir Thomas Malory, Sir Mordred was left to rule England in the King's absence. During this time, he sent word throughout the kingdom that King Arthur died in battle with Lancelot. When Arthur returned, he did battle with Sir Mordred and stabbed him under his shield. Before Mordred fell, however, he thrust his sword into Arthur. They both fell to the ground but Arthur was still living. According to "Merlin", Arthur gave Excalibur to Merlin and asked him to give it back to the Lady in the Lake. According to "Excalibur" and Sir Thomas Malory's tales, Arthur asked Sir Bedivere to take Excalibur and throw it into the lake, then return to Arthur and tell him what happened. Arthur died when he knew that a hand came out of the water and caught the sword. He was then put in a boat and sent across the water to his burial place in Glastonbury.
There are many other differences in the legends of King Arthur because there is no way to prove that one story is right or wrong. Historians have been studying the facts of wars of the past, trying to determine whether or not Arthur existed. The closest clue that they have is the existence of a man named Riothamus. He lived during Arthur's time and his title means "high king". Also, this particular kind did many of the things that Arthur had done, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth. If Arthur existed, I would like to think that he was the greatest king that ever lived and that there were knights of the Round Table, a magician named Merlin, a Queen Guinevere who could not help her love for a knight named Lancelot, and an evil son named Mordred.
King Arthur of Camelot and his knights of the Round Table. Because these stories were usually told by mouth in the past, some of the "facts" are different from others and it is hard to distinguish between the stories. There is no proof as to which parts are true because their is no actual proof that King Arthur existed. The legend of King Arthur has been made into movies and story books for kids and adults. Many of the details have been changed. Using some stories by Sir Thomas Malory who was born in the 15th century and a few movies that are popular today, I hope to tell about the main characters in Arthur's life.
The stories appeal to people because of their characters and the struggles that each character faces. For example, one of the first stories in the tales of King Arthur is about Merlin, the wizard. Wizards and sorceresses were used in many stories to amaze the reader and to give answer to the questions about why some things happened.
Merlin is the same character in most of the different tales, but his role in certain aspects of Arthur's life differs from movies and stories. Merlin was a powerful wizard who, according to the movie made in 1998 named "Merlin", was born to Queen Mab. She needed a son to carry out her legacy as one of the greatest sorcerers in the world. She and her sister, the Lady of the Lake, were dying out because people no longer believed in them and their powers.
Without the belief in magic, it did not exist. Queen Mab impregnated a woman with a boy who would be raised as an ordinary boy until she was ready to teach him magic. He would not know of her or her meaning in his life until she came back for him. So, Merlin grew up with a gift of magic that he did not want. Queen Mab was disappointed in his lack of interest in magic when she tried to teach him. She grew angry with him and decided to present a challenge for Merlin and to trick him into using his magic. Merlin did use his powers to fight Queen Mab on a number of occasions.
In the movie "Merlin", Merlin was quite young (about 25-30) when he met a man who would be King Arthur's father. The man's name was King Uther Pendragon. In many of the different stories, the part of Uther is the same. Uther Pendragon fell in love with a woman whom he saw at a feast. She was married to the duke of Tintagel who was fighting with Uther for years. The lady's name was Igraine and she andher husband were feasting with Uther for peace when Uther decided that, above all else, he wanted this woman. Uther sent for Merlin the wizard to make such a thing possible.
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In the movie "Excalibur" (1980's), Merlin was and old man (75 or better) when he came to Uther and disguised him as Lady Igraine's husband, so that he might sleep with her. Uther promised to give the child that was born of this engagement to Merlin in return for the disguise. According to a book written by Sir Thomas Malory, Merlin took the baby to Sir Ector to be raised until the time came for him to be king. In most of the tales, Arthur grew up knowing Merlin as a friend but not knowing that he was a wizard. In the movies "Merlin" and "Excalibur", Merlin went to the Lady of the Lake and received the most beautiful sword in the world. He placed it in a stone where no man but the true king would pry it from the grand rock. In both "Excalibur" and Sir Thomas Malory's tales, Sir Ector and his son Sir Kay were with Arthur when he pulled the sword from the stone. Arthur was made to do it a number of times before people would accept the fact that he was the true king. In all the stories, Arthur became the king at a rather young age. Arthur reestablished the lands and their leaders. He appointed some of the best knights in the world to serve in his kingdom at the Round Table (which was believed to be a part of Guinevere's dowry).
As the most popular of all the different tales of knights and adventure, people love the action between King Arthur, Lancelot Du Lake, and Guinevere. Guinevere was Arthur's wife and Lancelot was a member of the Round Table. Some tales say that Lancelot was a married man when he met Guinevere and fell in love with her. Other say that he was all alone in the world with no family when he met Guinevere.
The tale from "Excalibur" and the one from "First Knight" names Lancelot as being alone when he meets Guinevere. The tale from "Merlin" shows that Lancelot has a wife and a son, Galahad, when Merlin brings him back to Camelot as the "supposed" answer to the king's problems, (in the end, Merlin discovers that Galahad was the answer). The tale from Sir Thomas Malory's book states that Lancelot was tricked into conceiving a child, Galahad, with Lady Elaine because he thought that Elaine was Guinevere. In this story, Guinevere had asked Lancelot to meet her in her chamber a number of times in the past without the king's knowing anything about it. The love shared between Guinevere and Lancelot throughout all the stories became Arthur's doom.
The death of King Arthur is also a controversial tale. One fact that remains is that Arthur did die by the hands of his son (also his half sister's son) Sir Mordred. According to Sir Thomas Malory, Sir Mordred was left to rule England in the King's absence. During this time, he sent word throughout the kingdom that King Arthur died in battle with Lancelot. When Arthur returned, he did battle with Sir Mordred and stabbed him under his shield. Before Mordred fell, however, he thrust his sword into Arthur. They both fell to the ground but Arthur was still living. According to "Merlin", Arthur gave Excalibur to Merlin and asked him to give it back to the Lady in the Lake. According to "Excalibur" and Sir Thomas Malory's tales, Arthur asked Sir Bedivere to take Excalibur and throw it into the lake, then return to Arthur and tell him what happened. Arthur died when he knew that a hand came out of the water and caught the sword. He was then put in a boat and sent across the water to his burial place in Glastonbury.
There are many other differences in the legends of King Arthur because there is no way to prove that one story is right or wrong. Historians have been studying the facts of wars of the past, trying to determine whether or not Arthur existed. The closest clue that they have is the existence of a man named Riothamus. He lived during Arthur's time and his title means "high king". Also, this particular kind did many of the things that Arthur had done, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth. If Arthur existed, I would like to think that he was the greatest king that ever lived and that there were knights of the Round Table, a magician named Merlin, a Queen Guinevere who could not help her love for a knight named Lancelot, and an evil son named Mordred.
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