The saga of King Arthur and his court is the most enduringly popular mythic tradition of Western civilization. For over 1500 years, the Arthurian narrative has enthralled writers, artists, and a limitless audience spanning the Western world and beyond-and its appeal continues unabated in our time. Delve into the historical mystery behind the figure of Arthur, and discover the magnificent breadth of these epic tales.
King Arthur: History and Legend
Uncover the richness of the Arthurian tradition from the Middle Ages to the 21st century in this wide-ranging and fascinating survey of Arthurian literature and art.
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Helen8 from
King Arthur
Great explanation! Well expressed, concise and clear. The great courses always has something good to give and to learn regardless of different opinions. Recommends always to try.
Date published: 2024-04-14
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Robodoc58 from
Great Fun
I have previously been enlightened by Prof Dorsey's lectures on "serious" (i.e., "non-entertaining) courses (like the Black Death). This one was, in turn, the most "fun" as it dealt with a topic that is, often, not at all serious. King Arthur may have been based on a real historical individual, but this course deals with the course of the legend as it morphed and was adapted through the ages, and thus, in essence, was a work of fiction, albeit one with "real" resonance in the societies in which it evolved. That the lecture series embraces Monty Python's Holy Grail, and other 20th and 21st century adaptations, is a testament to the enduring attraction of the legend, its malleability, and the "fun" aspect of his lecture series. Time well spent! Educational and entertaining.
Date published: 2024-02-22
Rated 5 out of
5
by
PhilWard from
Very enjoyable
I am now a very big fan of Dorsey Armstrong and will take the rest of her courses.
Date published: 2023-04-21
Rated 5 out of
5
by
DenisePA from
Great course
This was my second time watching this series. I love this professor and her style.
Date published: 2023-03-04
Rated 2 out of
5
by
MichaelTG from
Condescending tone from the start.
I am five minutes into the introduction and already dreading having to endure too much more of the condescending tone I am hearing in this lecturer.
Date published: 2022-12-11
Rated 4 out of
5
by
JeannieS from
Another good watch
An enjoyable watch but I would've liked it if she'd gone further into the stories themselves.
Date published: 2022-11-28
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Verdugo from
Informative and Interesting
Professor Armstrong presents the material in a manner that sustains my interest. The legend of King Arthur has always intrigued me. With this Course I am learning about the legend and how it came about and what grains of truth run through it. I love this Course and will watch on many occasions because there is so much information here.
Date published: 2022-08-09
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Old Hippy from
Fun and Interesting
Professor Armstrong is an excellent teacher. Like most people, I only vaguely knew the Arthur legend. It was fun to finally learn what it's all about.
Date published: 2022-06-09
Overview
About
Dorsey Armstrong is a Professor of English and Medieval Literature at Purdue University, where she is also the head of the Department of English. She received her PhD in Medieval Literature from Duke University. She is the executive editor of the academic journal Arthuriana, which publishes cutting-edge research on the legend of King Arthur, from its medieval origins to its modern enactments. She is a recipient of the Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, Purdue’s top undergraduate teaching honor. Her other Great Courses include The Black Death: The World’s Most Devastating Plague and The Medieval World.
Trailer
01: The Origins of King Arthur
First, consider images of the Arthurian legend familiar in Western culture, and their relationship to historical reality. Trace the history of post-Roman Britain, the large-scale invasions of the Anglo-Saxons, and evidence that a single, extraordinary individual rose from the chaos to lead and save his people.
32 min
02: An Arthur-Like Figure in Cornwall
Investigate archaeological and historical evidence that support the existence of an Arthur-like figure in early Britain. Learn about the site of Cadbury Castle, the center of operations of a leader of great military and logistical skill who thwarted the Saxon invasion. Learn also about important lore surrounding the supposed tomb of Arthur....
30 min
03: King Arthur in the Latin Chronicles
Now explore some of the most significant early witnesses to the Arthurian legend. In Latin texts by the chroniclers Gildas (6th century) and Nennius (9th century) and in the Welsh Annales Cambriae, study accounts of Arthur's exploits and death in battle. Learn how 11th- and 12th-century texts later embellished the legend, elevating Arthur as a godlike hero....
30 min
04: King Arthur in Wales-The Mabinogion
Grasp how Arthur became a cultural touchstone early in Welsh history. In texts such as the Black Book of Carmarthen and the Triads of the Island of Britain, uncover key references to the Arthurian saga. In the tales of the Mabinogion, observe the portrayal of Arthur as an exalted royal personage....
31 min
05: Monmouth, Merlin, and Courtly Love
Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain is arguably the most important literary artifact of the Arthurian tradition. Learn about the political nature of the text, the important elements and characters that Geoffrey wove into it, and how he established the basics of the Arthurian legend as we know it....
30 min
06: The Round Table-Arthur in Wace and Layamon
Discover the contributions of the Anglo-Norman scribe Wace, who translated Geoffrey of Monmouth's text into Old Northern French, and the English cleric Layamon, who created the first comprehensive account of Arthur in English. Compare how Wace advances the notion of courtly chivalry in the saga with Layamon's more brutal portrayal of Arthur's community....
30 min
07: Chretien de Troyes and Sir Lancelot
This great Arthurian writer introduced elements of the legend that would become essential. Learn how de Troyes pioneered the genre of the medieval romance, developed the ethos of courtly love in his writings, and introduced the great heroic figure of Lancelot and his adulterous love of Guenevere....
31 min
08: Arthurian Tales in Brittany and Burgundy
Here, encounter the works of Marie de France, whose Arthurian writings developed themes of romantic love, the magical, and the noble. Then learn how Robert de Boron linked King Arthur to the spiritual and religious realms and introduced the Holy Grail, which figures prominently in the massive, anonymous text of the Perlesvaus....
30 min
09: The Lancelot-Grail Cycle
This lecture explores the remarkable 13th-century work known as the Prose Lancelot. Discover the text's five parts, highlighting the central section, where Lancelot assumes his place as the greatest Arthurian knight. Delve into the Grail Quest narrative and its theological thrust, as well as the Mort Artu, detailing the tragic outcome of the Arthurian saga....
30 min
10: The Early German Arthurian Tradition
Study the key Arthurian texts of Hartmann von Aue, which delve deeply into questions of the balance between noble love, knightly endeavor, and devotion to God. Then grasp the brilliance of Wolfram von Eschenbach's portrayal of Parzival's wisdom quest, involving the magical Grail stone and the legendary Fisher King....
31 min
11: King Arthur's Other German Adaptations
Numerous other German writers made their marks on the legend of Arthur. Among them, contemplate Gottfried von Strassburg's masterful text on the Tristan legend, Ulrich von Zatzikhoven's elaborate treatment of Lancelot, Wirnt von Grafenburg's story of the adventure quest of Wigalois, and Heinrich von dem Türlin's encyclopedic saga The Crown....
30 min
12: The Arthurian Sagas of Scandinavia
Follow the legend of Arthur into the literary traditions of medieval Iceland and Norway. Learn how Norwegian king Hákon Hákonarson commissioned adaptations of Arthurian works into Old Norse, and explore distinct differences in ethos, sensibility, and emphasis between the Continental and Scandinavian versions of the knightly saga....
30 min
13: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Delve into the fascinating narrative of this highly sophisticated poem, following the great Sir Gawain through elaborate plot twists on his quest to fulfill an astonishing challenge. Investigate the meaning of his journey, and consider the important questions it raises concerning free will, loyalty, shame, and honor....
32 min
14: The Alliterative Morte Arthure
In this dramatic culmination of the saga, study the events of Arthur's military victory over Rome, and his ensuing degeneration from noble king to ruthless conqueror. Reflect on the poignant final meeting of Mordred and Gawain, the story's bleak denouement, and the poet's implicit message regarding Arthur's character and the nature of war....
29 min
15: Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte Darthur
Thomas Malory's massive retelling of the Arthurian saga became a benchmark for all writers who came after him. Learn how Malory's text introduced the Pentecostal Oath, a sacred code of ethics sworn to by the knights, which Malory "tests" throughout the narrative as a model for noble thought and action....
31 min
16: Enriching the Legend-Tristan and Isolde
The Celtic legend of Tristan and Isolde was assimilated as a key element of the Arthurian tradition. Study the narrative of the Tristan story as it emerged in two distinct literary traditions, and grasp how the story's appeal led to Sir Tristan being "co-opted" as a knight of the Round Table....
29 min
17: The Holy Grail from Chretien to Dan Brown
No physical object in the Arthurian canon carries more symbolic weight than the Holy Grail. Discover the origins and varied manifestations of the Grail, explore the most celebrated of the literary Grail narratives, and investigate why the Grail has fired the imagination of writers from the medieval world to the modern one....
30 min
18: Arthuriana in Medieval Art
Uncover rich depictions of Arthurian scenes in cathedrals and churches across Western Europe, as well as in privately commissioned artworks, and grasp why such scenes proliferated in religious settings. Learn also how a massive table, once believed to be the actual Round Table of King Arthur, was put to symbolic use by British royalty....
29 min
19: Spenser, Milton, and the Renaissance Arthur
In a relatively sparse era of Arthurian literary output, trace noteworthy currents of the saga in Spenser, Milton, and the work of Renaissance historians. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, note the rise of Arthur's presence in popular ballads, songs, and poetry, and his remarkable portrayal on the stage in English and Cornish....
30 min
20: Idylls of the King-The Victorian Arthur
The 19th century witnessed an explosion of interest in the legend. Learn about the poetry of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, whose Idylls of the King inaugurated a new era of Arthurian writing and scholarship. Discover the extraordinary Arthurian works of the pre-Raphaelite painters, and delight in portrayals of Arthurian themes in stained glass, tapestry, and illustration....
28 min
21: Wagner and Twain-King Arthur in the Late 1800s
In his two overtly Arthurian operas, observe how Richard Wagner adapted and modified the Arthurian legend to dramatize social and religious ideals, linking these ideals with Germany itself. On our own shores, grasp how Mark Twain satirized the saga in Connecticut Yankee, critiquing both European aristocracy and American society....
30 min
22: Once and Future-The 20th-Century Arthur
Among significant 20th-century treatments of the saga, begin with T.H. White's The Once and Future King and its ruminations on kingship, power, and governance. Also explore Mary Stewart's highly original Merlin Trilogy, Marion Zimmer Bradley's feminist The Mists of Avalon, and the brilliant comic book series Camelot 3000....
30 min
23: Camelot Comes to Hollywood
From the wealth of Arthurian cinema, investigate major film portrayals of the legend from recent decades. In particular, learn about the brilliant satire of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the weighty symbolism of John Boorman's Excalibur, the modern-day Grail narrative of The Fisher King, and the achievements and shortcomings of Antoine Fuqua's King Arthur....
29 min
24: King Arthur in the 21st Century and Beyond
Conclude by assessing the roles of the Arthurian legend in modern culture. Consider the associations of the saga in merchandising and the commercialization of historical sites, as well as its uses in pop culture and media. Finally, grasp the remarkable adaptability of King Arthur as a symbol of courage and hope....
32 min
