This unit examines the debate around whether or not King Arthur actually existed and the ways in which the figure of Arthur became a mythic figure in subsequent centuries. It considers the earliest sources relating to Arthur, in particular Geoffrey of Monmouth in the early 12th century, who constructs a credible narrative from earlier sources and Chretien de Troyes later in the same century, who with considerable literary skill transformed the warrior leader into a chivalric king. This myth-making is explored across the centuries through Malory's Morte d'Arthur and into the literature of the 19th century. -- Course Website
Instructor: Dr Carol Williams
Prerequisites: A first-year sequence in History or permission
