Development of the legend of author
Introduction
The legend of Arthur is a renowned story. The story encompasses feature of medieval literature whereby the theme of chivalry and romance are prominent. In addition, the legend also encompassed elements of magic, which made the legend has some fantasy inclination. This is evident in the character of Merlin who was a prominent magician in the legend. These characteristics have made the legend enigmatic for the society leading to debates about the legend. In order to comprehend the origin of the aforementioned legend, it is crucial to consider the historical development of the legend. The story appears to have developed over time due to the numerous recounts by different factions. Despite the legend appearing to have welsh origins, the legend has been developed over time.
The legend appears to have originated from the Wales in early Britain. However, due to the divisions in early Britain, the legend did not get a mention in the English chronicles from the early ages. The welsh were considered to be outsiders by other Britons influencing their relationships negatively. This impeded the early mentions of the legend in the region. However, the first mention of the legend that is reliable was written be a welsh monk named Nennius around the era of 830 AD (Doel, Geoff and Lloyd 62). In this recount, the monk depicts Arthur as a warrior. This is contradictory to the suggestions that he was a king. In this early story, the monk lists twelve battles fought by the warrior and this included mount Badon. This battle was first accounted for by Nennius whereby author was presented as a general in the conflict between the Celts and the Saxon armies. Despite this initial mention, there are other accounts, which depict the story of the legend. It is essential to analyze these documents in order to understand the basis of the legend to the current perceptions. The documents provide a fascinating progression where different elements of the legend were added or changed.
The influence of another Welshman was instrumental in the development of the legend. Geoffrey of Monmouth has been identified as the individual who established the basis of the legend. His perception has provided a basis for other writers to expand the legend to the current state. This is despite the manuscript of Geoffrey being intended to be a historical account. The author depicts Arthur as a king, contrary to the earlier suggestions that he was a warrior. From this instance, the legend evolved to depict author as a king. A French poet Maistre Wace introduced the famous round table mentioned in the legend in 1155 (Snyder 7). This was a symbolic feature in the legend since the king met his knights on the round table. The round table represented bravery and royalty aspects of the legend, which were consistent with chivalry in the medieval ages (Doel, Geoff and Lloyd 54). The aspect of courtly romance was introduced by another French contribution through Chretien de Troyes. De Troyes explored the subtleties of courtship from the historical context and the concept of chivalry present at the times. The French influence in the development of the legend is also evident in the concept of the Holy Grail whereby Robert de Boron introduced the quest to the legend. The story was developed in England in the 12 century whereby priest Laymond translated the story into English. This version was different from the existing ones. The author depicts that Arthur did not die from wounds experienced in battle but rather survived and lived in Isle of Avalon only to return to his kingdom in the future (Snyder 9). Thomas Malory was responsible for the documenting all the additions and modifications in the legend. This is said to the basis of the contemporary knowledge about the legend. Despite this, there have been controversies on the validity of the legend from a historical perspective (Doel, Geoff and Lloyd 69). This doubts have led to the question on whether the legend is real of factitious. Despite this, the legend has remained popular to the current scenario.
The development of the story resulted in the incorporation of numerous characteristics that make the story memorable. For instance, the legendary Excalibur sword, which was used to legitimize the leadership of Arthur, was introduced. In addition, the quest of Arthur has different perspectives due to the historical perspectives of the authors. For instance, the elements of magic in the film is due to the perceptions of the welsh in the early eras (Snyder 12). The introduction of features like the quest for the Holy Grail depicts the influence of Christianity in the legend. In addition, the elements of chivalry and romance appear to be the influence of the middle ages into the legend. Therefore, the development of the legend appears to encompass different cultural and historical influences during the development of the story.
Conclusion
The legend of Arthur is a popular account. Despite the origin of the legend being traced to Wales, there have been numerous influences from different historical and cultural perspectives. Considering this, the legend has retained popularity through the ages. The numerous accounts that exist depict the different influences and interpretations of the legend over time.
Work Cited
Doel, Fran, Geoff Doel, and T G. Lloyd. Worlds of Arthur: King Arthur in History, Legend and Culture. Stroud: Tempus, 2005. Print.
Snyder, Christopher. “Arthurian Origins.” In A History of Arthurian Scholarship, edited by Norris J. Lacy, 1-18. Rochester: D.S. Brewer, 2006.
