An Introduction to British Arthurian Narrative (New Perspectives on Medieval Literature: Authors and Traditions) - Hardcover

Aronstein, Susan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0813041899 ISBN 13: 9780813041896

Publisher: University Press of Florida, 2012

Synopsis

The legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table permeate our culture: we find them in novels, movie parodies, and even the American government. Yet beneath and before it all lies a deep literary tradition that has influenced history, art, and culture over the centuries.

     Examining the legend at its very source, <i>An Introduction to British Arthurian Narrative</i> covers over 400 years and discusses a broad range of romances, histories, and parodies written about King Arthur in Britain during the medieval period.

     The modern Anglo-American version of the Arthurian tale stems from Sir Thomas Malory's fifteenth-century compendium <i>Le Morte D'Arthur</i>, which was written at the end of the tale's first period of widespread popularity, which began in the early twelfth century. Susan Aronstein demonstrates that, as Arthur's transformation from a "leader of battles" in early histories, to a powerful chieftain in Welsh tales, and, finally, into England’s "once and future king," at every point, these tales reflected the ongoing contest for sovereignty over the island of Britain--and the very definition of "British."

About this title

About the Author

Susan Aronstein, professor of English at the University of Wyoming, is the author of <i>Hollywood Knights: Arthurian Cinema and the Politics of Nostalgia</i> as well as numerous articles on medieval and modern Arthurian narratives.

Edition details

• Publisher: University Press of Florida
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0813041899
• ISBN 13: 9780813041896
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 208