Description
Book SynopsisThe Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend is both a critical history of the Arthurian tradition and a reference guide to Arthurian works, names, and symbols. It offers a comprehensive survey of the legends in all of their manifestations, from their origins in medieval literature to their adaptation in modern literature, arts, film, and popular culture. Not only does it analyse familiar Arthurian characters and themes, it also demonstrates the tremendous continuity of the legends by examining the ways that they have been reinterpreted over the years. For instance, the motif of the abduction of Guinevere can be traced from Chrétien de Troyes''s Lancelot or the Knight of the Cart and the vulgate cycle of French romances in the 13th century, to Malory''s retelling of the story in the Morte d''Arthur, through various modern adaptations like those in T. H. White''s The Once and Future King and the contemporary film First Knight. This indispensable reference guide contains seven ess
Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Bibliography of Basic Resources for the Study of the Arthurian Legends ; 1. Early Accounts of Arthur, Chronicles, and Historical Literature ; 2. The Romance Tradition ; 3. Malory, his Influence, and the Continuing Romance Tradition ; 4. The Holy Grail ; 5. Gawain ; 6. Merlin ; 7. Tristan and Isolt ; Afterword ; Arthurian People, Places, and Things ; Index
