King Arthur Essay Research Paper Knight 1Todd

King Arthur Essay, Research Paper

Knight 1

Todd Knight

Mrs. Jill Doggett

CP English 12

March 13, 2000

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

The legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a story mixed with historical truths and exaggerated fiction. The legend of King Arthur, known as the Arthurian Legend, comes from the Middle Ages and is both fact and fiction. There really was a King Arthur who was king of the Britons. He was a type of military leader who fought Germanic invaders. Many of the Tudor monarchs claimed lineage to King Arthur to justify and prove their right to the throne. Most of the knowledge of Arthur is legend. There is no doubt, though, that stories about him have influenced literature, society, music, and art from the Middle Ages. (King Arthur 1)

Arthur was the illegitimate son of King Uther Pendragon and Lady Igraine, who was married to the Duke of Cornwall. After Arthur was born he was given to Merlin, a man believed to be a prophet, who cared for him and then gave him to Sir Ector. (Arthur 1) Merlin stayed in touch with Arthur as his tutor and also guided him throughout the rest of his life. (Arthurian 1-5) Arthur was raised alongside Ector’s son, Sir Kay, but knew nothing of his royal ancestry. ( Ackerman, 757)

One day there was a tournament for the knights. Sir Kay had forgotten his sword and sent Arthur back to get it. Arthur did not know where the sword was but he did remember where a sword in a stone was located. Arthur went and pulled the sword out of the stone. He took this sword back to Sir Kay. When he returned with this sword all the knights recognized the sword in the stone. The knights did not believe Arthur had

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pulled the sword from the stone so they all went back and made him do it again. Legend stated that whoever removed the sword from the stone was supposed to be crowned King of Camelot. No one wanted young Arthur to be king. They waited a month and had many people come and try to pull the sword out of the stone but no one else could. Two months later, on Easter, they tried again and still no one could remove the sword. Finally, after another effort they admitted that it must be God’s will and so they crowned Arthur King of Camelot until his death. (Macleod, 5-8)

Merlin, who influenced Arthur greatly, was said to be a real person. Merlin was the illegitimate son of a nun. Fictionally, many believed he came from an evil father and Merlin was supposed to be the opposite of Jesus Christ, but because he was baptized at an early age, he was not an evil man. Merlin helped Arthur’s father gain control of the throne. Merlin is also said to have made Stonehenge as a memorial to four hundred sixty Britons who were murdered at a peace conference. He also used his powers to create the sword in the stone so that Arthur could later become King and prove his ancestry. Merlin created the Lady of the Lake who made Arthur a magical sword called Excalibur. The Lady of the Lake eventually gained so much power that she had more than Merlin and she created herself a son, Lancelot of the Lake (also known as Sir Lancelot). She caused Merlin to fall in love with her because she was scared of being enslaved by him. She imprisoned him in a glass tower. His imprisonment, Merlin believed, was the cause of Arthur’s death because Merlin could not be present at a battle in which Arthur was hurt. Merlin felt a lot of grief for what had happened and exiled himself to Caledonian Forest where he eventually died. His bones were found and were said to be buried at Marlborough College in Wiltshire or at Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island) off the coast of Wales. (Arthurian 1-5)

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Excalibur and the sword in the stone were actually two different swords. The sword and the stone was used by Merlin to show Arthur and others in his kingdom proof of his birthright and his nobility as part of his destiny. (Excalibur and.1) Excalibur was given to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake. Excalibur was said to have magical powers that would keep, as long as Arthur had it, its owner from shedding blood or being injured. (Macleod, 27-28) The sword was somehow stolen sometime close to Arthur’s death. He was injured while the sword was gone. It was soon recovered days before Arthur died, but Arthur told Sir Bedevere, one of his knights, to throw Excalibur back into the lake from which it came. The knight threw it back into the lake but just before it went into the water the Lady of the Lake rose up out of the water and caught the sword. This was the last time the sword Excalibur was ever seen. (Ackerman. Excalibur, 443)

Guinevere was the love of Arthur’s life. She was the daughter of King Leodegrance of Cameliard. (Guinevere 1) Arthur chose Guinevere to be his wife. He had been king for awhile and his lords were anxious for him to b married. Merlin advised him not to marry Guinevere because he knew the trouble that would follow. Her father gave Arthur the Round Table as a wedding present, which had belonged to Arthur’s father. He also offered Arthur land and part of his kingdom. Arthur told him he loved Guinevere and just wanted her but that he would take the Round Table. Soon they were married at Canterbury. (Macleod, 29, 31) Guinevere later had a love affair with Sir Lancelot, one of Arthur’s best and most trusted knights. (Arthur 1)

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