The Sword in the Stone: An Introduction to Arthurian Legends, Chivalry, and Archetypes

1. The Sword in the Stone: An Introduction to Arthurian Legends, Chivalry,and Archetypes

2. What’s a legend? • Imaginative tale believed to have some grain of truth, some historical basis • Passed orally from generation to generation; may change over time • Reveals the values and lifestyles of culture

3. Arthurian Legends • Take place in Great Britain • Fictional legends with many different versions of the life of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, Sir Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table • Sir Thomas Malory brought together first collection in the 1400s, called Le Morted’Arthur • Malory both compiled the legendary tales and from middle English and French and added new stories

4. The Real King Arthur • Great debate over who he was • Possibly a king, a prince, or a renowned soldier • Existed 450-550 A.D. • Known as a great general; led battle of Mount Badon, defeating the Saxons

5. Characteristics of Arthurian Legends • Legends changed over time, incorporating new cultural values • Legends vary in format, length, and genre (including poetry, novels, movies, and musicals) • Writers from several nations and time periods helped create them (and the stories are still being recreated)

6. Motifs of Arthurian Legends • The king and land are one • Might for right, not might for might • Justice • Love, friendship, and betrayal • Appearance vs. reality • Redemption and forgiveness

7. Nobility Commoners 3 Classes of Medieval Society Clergy

8. Page, Squire, Knight • Age 7: Page • Servant in a household • Learns weaponry, courtesy, religion, etc. • Age 14: Squire • Personal aide to a knight • Age 18-21: Knight • If he can master the skills, he is then knighted

9. Knight • Historically, knights were warriors and defenders • Dressed in full armor • Competed in tournaments and jousts to show their warrior skills • In knighting ceremony, vows to “be valiant, courteous, and loyal”

10. Chivalry A Good Knight: • Uses his strength for good • Strives to be honorable and virtuous • Protects the weak • Is courteous • Respects and defends women • Is a defender of the Christian church • Is inspired to greatness by love

11. Romantic Hero • hero of medieval romance • fulfills ideals of glory, nobility, justice, adventure, and loyalty

12. The Once and Future King • T.H. White’s most famous book • Wrote the novel in England after WWII. • The first three books were released independently. The entire collection was published in 1958. • The novel is based on Sir Thomas Malory’s 15th century romance Le Morted’Arthur(Death of Arthur) and Arthurian legend.

13. About the author • Born May 29, 1906, in Bombay, India to British parents • Graduated top of his class from Queen’s College in Cambridge • Led a solitary life in which most of his companions were his pets • Made one attempt to get married, but his fiancée broke it off

14. About the author • After teaching at Stowe School, an English boys’ school, he dedicated himself to the study of medieval life and became a full-time author. • On-again, off-again alcoholic • Died aboard ship in Athens, Greece, on January 17, 1964, after a lecture tour in America

15. Important Symbols: Camelot • Arthur’s Castle • Embodies ideals of knighthood • Meeting place of Knights of the Round Table

16. Important Symbols: Round Table • Mystical Table in Camelot • Given to Arthur by King Lodegreaunce (Guinevere's Father) • Table where Arthur’s knights meet • Symbolized equal status among knights

17. Important Symbols: Excalibur • King Arthur's mythical sword • Sword in the stone only drawn by real king.

18. Arthurian Legend: A Summary • Is loosely based on a real historical figure • Is not historically accurate • Has roots in Celtic mythology • Includes elements of fantasy and magic • Includes medieval ideals and institutions such as knighthood and chivalry • Themes are still seen in literature and film today

19. Archetype: definition • An archetype is an original model or pattern from which other later copies are made, especially a character, an action, or situation that seems to represent common patterns of human life. • Archetypes recur in different times and places in myth, literature, folklore, fairy tales, dreams, artwork, and religious rituals.

20. Archetype: definition • Dr. Carl Jung first identified universal patterns within works and mythology regardless of culture or historical period. • Jung hypothesized that the human mind contained a “collective unconscious” shared by all members of the human species. This theory can be applied to the concept of the hero and the hero’s journey.

21. Literary Archetypes • Archetypes often include a symbol, a theme, a setting, or a character that some critics think have a common meaning in an entire culture, or even the entire human race.   • An archetype is a universal “prototype” or template • Archetypes can be: • images • themes • symbols • ideas • plot patterns • settings

22. The Hero’s journey (one variation of similar patterns) • Stage 1, Departure: The hero is called to adventure, although he is reluctant to accept. • Stage 2, Initiation: The hero crosses a threshold into a new, more dangerous world, gaining a more mature perspective. • Stage 3, The Road of Trials: The hero is given supernatural aid, endures tests of strength, resourcefulness, and endurance. • Stage 4, The Innermost Cave: The hero descends into the innermost cave, an underworld, or some other place of great trial. Sometimes this place can be within the hero’s own mind. Because of this trial, the hero is reborn in some way—physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Through this experience, the hero changes internally. • Stage 5, Return and Reintegration with Society: The hero uses his new wisdom to restore fertility and order to the land (another variation)

23. Literary Archetypes • Hero • Mentor • Clown/Jester • Rogue • Underdog • Innocent • Trickster • Damsel in Distress