The Legend of King ArthurThe Legend of King Arthur

Important characters in the Important characters in the story, and its influence on story, and its influence on English Literature and the English Literature and the

Storytelling Tradition Storytelling Tradition

The British Isles

The British IslesThe British IslesPre-A.D. to 400 A.D.Pre-A.D. to 400 A.D.

Inhabited by:

• The Britons (Celtic)

• The Picts (Pre-Celtic)

•The Gaels (Celtic, Ireland)

Much of Arthurian Legend has its roots in two primary cultures: the Celts and the Christians.

Who are the Celts?

1st of all: Not just Irish!

•There are many Celtic tribes.

•The Celts are not Irish and the Irish are not Celts.• The Celtic history goes through many ages, but they primarily dominated during the 1st millenium, BCE.

The Celtic World:

The Celtic culture:

•Was organized into a class system that included nobility, slaves, and druids

•Was somewhat of a democracy, could vote out tribal leaders, etc

•Treated men and women as equals

• were united by religion and culture, not a central government

Celtic Warriors

•Were known world wide

• wore pants or fought naked

•Women were often as fierce and formidable a foe as the men

•Intimidated others by yelling, horns, war chants, etc

•Fought on foot or eventually horseback

•Were considered huge in stature

Celtic Religion/Mythology

•Worshipped one god (or goddess) above all- related to sun, water, and life

•Worshipped other minor deities as well

•Had powerful female gods as well as male

•Valued water, especially wells, as sacred

•Invaded by Julius Caesar, 55 B.C.

Roman Invasion

•Firmly brought under Roman control by the Emperor Claudius, A.D. 43

•Romans brought roads, running water, heating systems

•Also brought armour, axes, etc.

•System of worship, including, although not for a few hundred years, Christianity

Located in Cornwall; home to such famous Arthurian figures as the Duke of Cornwalland his wife, Igraine, mother to Arthur and Morgan Le Fay, and later to become the Queen of England. In later legends, it was home to Tristram and Isoulde.

Since Igraine was living here when a disguised Uther Pendragon seduced her, this is usually known as the birthplace of Arthur.

Caves beneath the rocks at Tintagel add a mystical quality and have all kinds of legends attached to them, including that one of them holds Merlin.

According to legend, Avalon is the mystical world where King Arthur is supposedly buried,

under the inscription:

“The Once and Future King.”

According to monastic notes, King Arthur’s actual grave was uncovered in 1191 with the inscription:

“Here lies buried the renowned King Arthur in the Isle of Avalon.”

Avalon, according to some legends, is where the Lady of the Lake dwelled. In some stories, there are several ladies, a sisterhood. The Lady goes by various names, the most famous being Viviane and Nimue.

In some stories the Lady of the Lake is evil, comparable to a witch. In others she is kindly, especially in all matters concerning Arthur. In all, she always has magical ability, and she gives Arthur the sword Excalibur.

Excalibur had a magical scabbard that would protect King Arthur from receiving any mortal wounds while he wore it.

Excalibur is not the same sword he pulled from the stone earlier, that proved he was the rightful king.

In some stories Arthur is raised in Avalon after he is taken by Merlin. In addition, Morgan Le Fay is frequently an inhabitant of this island.

Nearly every legendary account of Arthur’s death involves him being taken, by barge, to the Isle of Avalon.

So, is there really such a place as Avalon. . .?

There is a place called Glastonbury. . .

. . .which has powerful ties to both Celtic and Christian legend.

Isle of GlassIsle of GlassYnis WitrinYnis Witrin

was once an islet, connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land at low tide

is said to have mystical and spiritual power both in the Christian and Pagan traditions

The Tor of GlastonburyThe Tor of Glastonbury

The Tor is the hill itself, not the The Tor is the hill itself, not the towertower

In Somerset county, the Tor rises up to 158m (518 feet) and is visible from as far as 20 miles away in this otherwise flat area.

To the Celts, the hill was a connection to the gods; the surrounding water and a spring/well made the Isle of Glass special.

♀

Early Celts believed that the Other World was somehow made up of glass and air.

The water surrounding the islet reflected like glass; the constant fog and mist added to the ethereal nature.

Gwyn ap Nudd

Lord of the Underworld?

King of the Fairies?

Inhabitant of the Tor

Fairies of the Celtic time :Fairies of the Celtic time :

Were not to be trusted, had Were not to be trusted, had mystical powersmystical powers

Were rather large in Were rather large in sizesize

Were perpetually young Were perpetually young and “fair”and “fair”

Fairies were said to occupy hills, and thus it was thought that an entrance to a fairie world could be stumbled upon while on a hill.

While there, one could lose track of time, and never return to the other reality.

Notice the Tor’s labyrinthine structure.

The Celts long believed the Tor had mystical powers. Between the strong association with fairies and the underworld, it had achieved this status long before the Christians arrived.

Another significant landscape clue is the labyrinth. Celts worshipped a goddess of life, and these intricate mazes are often associated with goddess worship around the world. One example, below, is the Ancient Island of Crete, famous for the labyrinth which held the Minotaur.

In addition, the water well and spring at the Tor also symbolized life, particularly because the water often looked red, like blood. ♀

In these cultures, the journey through the labyrinth symbolized a journey through life. Many pilgrims of this time completed this journey.

This diagram shows the inner structure of the Tor. Archeologists believe the Celts carved out these tunnels, the date of which is still uncertain.

Why is the mystical world called Avalon?

Avallach-demigod who ruled the underworld

Annwn (Aaa-noon)-the Underworld

Island of Apples-apple is a recurring motif in world-wide myth

So is Avalon a fairie world or the underworld?

It is a land of enchantment.

The Christian side of Glastonbury. . .

Part that floods during heavy rains, even today

According to Christian lore, St. Joseph of Arimathea landed in Glastonbury sometime between 37-65 A.D.

Joseph was the great uncle of Jesus Christ. It was him who kept the cup used at the last supper; this same cup was also used to catch the blood of Christ during the crucifixion.

Joseph was sent to evangelize the most distant region of the Roman Empire. It is said that he landed at Glastonbury (Weary-All Hill) and stuck his staff(crown of thorns) in the ground, where water and a special tree* immediately sprung up.

Some believe he had been to Britain earlier, as a metal trader.

Did he bring Jesus on his earlier trip?

Did he bring the Holy Grail later?

*picture of Holy Thorn, which blossoms at Christmas, taken at Weary-All Hill

Glastonbury may be the location of the first Christian Community. Joseph built a church there in around 63 A.D.*, one of the earliest known Christian churches in the world. Near the water well, he buried the cup.*According to legend

Joseph’s Chalice Well

According to legend, the water runs red because of the blood of Christ.

The Chalice Well is located in a little valley, just below the Tor.

The tower on top of the Tor is the St. Michael’s Tower, part of a church built in the 12th C.

It was destroyed by an earthquake in the 13th C. and re-built in the 14th C., which is the date for the Tower.

St, Michael the Archangel is named in the book of Revelations as the angel who will lead the fight and

cast out the dragon-Satan. Thus, he is commonly associated with battle.

St. Michael

•Ruler of Arch-angels

•Dragon slayer

•Personal adversary of Satan

Common to build a church in his honor on a hill-top such as this.

At the bottom of the Tor, near the Chalice Well, is a holy ground with 2000 years of spiritual tradition to the Christians. . .whether it was founded by Joseph of Arimathea or not is up for debate.

Glastonbury Abbey

Officially became a Benedictine Monastery in 673 A.D., but had functioned as some sort of religious grounds long before that. Various Christian legends or claims associated with it:

•St. Patrick visited in the 5th Century (433 A.D.), set up regular monastic life.

•St. Bridget also visited and lived nearby.•St. David (d. 546) helped build a part of the old church.

•Visited by apostles* in 63 A.D., who built first church, one of the oldest Christian churches in the world.

*monastic notes make no mention of Joseph

This is what remains of the old Abbey.

The abbey is one of the most visited sites in England, and its gardens are renowned for their view.

Many visitors want to see this site, which is where King Arthur and his wife’s remains were supposedly discovered.

Supposedly, King Arthur and his queen worshipped at Glastonbury Abbey.

This seems very possible due to Glastonbury’s close proximity to Cadbury Castle, the probable site of the legendary Camelot.

This hill is located about 12 miles from Glastonbury, and the Tor would have been visible from here. Excavations show that this was heavily fortified during Arthur’s time, and pottery fragments have been found here identical to those found at Tintagel dating to the same period.

Due to the invading Saxons, it made logical sense for remaining Britons to fortify strong hills such as this.

Writing inspired by the legend:

The Battle of Mt. Badon is mentioned by Gildas around 540 AD.

•Gildas was possibly a Welsh monk.

•Wrote about the Anglo-Saxon and Roman invasions.

•Said the Germanic invasion was punishment from God who was angry at Roman/Briton Christians.•Gildas does not specifically mention Arthur.

The Battle of Mt Badon was fought around 495, and it was a decisive

victory over the Saxons.

The first to mention Arthur specifically is Nennius.

•Welsh writer circa 800 AD.

•Wrote Historia Britonum.

•Wrote about Anglo Saxon invasions.•Mentions Arthur as a Celtic warrior who fought in 12 victorious battles against the Saxons.

•Completed around 1138

•Connected Arthur to Britain’s line of kings

•Was not romance, was supposed to be

history•Based on Welsh poetry and oral tradition

•Also wrote about Merlin

Completed between March 4, 1469 to March

3, 1470