Arthurian Legends Effects on English Society - 1104 Words

What role did the great King Arthur play in the way English Literature is perceived? The Arthurian Legends reveal King Arthur as a chivalrous king and not as a historical figure but as a myth of mass amounts of achievements. From his search of the Holy Grail, to his perfect society in Camelot and his development of the Round Table, King Arthur’s legend displayed his heroic character. Through the many countless legends of the glorious King Arthur, England’s society underwent a drastic change in the outlook on life. With the influences of King Arthur came an extreme change in philosophies and lifestyles. Countless situations on how exactly the people of England altered their views on life were they became more cultivated and highly†¦show more content†¦The castle itself also proved to have some magical presence to it, mainly because it was forged by , Merlin, the wizard adviser of King Arthur. â€Å"The castle served as headquarters for King Arthur and his knights as well. A special hall held the Round Table, where Arthur and the knights would plan their campaigns. The hall also contained lifelike statues of the twelve kings who had tried to overthrow Arthur. All had been defeated by him and were buried at Camelot. Each statue had a lighted candle. According to Merlin, the candles would stay lit until the Holy Grail—the cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper—was found and brought to Camelot. It was from Camelot that the knights rode out to perform good deeds and to search for the Holy Grail.† (Camelot Vol. 2). As the king of Camelot king Arthur and his men protected his reign of power against twelve kings who had wished to overthrow him. Maybe they believe he was too weak to maintain power over his glorious kingdom. Consequentially, that belief resulted in their downfall. During the reign of King Arthur his form of government resembled a Utopia, due to the fact that the system of which Arthur was contro lling his kingdom transpired the happiness of his people. Everything was going right for King Arthur, his men appearing to be loyal to him; the magic sword could not fail him in battle, and the love of his life his Queen Guinevere was at his side during his rule. ThereShow MoreRelatedEssay about Arthurian Legends Effects on English Society2368 Words   |  10 PagesWhat role did the great King Arthur play in the way English Literature is perceived? Did King Arthur honestly exist? â€Å"Whether King Arthur existed or not is doubtful. However if King Arthur did exist, then he would have lived sometime between 400 AD and 600 AD, a time of turmoil in Britain following the Roman withdrawl. And a time when written literature did not exist, therefore events during this period are only known about from folklore passed down several generations before being written downRead MoreChristian Elements in the King Arthur1295 Words   |  6 Pagesproducts of heroic periods and their unique era of culture. Acknowledging Medieval literature illustrates a society of heroic knights, led by a luxurious king, charging into battle, romantic connections between royalty and a common person, and new discoveries being found. As well as times characterized by feudal activity, along with the Catholic Church holding an influencing control of society, and placing heavily on the laws they laid. 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