The victory of Arthur: King Arthur's conquest of modern literature.
Item
-
Title
-
The victory of Arthur: King Arthur's conquest of modern literature.
-
Identifier
-
AAI9720126
-
identifier
-
9720126
-
Creator
-
Padol, Lisa Victoria.
-
Contributor
-
Adviser: Edmund Epstein
-
Date
-
1997
-
Language
-
English
-
Publisher
-
City University of New York.
-
Subject
-
Literature, Modern | Literature, English | Literature, American
-
Abstract
-
This dissertation considers the question: Why are stories about King Arthur still popular today? This is a complex question, for there is not one answer, but many. Furthermore, some of the answers seem, at first glance, to be contradictors.;The first chapter is a brief overview of the dissertation, listing the major reasons for the popularity of Arthur's story, along with a consideration of the value of popular literature. The second chapter considers the historical background of the story of Arthur, mentioning the major modern and medieval texts, and considering what the former have borrowed from the latter. This chapter also looks at Arthurian scholarship and examines the relationship between the scholarship and the fiction.;The third chapter discusses the flexibility of Arthur's story, while the fourth discusses the concept of psychomachia, maintaining that one reason for the popularity of Arthur's story is that it functions as a psychomachia, a means by which internal drives are externalized and personified by the various characters who sit at Arthur's Round Table.;The fifth chapter explains that the historical weight of Arthur's story contributes to its current popularity, while the sixth chapter points out that Arthur's story has an air of grandeur which is used to make our own lives seem noble and grand. The seventh chapter considers the heroes and ideals of the Round Table. The ideals espoused in many versions of the legend are attractive because they present a clear vision of right and wrong, while the heroes show the ideals in action. Despite the clarity of the Arthurian code, many authors of Arthurian novels recognize that situations are seldom clear-cut.;The eighth chapter discusses the paradox of religion in Arthur's story. Although not bound to any one religion, the story often gains popularity by drawing on the ideals of a religion, whether Christianity or Neo-Paganism. Furthermore, the magic embodied by characters such as Merlin and Morgan Le Fay attracts many readers.;Chapter nine discusses the treatment of Arthur's story in other media, while chapter ten concludes the text portion of the dissertation. The text is followed by an extensive Catalogue Raissone, as well as a Works Cited list.
-
Type
-
dissertation
-
Source
-
PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
-
degree
-
Ph.D.
