Abstract

For fifteen centuries, legends of King Arthur have enthralled us. Born in the misty past of a Britain under siege, half-remembered events became shrouded in ancient myth and folklore. The resulting tales were told and retold, until over time Arthur, Camelot, Avalon, the Round Table, the Holy Grail, Excalibur, Lancelot, and Guinevere all became instantly recognizable icons. Along the way, Arthur’s life and times were recast in the mold of the hero’s journey: Arthur’s miraculous conception at Tintagel through the magical intercession of his shaman guide, Merlin; the childhood deed of pulling the sword from the stone, through which Arthur was anointed King; the quest for the Holy Grail, the most sacred object in Christendom; the betrayal of Arthur by his wife and champion; and the apocalyptic battle between good and evil ending with Arthur’s journey to the Otherworld.

Touching on all of these classic aspects of the Arthur tale, Christopher R. Fee seeks to understand Arthur in terms of comparative mythology as he explores how the Once and Future King remains relevant in our contemporary world. From ancient legend to Monty Python, Arthur: God and Hero in Avalon discusses everything from the very earliest versions of the King Arthur myth to the most recent film and television adaptations, offering insight into why Arthur remains so popular—a hero whose story still speaks so eloquently to universal human needs and anxieties.
 
“Refreshingly accessible and expertly researched, Fee’s Arthur: God and Hero in Avalon is an adventure into myth and a tour through ancient history. This is an unparalleled introduction to the legendary and multifaceted King Arthur.” — Andrew Cole, Professor of English and Medieval Studies, Princeton University
“Fee delivers a clear and welcome introduction to the sources, motifs, and backgrounds of the Arthurian cycles. From Marie de France to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur, Fee offers a terrific guide for students of all levels. Teachers will find this book extremely helpful for brushing up on Arthuriana.” — Stephen Harris, Professor of English, University of Massachusetts
Christopher R. Fee is professor of English at Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania. He is the author of Mythology in the Middle Ages: Heroic Tales of Monsters, Magic, and Might and a coauthor of Gods, Heroes, and Kings: The Battle for Mythic Britain and The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother, the last also published by Reaktion Books.