Tragedy in Malory's Morte d'Arthur

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Roberta Engleman (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: In tortuous, complex Latin, a British historian named Gildas (c. 540 A.D.)1 told a singularly moving story about the Anglo-Saxon conquest of Britain. He spoke of the dispersed "Britons" In the tone of an exiled psalmist, describing how some of them were caught in the mountains and slaughtered, others became slaves, and others "went to lands across the sea with loud lamentation."2 Glldas Is generally given credit for being the first author to allude to King Arthur, because he speaks of "Ambrosius Aurelianus, a moderate man, who by chance alone of the Roman nation had survived the shock so great a calamity."3 This man was a leader against the But Gildas was not concerned with glorifying battle chieftains. Instead he was composing a story of how the Britons suffered because of their sins.4 When he did this he touched on the themes which grew and developed side by side with the themes of glory in battle. It is quite appropriate that Arthurian literature should begin out of the destruction of a society, because that, and not tournaments, visions, and enchantresses, is the story it ultimately tells.

Additional Information

Publication
Honors Project
Language: English
Date: 1968

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