His cultural tradition and his successors

Transcription

1 His cultural tradition and his successors

2 Geoffrey s Certain British Book?

3 Much is written versions of earlier oral traditions problems of dating Manuscripts are later copies, not contemporary Much of it in poetry concerning war Heavily allusive; we don t always have the context for the references Earliest reference is in Y Gododdin by the poet (and possible survivor) Aneirin A warrior glutted black ravens on the ramparts, but he was no Arthur

4 Elegy for Owain ap Urien (6 th century) Stanzas of the Graves 6 th or 7 th century Adds names of Gwalchmai (Gawain), Bedwyr (Bedivere); uses battle name Camlann Difficult to find / a grave for Arthur (anoeth) The Book of Taliesin is online at National Library of Wales: esinpeniarthms2

5 Manuscripts are late; material is probably 6 th or 7 th centuries oral traditions passed down Collections of englyns or sets of 3 related items (mnemonics) 14 of 96 items have Arthurian connections Mentions Arthur having 3 queens, all named Gwenhwyfar (the white shadow), as well as 3 mistresses and a son Llachau Mentions Gwalchmai s (Gawain s) courtesy Blames Gwenhwyfar for shaming Arthur & bringing on the battle of Camlann

6 Original 10 th or 11 th century; manuscript c Merlin poems that may have influenced Geoffrey Elegy for Geraint Arthur listed as emperor, ruler of battle-toil (?duke of battles) Dialogue between Arthur & the Porter Arthur accompanied by Cai the Fair, great fighter Bedwyr also part of Arthur s circle Online at National Library of Wales: ookofcarmarthen

7 Record of a reiving raid made by Arthur into Annwn (underworld) itself few survivors to tell Arthur s story Hard to date Attributed to Taliesin but no one is sure No clear sense of what prophecies mean May have been one source for Geoffrey s Prophecies of Merlin Classical antecedents journey to the underworld

8 Could be the certain old book in the British tongue that Geoffrey claimed as source

9 The Spinoffs:

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11 Translates Geoffrey for Eleanor, c C.E. she s been queen less than a year Begins spinoff, Roman de Brut, for Henry II, c Supplanted by Master Beneeit (Benoit, Benedict)

12 Almost 15,000 octosyllabic lines In Norman French first vernacular full version of legend suggests for courtly, maybe also female, audience, not clerks Adds the Round Table Expands Merlin as son of Christian woman and incubus, who confounds the wise men advising the king Expands the Breton hope that Arthur will return to lead his people to overthrow their oppressors

13 c. 1200, Arely Kings, Worcestershire In early Middle English very definitely unfrenchified 16,000 lines (32,000 halflines in Anglo- Saxon verse measures)

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15 During renovations of Layamon s church the base of a Norman baptismal font bearing the name Laᴣamon was found. First complete English version Adaptation of Geoffrey through Wace Focuses on Arthur the warrior Wenhaver (queen) betrays Arthur with his nephew Mordred Arthur s prophetic dreams of destiny

16 Arthur transformed from dux bellorum to medieval emperor Outlines of a court & trappings Outlines of his betrayal & fall Story of his supposed return Questions about his death Associations with supernatural (Merlin, prophecies, dreams) c C.E.

17 Shadows of the 5 th /6 th century commander have been subsumed into medievalization of the story Thoroughly Christianized Celtic/British roots beginning to be overlaid by Norman focus and concerns The 2-D world sketched in the earliest chronicles has become a 3-D, international blockbuster The medieval sense of history could accept this Arthur; can ours?

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19 History, historicity, truthiness Sources for ideas How Fuqua conveys the sense of a historical reality How the story is amplified, altered, focused Relevance to its time (early 2000s, beginnings of War in Iraq, Stay the Course )

20 There are some changes in the sequencing of readings on the online calendar: 7/CalendarF13.htm Please make sure you re working off an updated version if you printed out an earlier version!! Clarity Quiz due at beginning of class NEXT TIME.