Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Wednesday, 25 January 2023

The development and richness of the Arthurian legend


A vast body of literary history has arisen about the complex process whereby we came to possess the Arthurian legend - never mind the quest for the historical figure himself. I have taught both themes and the variety of sources, interpretation, opinion is vast. 

By chance I recently came across a short introduction to the development of the legend online which I thought worth sharing so as to give others an idea of the fascinating structure of what we think we know and its influence on chivalric culture and the legacy of that in today’s world. Attractively illustrated it can be seen on The Collector website at Arthurian Legends and Their Impact on Medieval Culture

Linked to it are two other articles by the same author, firstly about the story and significance of the story of the mysterious Green Knight at Devil or Judge of Knights: Who is the Green Knight? and a second about several sites associated with the Arthurian legends which can be seen at Land and King Are One: 5 Real Sites from Arthurian Legend

Taken together these three short articles serve as an introduction to the Arthurian literary corpus and for those already aware of it as a stimulus to look at it further.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I found the following paper very plausible and convincing:

https://www.academia.edu/44556935/King_Arthurs_tomb_in_Glastonbury_as_an_ancient_Sarmatic_Burial

If the conclusions are true then perhaps the film King Arthur (2004) is pretty close to reality. I'd like to think so!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0349683/

Regards

John R Ramsden