Myth-Folklore Unit: King Arthur

Overview. This collection of Arthur legends falls into two main categories: there are stories about Arthur (how he became king, how he obtained Excalibur and the Round Table, and his enmity with his own sister Morgan le Fay), and those Arthur stories are then followed by stories about Arthur's knights and their quest for the Holy Grail (focusing on Sir Galahad and Sir Lancelot). Then, at the very end of the unit, the focus shifts back to Arthur, and the tragic events that marked the end of his reign. The source is King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang. While Lang does use a rather lofty style of English to convey the grandeur of the legend, his writing is still very lively and readable. Especially if you are interested in the mystical and mysterious aspects of Arthurian legend, full of magic and dreams, I think you will enjoy these stories very much!

Language. Andrew Lang has retold the medieval Arthur materials in modern literary prose; it should not be too difficult to read.

Story Length. The unit consists of one continuous story, divided into separate episodes, with the second half focused on the search for the Holy Grail.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: King Arthur. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

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READING A:

1. The Drawing of the Sword
2. The Questing Beast
3. The Sword Excalibur
4. The Round Table
5. The Passing of Merlin
6. King Arthur and Morgan le Fay
7. The Quest of the Holy Graal
8. The King's Pilgrimage
9. The Coming of the Holy Graal

READING B:

1. Sir Galahad and the White Knight
2. Sir Lancelot's Vision
3. The Adventure of Sir Percivale
4. Sir Lancelot and the Five Hundred Knights
5. Sir Gawaine and the Hermit
6. The Adventure of Sir Bors
7. Sir Galahad and the Mysterious Ship
8. Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad
9. Sir Galahad and the Graal
10. The End of Arthur