Free Essay

Arthurian Legend

In: Philosophy and Psychology

Submitted By chloe76
Words 434
Pages 2
Chloe Monahan
Arthurian Legend
Reflective Essay

After reading about how the Arthurian Legend has evolved through the centuries and is still being studied and talked about today, it is interesting how a legend can be so widely known when people are still debating on whether it is a myth of has some historical truth. Some historians say it is a pure myth with magic and made-up fairytale characters and themes, but some believe that King Arthur might have been a real person. How can it be called a myth if something such as the Arthurian Legend became such a huge part of literature that people were dedicating their lives and jobs to study this myth and find its background? On the other hand, how can something that involves magic and religion, one reality, and one fairytale, in which King Arthur is a believer of both be considered true? In the Legend of King Arthur, the character Lancelot who plays a big part in the poem Lady of Shallot, is one of the most popular characters from the legend was not even introduced into the story until centuries after King Arthur was first written about. Knowing this, it means that people were working on and evolving this myth that allegedly started as just a paragraph for many years. The reason that this myth is said to be carried out this far is because the legend is thought to have been based on a real person. If it was based on a real story, then why would there be a Magician named Merlin who performed tasks that are not reality? Why did a myth matter so much that it became internationally known, translated, and edited, if it didn’t even have any truth behind it? Historians could argue with each other for days about whether or not it is true. If this myth did happen to be true, it is odd that there was magic involved with Christianity. If Christians don’t believe in magic going against Gods ways, then it is okay for Merlin, as well as Christianity to be such a large part of the story. Some people think King Arthur is actually buried in a tomb. I don’t think it is possible for someone who never existed to be buried. Arthur is known as a genuine historical figure, but how can he have that title if he was just a character in a myth? Even if a simple myth became such a large part of world literature, I don’t think it should be thought of as history considering it is just a legend.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Archetypes In Beowulf And The Arthurian Legend

...Baseball player Jackie Robinson once said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” In both Beowulf and the Arthurian Legend, the characters play roles in how many everyday people attempted to live their lives. Each individual character is assessed with certain qualities that contribute to the story in many different forms and fashions. The qualities the characters possess play into different archetypes in the story. Archetypes are used to describe different backgrounds and cultures expressing how the ideal life for that certain culture is to be obtained. During the stories of both Beowulf and the Arthurian Legend, specific archetypes are expressed through characters such as Beowulf, Sir Bors, and other knights...

Words: 1176 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

College Assignment/Decision Theory

...legend between truth and fiction A legend is a traditional tale popularly regarded as true but containing a mixture of fact and fiction. A legend is tale, usually told regionally and based in part in fact, usually to strengthen ones belief in his or her country or sitting lord. An example would be the Arthurian legends or the Iliad. Legends are sometimes distinguished from myths in that they concern human beings rather than gods, and sometimes in that they have some sort of historical basis whereas myths do not; but these distinctions are difficult to maintain consistently Legend vs Myth: Myths are generally referred to as traditional stories occuring in a timeless past. They may involve supernatural elements and are beyond the frontiers of logic. Myths may also give a religious explanation. Myths have their chronology of events and cannot be related to present timelines. They may also be imaginary things. Legends, however, are stories about real people who are famous for doing something brave or extraordinary. Legends may be told upon topics of historical importance. It is not an explanation of something nor a symbolic narrative, they're based on an event. Examples of myths and legends It is a Greek myth that Prometheus stole fire from Zeus, the chief god, and gave it to humans so that they could keep themselves warm. To punish him, Zeus chained Prometheus to a rock where his liver was eaten by an eagle every day but grew again every night. There is nothing to prove...

Words: 765 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Alchemist Response

...The Alchemist is a very convincing and exhilarating book that tells us about following our dreams and taking them to the very end. This novel tells us to leave our boring, everyday lives, risk everything we have, and pursue our “personal legends.” It emphasizes and elucidates the fact that most people in this world want to be told that all their dreams and desires are to come true sooner or later, but Coelho states that in order for them to actually come true we have to struggle and strive to make our fantasies a reality. This compelling story is about Santiago, a normal shepherd boy, who is indeed, a dreamer. He dreams of finding great treasures and becoming rich, but he just doesn’t know where to start achieving his “personal legend.” Then, just when he was about to give up, Santiago met a very wise man that told him to listen to the omens, and he realized that these omens, good or bad, were all around him. He now knew that on your pursuit of your dreams, the universe and everything that surrounds it would do everything to help you accomplish your “personal legend.” We all believe that the universe is against us in our quest to make our dreams come true, but this novel tells us that if we just strive hard towards our goals, everything will work out in the very end. As Santiago started heading towards the desert, where he was destined to be, he faced eminent challenges and obstacles that he was yet to overcome. That is another thing that Coelho was trying to explicate...

Words: 614 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Tanner Man Myth Legend

...Tanner Raymond                                                                                                       Raymond 1  English  Mrs. Cyr  7 January 2015    In Guy De Maupassant’s “The Necklace” he uses literary devices. Literary devices are  used in writing to give depth and to enhance the work and play a huge role Guy’s writing.  Guy uses situational irony, theme, dynamic characters, and the point of view in the story to  keep you wanting to read.  The fact that Mme. Loisel is a dynamic character means that she changes throughout  the story. In the very beginning of “The Necklace” Mme. is middle class and not  overwhelmingly wealthy. She feels unhappy, greedy, and over all just bored with her lifestyle.  To illustrate this it states directly from the text, “She suffered endlessly, feeling born for every  delicacy and luxury. She suffered from the poorness of her house, from it’s mean walls, worn  chairs, and ugly curtains.”(pg. 29). Following this, Mme. Loisel gets a pretty dress and  necklace. She feels happy, very proud, and she feels like she is a high class citizen. Soon  after Mme. Loisel spends 10 years of her life paying off loan sharks and other people. Due to  this Mme. Loisel is lower class, very poor, hard working, and most likely very grateful now that  her debt is gone. In the case that Mme. Loisel is a static character meaning she did not  change throughout the story, rather than a dynamic one, we the reader wouldn't be able to  understand how Mme...

Words: 833 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Fred Patten Research Paper

... Who is Fred Patten? You may know the movies Vampire Hunter D or The Mystery of Mamo, But did you ever think on who directed and created them? If you ever wondered that then I will tell you about Fred Patten! Fred Patten was born on December 11,1940 in Los Angeles,CA. His parents were Shirley Patten and Beverly Patten. Fred Patten had loved science fiction when he was young,he even learned how to read and write the comic strips in the Los Angeles Times.At age nine he was reading SF in magazines and books. Fred Patten made a huge impact on our daily lives and should be noticed for his actions. When Patten was 11 years old he liked comic books and mangas. Young Patten would try to make his own comics for his peers to enjoy. Many of his peers liked his comics that were science fiction themed. Patten was happy that people liked his comics and continued to make them and soon started to make books. As Patten grew up he liked anime and fandoms that he followed along with. He founded the Cartoon/Fantasy Organization which was the first anime fan club Patten had participated in and created. When Patten was older he created books such as Already Among us,Funny Animals and More,The Furry Future,and Watching Anime,Reading Manga. These books sold to many of the fans...

Words: 551 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Folklore

...Children’s Literature on Folklore Folklore originated as stories told around the campfire and passed down by word of mouth. Because these stories originated orally, many times they have no known authors. These stories were almost always fantasy and involved magic or animals that talked. There are six subcategories that fall under Folklore in Children’s Literature. These subcategories are: folktales, tall tales, fables, myths, epics/ballads/legends and religious stories. One subcategory that falls under Folklore is Folk tales. A folk tale is a tale or legend originating among a people or folk, especially one forming part of an oral tradition. Folk tales are often part of the oral tradition of a group and are usually told rather than read. They are passed down from one generation to the next. They may be stories that grew out of the lives and imaginations of people. Folk tales can take on the personality of the storyteller and the story can take on the characteristics of the time and place in which the story is told. The themes are universal and timeless and may contain supernatural elements, imaginative characters, focus on action, have a simple sense of justice, have happy endings and contain fundamental wisdom (Chen, 2009). There are seven types of folk tales, each with their own characteristics to set them apart from one another. Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti by Gerald McDermott is a beast tale. It is a beautifully illustrated folk tale from the...

Words: 1483 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Pokemon Facts: The Legend Of Kalos

...Pokemon Facts: The Legend of Kalos Every region has a story and over time that story turns into a legend and that legend can illustrate different meanings. And so, in this video I’m going to talk about the legend of the Kalos region. The Kalos region, which exemplifies beauty with its culture and environment wasn’t always this beautiful. The region suffered a lot due to war and destruction. And, even though the war is shrouded in mystery, the destruction that afterward points to one man: the king of Kalos. 3,000 years ago, the king of Kalos created a machine that would give life to his beloved Pokemon that died in the Great War. The King was successful at reviving the Pokemon, but was not able to overcome his despair. The king blamed the...

Words: 1011 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Foundations of Myth

...Foundations of Mythology Short Answers Foundations of Mythology Short Answers Antoine Moore HUM/105-World Mythology Thea Cohen Foundations of Mythology Short Answers 1. Now in days people use the word myth to describe something that has yet been proven or doesn’t any proof of existence. The dictionary defines myth as a traditional story or legendary story; esp. one that deals with gods, heroes, and explains a cultural practice or natural phenomenon. It also defines myth as a invented story or beliefs or set of beliefs, often unproven and false, that have accrued around a person, phenomenon, or intuitions The way the word myth is used in the academic context is used widely. An example of how the word myth is used in the academic context is how the earth was created. Scientist to this day do not know how the Earth was created There is no hard evidence. If you were to go to different colleges and ask different professors you might get different stories. So in that case you can call that a myth. In my own words I would define a myth as anything that you cannot prove. I might also describe the word as something that might sound unbelievable but many people still tell to teach a life lesson. 2. References Anderson, Charles & Johnson (2003). The impressive psychology paper. Chicago: Lucerne Publishing. Smith, M. (2001). Writing a successful paper. The Trey Research Monthly, 53, 149-150. Entries are organized alphabetically by surnames of first...

Words: 363 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Alchemist Response

...The Alchemist is a very convincing and exhilarating book that tells us about following our dreams and taking them to the very end. This novel tells us to leave our boring, everyday lives, risk everything we have, and pursue our “personal legends.” It emphasizes and elucidates the fact that most people in this world want to be told that all their dreams and desires are to come true sooner or later, but Coelho states that in order for them to actually come true we have to struggle and strive to make our fantasies a reality. This compelling story is about Santiago, a normal shepherd boy, who is indeed, a dreamer. He dreams of finding great treasures and becoming rich, but he just doesn’t know where to start achieving his “personal legend.” Then, just when he was about to give up, Santiago met a very wise man that told him to listen to the omens, and he realized that these omens, good or bad, were all around him. He now knew that on your pursuit of your dreams, the universe and everything that surrounds it would do everything to help you accomplish your “personal legend.” We all believe that the universe is against us in our quest to make our dreams come true, but this novel tells us that if we just strive hard towards our goals, everything will work out in the very end. As Santiago started heading towards the desert, where he was destined to be, he faced eminent challenges and obstacles that he was yet to overcome. That is another thing that Coelho was trying to explicate...

Words: 352 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Myths

...Myths Today when you hear a person talking about a myth or myths, the listener may take in the information as something new they learned or may reject the information simply because it’s known as just a myth. When the word myth is said it can mean different things to different people. Some people may believe the word “myth’ may mean a legendary or traditional story with a sort of hero type or event that may have occurred which carries truth. A “myth’ can also be interpreted as a just a made up story or event that was made up long ago and has just been a retold story that has no real ground. Many people from different cultures around the world believe in myth’s, as to when, how, and why they believe in what they believe. Since “myth’s are story’s or hero’s, events, stories that occurred long ago that some may believe because it just has to be true since the myth is still being told, or not believed because it being simply just a myth. Many people in different cultures around the world believe in myths as of how they should live and what they believe in. A good example is demigods or deities, many believe in this and many don’t. The world has a collection of cultures of people who may base their beliefs and thought’s off of myths. To some people these myth’s are and always will be just myth’s and to some other people it’s to be taken very seriously because it’s what they believe and will pass on down to family generations to come. So to believe or to not to believe...

Words: 300 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Foundations of Mythology

...enduring and fundamental human operations: How did the universe and the world come to be? How did we come to be here? Who are we? What are our proper, necessary, or inescapable roles as we relate to one another and to the world at large? What should our values be? How should we behave? How should we not behave? What are the consequences of behaving and not behaving in such ways?" Leonard and McLure, (2004) There are many ways that the word myth is used as well as independent definitions and just as many correlations between different cultures for the same myth. Let's look at the foundation of the word myth and all of its implications. The term myth is most popularly used today as something that is false, an untruth if you will – an urban legend; a rumor or a hoax. There are many things here in New Mexico that are considered to be a myth. We are home to thousands of Hispanics. There are many "myths" here in New Mexico about Chupacabras – which are literally translated as "goat-sucker", from chupar ("to suck") and cabra ("goat"). Wikipedia, (2015). We have much livestock here in New Mexico and purportedly, some of them were often times found dead with no blood left and three holes that were punctured in their chests – just one of the stories of this area; and a story that was brought over from Puerto Rico, where it originated. Another myth that is told to our children here is the tale of La Llorona – The Weeping Woman. This tale has been told to children for hundreds of years and...

Words: 1099 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Why Is King Arthur Important

...The story of King Arthur is one of the most well know legends of all time. Scholars, teachers, and children all know the story of Arthur and his sword in the stone. Not many people know the actual story of Arthur. He is seen in many different ways. He is seen as either a warrior or a wart, depending on where a person is getting the information from. Who King Arthur was, his importance, and his exaggeration throughout time can be seen in both history and literature. Who was King Arthur? Many scholars do not even have the answer. Most of them believe Arthur was actually from the fifth or sixth century. They believed he was a military commander of the Britons against Anglo Saxons that were invading Great Britain at the time. The historian Gildas...

Words: 820 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Myths

...The word myth is used popularly a lot when describing urban legends, urban myths, urban folk tales or current legends. Myth, from the Greek word mythos, originally meant word, news, message, event, or history. Myths present a cosmology, a picture of how the world and life in it began, how things in the world are related, what they mean, and the role of the gods. A myth uses its own time—mythic time—distinct from historical time, even though it influences historical time. A myth is a story made up from some real life events and from some imaginations of small town folk, story tellers. Myths I believe from different cultures all around the world address such similar or universal themes is because, all cultures ask and want to know answers to the same questions. Where did the human race come from? What is the meaning of life? It does not matter what part of the world you come from, every human being on earth would love to know the answer to these questions. Over time we as human beings have learned how to answer these questions for ourselves through myths and religion. Myths threw religion has answered those questions also given us something to believe in. The relationship between belief, knowledge, mythology and religion to me are they are created by man. Human beings feel they have more of a purpose in life and need something or someone to believe in, this is where myths such as Greek gods come in to play. I believe most myths could easily be explained by natural occurrences...

Words: 429 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Urban Legends

...Urban Legends Urban legend is any modern fictional story passed on from person to person told us truth. Urban legend as often false but sometimes they are inspired by an actual event but evolved into something different from person to person. Urban legends are characterized by combination of humor, horror, warning, morality or appeal to empathy. Urban legends are passed on from friend to a friend. It’s human nature to go to spread this feeling to others as people lore to till good story. In past 10 years there has been huge surge of urban legends on internet. The most common is forwarded e-mail. Here the story is not reinterpreted by each person who passes it on. Having the original story gives e-mail legends a felling of legitimacy. It will always be a human nature to tell bizarre stories and there will always be an audience waiting to believe them. No matter how much information technology we develop’ human being will be drawn in by unsubstantiated rumor. The urban legend is a part of our makeup. One urban legend was about Katie and Paul once paked at Ecliobay came access news about a rapist killer who escaped from prison. Instead of a right hand he had a hook. When Katie and Paul went home and opened door they saw a hook hanging on door handle. For decades “The Hook” story appeared as a genuine letter in “Dear Abby”, newspaper advice column and many students heard this story in grade school. Another urban legend is about “Kentucky Fried Rat”. It’s about a woman did not...

Words: 573 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

'The Babysitter And The Man Upstairs'

...The chilling voice of the man-made goosebumps all over my body, “The children...have you checked the children..” the man said. It was too late. The screams of them still remain. Urban Legends are stories that cause fear in those who know no better, the stories could be a crazy phenomenon with serial killers or even ghostly figures that disappear into oblivion. These stories can be passed down generation to generation, it’s like a game of telephone but the game last for years. The fear for children is a commonly exploited fear in most of these Urban Legends. Examples of these could be in the story “The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs”, The story of “Gravity Hill”, and even the story of “Bunnyman’s bridge” with the fear for children in each of these....

Words: 583 - Pages: 3