Arthurian Legends The Arthurian legends have been around for years. They tell of tales of knights defeating the evil all around them, they tell a twisted love triangle between a man and his best friend, and they have a certain element about them that draws readers in. Modern writers add in plot twists, and added a charm with readers in today’s society. The intended purpose of the King Arthur stories was to show readers the way that Britain was in peace and prosperity at the time of Arthur’s ruling. The short story, “The Crowning of Arthur”, shows readers how Merlin worked with Arthur to pull Excalibur from the rock, and claim his throne. Merlin keeps Arthur safe until it was his time to take over England. This story shows the intimate relationship between a mentor, Merlin, and a student, Arthur. This story also shows how Camelot came to be about. The battles between good and evil in this story also provide readers with a look into how battle was portrayed. This story also helps readers realize that the best leaders are the ones who have help with their ruling. “Sir Lancelot du Lake” shows readers the tales of Lancelot, Arthur’s knight and best friend. This story really highlights the importance of chivalry back in Arthurian times. Sir Lancelot risks his life to protect the name of Arthur’s Court. Many of the stories that are told about his adventures, he declines that they ever happened because of his humble attitude. Lancelot has respect for all of the characters in the story, and he keeps his code of ethics throughout. The chivalrous code that the knights live by, could not be more evident in Lancelot. He proves that chivalry did exist, which draws readers to develop feelings of “love” and affection towards Lancelot.
Smith 2 The Mists of Avalon shows readers a very unique perspective from Morgaine, Arthur’s half-sister who turns on him later, about Arthur’s childhood. This feeling of sibling rivalry is so common today, that readers can relate to it perfectly. The way that Morgaine tells of her experiences in first-person, gives readers a more intimate relationship with both her and Arthur. She was only seven at the time, and this gives readers a different perception of her. As the story progresses, Morgaine begins to take care of Arthur in a loving way, which draws readers closer to her. Morgaine eventually goes on to seduce her brother as he is older. These kinds of twists in the story really keep readers engaged in Arthurian tales. The Acts of King Arthur and his Noble Knights is a story about King Arthur and Lancelot recalling their most adventurous moments. This story also brings out the love triangle between Lancelot, Arthur, and Gweneviere, which has intrigued readers for centuries. Lancelot kisses Gweneviere which makes him run away from