ENG 200TArthur and His Knights

Catalog

ENG 200T Arthur and His Knights - Arthurian legend has remained a constant source of inspiration in the cultural consciousness since the Middle Ages. He and his knights have inspired countless movies, TV shows, books, art, comics, and even video games over the course of the centuries. However, many of us engage with these adaptations without knowing the source material, and this course aims to fill that gap. We will explore the origins of Arthuriana in the English tradition and learn about not only who Arthur was, but also the many knights that accompanied him on his adventures. We will start with Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain and continue with texts such as Lancelot, "Lanval," Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Thomas Malory's The Death of King Arthur. As we go along, we will ask ourselves what about these stories is unexpected? Why do we still care about retelling them? What didn't survive in their modern versions? Or, perhaps even more exciting, what managed to stand the test of time?