Arthurian Culture Essay

King Arthur's tale is a scenario where fiction has been integrated with reality to become an element of the story of a particular area. In this situation, King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, Camelot and the Holy Grail are embedded as an element of the British culture and held in respect as equivalent as other historical icons. While the is no clear indication that there was the existence of King Arthur, the tale has enjoyed the appreciation for centuries and has become a respectable and memorable symbol of British History. The paper will highlight the reasons why Arthurian tale has experienced a significant place in the British memories in terms of symbolic importance.
King Arthur is an iconic British figure and his historical coexistence is discussed and argued by many scholars. The writings of Geoffrey of Monmouth and the other book ‘History of the Kings of Britain’ triggered his popularity. Additionally, some other books from Welsh works emphasize that King Arthur was a unique warrior defending his kingdom from human and supernatural rivals. During King Arthur's era, several items were incorporated to emphasize some notions in his kingdom. The Roundtable symbolizes equality and fairness. The table is encompassed so that the king's knights will not scramble for authority. It is undeniably that the Round Table plays a significant role to subjugate force to justice. It does not allow any knight to be powerful than the other. It assists to show various principles it has encompassed to safeguard.
The Holy Grail represents unimaginable power hat even the Arthur's knights that are incapable of attaining. It is essential to have the knightly authority and a purity of mind and souls that seem to contrast the notions of Chivalry to obtain the Holy Grail. Indeed, the Holy Grail signifies the entire things Arthur has not achieved. The Excalibur was a symbol of devotion to authority. The symbols in this kingdom try to tell the people in the modern world to respect each other regardless of ethnicity or gender. Moreover, the people should not give up attaining their desired goals.
There were special terms used in the era of King Arthur which played a significant role in the Arthurian tradition. The round table is a special gift offered to Arthur as Guinevere's dowry when they became couples. The Excalibur was a glistening and magical sword that the Lady of the Lake gave to Arthur. The Holy Grail was a copper cup used by Jesus at his last supper with his disciples. The Camelot is a castle and court used by King Arthur. The ancient tales associated with King Arthur and his exploits are published in traditional tales of ‘Culhwch and Olwen'.These stories have become a part of Welsh mythological tales sourced from White Book and Red Book of Rhydderch and Hergest respectively. Their background, although an unfamiliar and uncivilized Society offer us a glimpse of how real Arthur was perhaps like.
Geoffrey and Archdeacon of Monmouth were the first to popularize the King Arthur's tale in the book ‘History of the Kings of Britain'. The writings were projected to be published after the death of Arthur. Geoffrey emphasized that he has got some extracts from a British source that is anonymous till today. Additionally, Geoffrey was the only source for the introduction of literary works in King Tenvantius of Britain. Chrétien de Troyes, a French medieval poet, familiarized us with the figures and tales that he thought might play a significant role in the Arthurian History. He focused on the tales of Arthurian courtly love, and he also advanced the names of Geoffrey's characters to the medieval French embraced in the modern world.