Masaryk University Faculty of Arts Department of English and American Studies English Language and Literature Pavla Sassmannová Symbolism in Arthurian legends Bachelor’s Diploma Thesis Supervisor: prof. Mgr. Milada Franková, CSc., M.A. 2019 I declare that I have worked on this thesis independently, using only the primary and secondary sources listed in the bibliography. …………………………………………….. Author’s signature Acknowledgement I would like to thank my supervisor prof. Mgr. Milada Franková, CSc., M.A. for her patience with me and also for her immensely useful recommendations and her guidance. Table of Contens Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 2 1. Arthurian Legends .............................................................................................................. 4 1.1. History of Arthurian legends ........................................................................................ 4 1.2. Selected authors ........................................................................................................... 7 1.2.1. Nennius ..................................................................................................................... 8 1.2.2. Chrétien de Troyes ................................................................................................... 8 1.2.3. Geoffrey of Monmouth ........................................................................................... 10 1.2.4. Thomas Malory ...................................................................................................... 12 1.3. Selected works ........................................................................................................... 14 1.3.1. Historia Brittonum .................................................................................................. 14 1.3.2. Le Morte d’Arthur .................................................................................................. 15 1.3.3. Avalon High ........................................................................................................... 17 2. Symbolism ........................................................................................................................ 18 3. The relics from historical point of view ........................................................................... 21 3.1. Excalibur .................................................................................................................... 21 3.2. The Holy Grail ........................................................................................................... 23 3.3. The Round Table ........................................................................................................ 25 4. Religion ............................................................................................................................ 28 4.1. Christianity ................................................................................................................. 29 4.2. Paganism .................................................................................................................... 31 5. The Relics from religious point of view ........................................................................... 34 5.1. Excalibur .................................................................................................................... 34 5.2. The Holy Grail ........................................................................................................... 35 5.3. The Round Table ........................................................................................................ 38 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 41 References ............................................................................................................................ 43 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 45 Resumé ................................................................................................................................. 46 1 Introduction Arthurian legends are well known all around the world and they were and still are an inspiration for artists in many various fields throughout the centuries. They can be found in paintings or sculptures but as well in music or architecture. This is mainly because the legends are an unlimited source of religious motives, courageous adventures, and above all, symbols which can be interpreted in thousands of different ways and there still can be found more. Each artist is able to find something new that has never been talked or written about and that catches their eye and the eyes of their audience in the period in which the artist lives and creates. As it is typical for art, in each period of time, artists put emphasis on different parts of the legends and looked at them from different points of view which are exactly what makes every story so unique. In some periods, authors focused on the chivalry of the knights or the good will of the king. In other periods, they focused on different symbols and their interpretation in various ways. That is also what this thesis is about. There has always been a contradiction between the point of view of a historian, Christian, and Pagan and as usual, there is more than one way how to interpret any kind of story or some of its components. The symbols which are the main focus of this work are The Holy Grail, The Round table, and King Arthur’s sword Excalibur. They are examined from a historical point of view and also from a religious point of view with emphasis on Christianity and Paganism. The main aim of this thesis is to show that all three relics can be and also are viewed from different points of view when it comes to history and religion and that it is important to never forget that every story or its part can mean something different for each person on the planet. 2 This paper is divided into five main chapters which are then also divided into subchapters with more detailed information on certain topics. The first chapter introduces Arthurian legends and their importance in literature and then briefly continues with its rich history. There are also introduced some of the most significant authors of the legends throughout history, for example, Geoffrey of Monmouth or Thomas Malory and their contributions to the legends which were important for the development and spreading of the legends to other countries. Some of the most significant works are also mentioned, for example Le Morte d’Arthur, and also one of the modern adaptations of the legends called Avalon High that shows a different approach to the legends which is more appealing to a younger audience. The second chapter explains what symbolism is and where its origins lays as well as why it is such an important part of art and literature. It also describes the importance of it in the legends. The third chapter then describes the three relics (Excalibur, The Holy Grail, and The Round table) and their importance and symbolism from the historical point of view. There are also contained nuances in different stories from various authors. The fourth chapter briefly introduces the concept of religion and then explains more about Christianity and Paganism as they are important for the final part of this thesis. And finally, the fifth chapter explains the symbolism of the three relics from the religious point of view. It focuses on the differences between and also similarities in the points of view of Christianity and Paganism. This thesis may also serve as a base for further research on the differences in perceptions of symbolism of the relics in different religions as well as in history. 3 1. Arthurian Legends Norris J. Lacy in his Arthurian Handbook says that the Arthurian legend is the most secular British myth which was created on the basis of just a little amount of facts, some even uncertain, and managed to become a story known all over the world (271) It is said that some books and stories will live forever and without no doubt the Arthurian legends belong to them. There have been many works written about this topic and surely many will be in the future because the magical thing about these legends is that they seem to be an inexhaustible source of inspiration. Every person who has ever read them perceived them in a different way than the others. That is the charm of every literary piece. There are endless possibilities of how to perceive or interpret them. The legends despite being several centuries old are still as appealing as they were at the time of their creation. They are also not limited only to literature. They almost seem to be living their own life when it comes to spreading to various branches of art. Nowadays we can find the legends almost everywhere. They can be found, of course, in literature but as well in sculptures, movies or even computer games. Although some historians argue about the origins of the legends and also about King Arthur as they are still not sure whether he was a real person or whether he is just an invented literary character the fact is that this story has always been familiar to readers and writers and it will probably be in the following centuries as well. 1.1. History of Arthurian legends The history of Arthurian legends is almost as rich as the history