Print this page King Arthur: Origins and Interpretation

This short course explores the sophistication of medieval storytelling through close reading and discussion of early King Arthur legends in translation. It traces the deeper ancestry of the Arthurian cycle and its role in shaping emerging Christian, political and cultural ideals in Europe.

You’ll consider these stories as teaching narratives concerned with character, virtue and leadership, and ask why they have remained so compelling. A stimulating course for anyone interested in myth, literature, medieval culture and the enduring power of legend.

DELIVERY MODE

Face to face

COURSE OUTLINE

• Read and explore 3 early stories from the King Arthur cycle.
• What have these stories to say about men of quality?
• Ancient Irish society and how it worked.
• A look at some major Irish myth cycles.
• Key plot elements in some Irish legends.
• How ancient Irish law became embedded in Myth.
• How Irish legends were brought to continental Europe.
• How Christianity became embedded in Celtic myth once established in Europe.
• How these myths became important in planting Christianity across Europe.
• How they helped to plant new political structures and ideals in Europe.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By their reading, participants will recognise the sophistication of medieval story telling and aspects of medieval life. They will also gain an appreciation of the depth of the storytelling and the messages embedded in the stories. These include principles of preparing boys to become men of character and moral strength, a topic we perhaps should be reconsidering today.

COURSE RESOURCES

Readings will be supplied by downloading from an online repository. Tutor notes and further readings will be supplied for each week.