131-056 King Arthur: History and Legend

Formerly available as 131-265/365. Students who have completed 131-265 or 131-365 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

Usually 25 points of first-year history, see Prerequisites.

In this subject students will examine both the 'historical' and the culturally constructed Arthur from his first appearance in Dark Age Britain and medieval Wales to recent transpositions of the Arthurian story in fiction, cinema and political propaganda. The subject also looks at definitions of the hero, the early Celtic context, and debates, past and present, about 'Celtic' ethnicity. Students may feel brave enough, at the end of the subject, to attempt an answer to the question: Did Arthur exist?

Class participation and written work totalling 4000 words.

A subject reader will be available.