Seven essays offer a comprehensive survey of the legends in all of their manifestations, from theirorigins in medieval literature to their adaptation in modern literature, arts, film, and popular culture. It also demonstrates the tremendous continuity of the legends by examining the ways that they have been reinterpreted over the years. The indispensable reference on the subject, it also containsencyclopedic entries, bibliographies, and a comprehensive index. The extensive chapter-by-chapter bibliographies, which are subdivided by topic, augment the general bibliography of Arthurian resources. Comprehensive in its analysis and hypertextual in its approach, the Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend is an essential reference book for Arthurian scholars, medievalists, and for those interested in cultural studies of myth and legend.

    The book will demonstrate that these allusions to Spain occur at key moments in the romances, and are often coupled with linguistic "riddles" which serve as roadmaps to the manner in which the romances are to be read. These references and riddles seem to support the idea that some of their themes and motifs in Chretien's romances are of Andalusi origin. The book also analyzes Chretien's notion of "conjointure" and shows it to be the intentional elaboration of a sort of Mischliteratur, which integrates Islamic and Jewish themes and motifs, as well as mystical alchemical symbolism, into the standard religious and literary canons of his time. The contrast afforded by Chretien's use of irony, and his subtle integration of this matiere d'Orient into the standard canon, constitutes a carefully veiled criticism of the social and moral conduct, as well as spiritual beliefs, of twelfth-century Christian society, the crusading mentality, chivalric mores, and even the notion of courtly love. The primary interest of the book lies in the fact that it will be the first to comment upon and analyze Chretien's references to Spain and the rich matiere d'Orient in his romances, while suggesting channels for its transmission, through scholars, merchants, and religious houses, from northern Spain to Champagne.

    Hodges shows that Malory treats chivalry not as a static institution but rather, as a dynamic, continually evolving ideal. Le Morte D'arthur is structured to trace how communities and individuals adapt or create chivalric codes for their own purposes; in turn, Hodges asserts, codes of chivalry shape groups and their customs.

    For the first time these are brought together in an authoritative guide to the people, places, events and traditions associated with Arthur and Ireland, Wales and the Celtic fringe. Based on wide research and reflecting the latest scholarship, A Companion to Arthurian and Celtic Myths and Legends provides us with a unique reference tool to some of the most colourful stories and traditions in history. From Gidolin to Lancelot, Tir na n-og to Morgan-le-Fay, and Aed Ruadh to Zel, we discover a wealth of material. Lancelot and Guinevere's love story has been retold many times; that Gidolin was a dwarf who was said to keep flasks of hag's blood warm on the 'hearth of hell' is less well-known. Aed Ruadh was a tyrannical king whose own champion invoked the powers of the sea, sun, wind and firmament against him; Zel is a mythical king who is said to have been buried on horseback within Silbury Hill. Romance, magic, betrayal, humour and horror are mixed together within the pages of Mike Dixon-Kennedy's intriguing book. It encompasses the Celtic Golden Age, the invasion of the Romanz when Celtic society began to collapse, and the later Celtic revival in the Gaelic countries of Brittany, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and in England. This richly illustrated A-Z guide is a must-have for all those enthralled by Arthurian history and the Celts, mythology and legends

    Nevertheless, Scotland's complex relationship with Arthurian legend has been surprisingly neglected, and this volume is the first to be dedicated to it.The essays cover the period between the appearance in ca. 1136 of Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae and the accession of James VI to the English throne as James I in 1603 - five centuries of precarious Scottish independence during which the relationship of the Scots and the English, as refracted through Arthurian legend, is at its most turbulent and changeable.The approaches are both literary and historical, covering such topics as the direct responses of early Scottish historians to the challenges set by Geoffrey's work, Arthurian literature written in Scots, the circulation of other Arthurian material in Scotland, and the portrayal of Scotland and the Scots in English and French Arthurian texts.

    In this fascinating book, Joseph Goering explores the links between these sacred images and the origins of one of the West’s most enduring legends.While tracing the early history of the grail, Goering looks back to the Pyrenean religious paintings and argues that they were the original inspiration of the grail legend. He explains how storytellers in northern France could have learned of these paintings and how the enigmatic “grail” in the hands of the Virgin came to form the centerpiece of a story about a knight in King Arthur’s court. Part of the allure of the grail, Goering argues, was that neither Chrétien nor his audience knew exactly what it represented or why it was so important. And out of the attempts to answer those questions the literature of the Holy Grail was born.

    Several of these romances clearly take their inspiration from the chronicle tradition, and their authors sometimes join romance adventures with actual events and characters (such as Henry II) inorder to give the appearance of history to Arthurian fiction. Ranging in date from the late twelfth to the fourteenth century, these romances include De ortu Waluuanii (in which Gawain defeats the Persian champion for thepeace of Jerusalem), Historia Meriadoci, Arthur and Gorlagon, and Draco Normannicus. These four texts are presented here in facing text and translation, and accompanied by a thorough introduction and extensive notes.