KEY 3/03 HANDOUT: ENGLISH 4: ARTHUR & MEDIEVAL ROMANCES
I.
A Legend Reborn (160)

While he was imprisoned during the War of the Roses, Sir Thomas Malory not only drew upon the
existing legends about King Arthur and his knights, but he forged (created) the Arthurian legends
into a visionary cycle of bold __________________________, spiritual _____________________,
and heart-rending _________________________________.

Morte d’Arthur was given its name not by Malory but by William ___________________________,
the man who established the first printing press in England.
II.
Medieval Romances

Read the paragraph about the medieval romance genre on page 161. Then turn to page 185.

Fill in the blanks for the definition of medieval romance on page 185.
o Medieval romances are ________________________________ featuring
_____________________________________, ____________________, the
___________________________________________, and the ideals of
___________________________________.

What is a narrative? ____________________________________

What is the supernatural? ______________________________________

What is chivalry? Chivalry was a medieval code of conduct that all knights were
expected to follow: honor, courtesy, selflessness, loyalty to king, protection of the
weak. Today, chivalry—when thought of at all—is thought to be a display of good
manners, particularly by men toward women.
III.
Legends

Read the paragraph about Comparing Literary Works on page 161. Then turn to page 185.

A legend is a __________________________________ story telling of _______________________
figures or _________________________, which may or may not be based on __________________
(185).
IV.
Summarizing Excerpt from Morte d’Arthur

Dream 1: Arthur on the Wheel of Fortune. Foreshadows………………………..Arthur’s fate is about to
go from good to bad.

Dream 2: Sir Gawain’s Message. Foreshadows…………………………..Arthur’s death as a result of
fighting Mordred the next day.

How does fate / destiny seem to play a role in this narrative? (178-179) Because an adder is what
causes a soldier to draw a sword and start the battle between the armies, this seeming coincidence
could be seen as unavoidable fate.

How could Arthur have avoided having this day be his death day? (179) Arthur chose to fight
Mordred on that day when he could have fought him another day.

What emphasizes the extreme loyalty of Sir Lucan to King Arthur? (181) Sir Lucan tries to help
Arthur escape by carrying him to safety, but Lucan has a mortal stomach wound, and when he lifts
Arthur, his guts spill out, and he dies.

What request does the dying King Arthur make of Sir Bedivere—three times? (182) Throw my
sword Excalibur into the lake.

Why doesn’t Bedivere follow his king’s orders the first two times? (182) It seems like such a waste
to Bedivere to destroy such a beautiful object that his beloved lord had owned.

What happens when Bedivere does follow Arthur’s instructions the third time? (182) A hand
reaches out of the lake and catches the sword. That’s how Arthur knows Bedivere finally followed
his instructions.

Why is this considered an example of the supernatural? Since humans cannot live under water, the
owner of the hand that came out of the lake cannot be completely human.

Whom does Bedivere meet in the woods after the mysterious ladies in the boat sail away with
Arthur? (183) a hermit (a man who lives alone)

What previous important job did this hermit used to have? (183) the hermit used to be the
Archbishop of Canterbury, the highest religious position in England.

What do men say is written upon King Arthur’s tomb? (184) Written in Latin that translates into
“Here lies Arthur who was king and will be king in the future.”
V.
Glastonbury Abbey

http://www.glastonburyabbey.com/arthur.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrAJYI-NmDg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcdMm-dRBr8