The Canterbury Tales - Background History Flashcards
who was King Arthur
birth was the result of magic
story is a tragedy
a very “human” leader
historians debate whether he actually existed or not
what two issues did the king of England have?
- no male children
- was in love with a queen who had a son (Arthur) who was forced to give up her son
why were the stories of Arthur written
the justify crusades
who is Merlin the Wizard
a Welsh poet who protects Arthur
what was the round table
a symbol of equality and completeness for knights
give a brief summary of Arthur’s story
Arthur found a woman playing a hard and decided he wanted to marry her despite Merlin’s attempts to persuade him not to. Merlin gives Arthur a 3rd sword that allows him to “never die of his wounds.” Arthur then met another woman and stayed with her despite his love for his soon-to-be wife. Arthur’s 3 stepsisters came to make peace with him; two of them are kind, one of then dislikes him and has a child. It turns out that the child is Arthur’s, and the woman was sent to seduce him so the evil sister could sabotage him.
how do Arthur’s stories reflect chivalry?
Bravery and Heroism: Arthur and his knights often embark on dangerous quests, facing formidable foes with courage. Think of Sir Gawain’s encounter with the Green Knight.
Honor and Loyalty: Loyalty to the king and to fellow knights is a recurring theme. The Round Table itself symbolizes equality and camaraderie.
Courtly Love: The idealization of women and the concept of noble love feature prominently, such as Lancelot’s love for Queen Guinevere.
Justice and Fairness: Arthur’s pursuit of justice, whether it’s in battles or in his role as a ruler, reflects his commitment to fairness and righteousness.
Religious Faith: Many stories integrate Christian values, with knights seeking the Holy Grail, a divine symbol of purity and faith.
what is Camelot
Arthur’s court, unspecified location (possibly in Avalon)
what is the Holy Grail
the most important item in chivalric/Christian history
the greatest journey for knights was to find the holy grail with the blood of Christ
who is Lancelot
was able to heal a wounded knight
disappeared quickly after arriving, reappeared several years later after defeating a dragon
loved Arthur’s wife
Lancelot’s lover (elain) had died
was not pure heart
what happened between Lancelot and Arthur’s wife
they had an affair
Elain and Lancelot’s
Galahad
what was the reason for a shift to chivalry
Christianity
who found the holy grail
Galahad
who is Arthur’s son
Mordred
