The Legend of King Arthur Challenge 1

Challenge I Objective: Identify characters and background information pertaining to the Legend of King Arthur Directions: Your job is to "think" about the questions and complete the worksheet: Skim and scan to find your answers.

Characters in the Arthurian Legends Based on the short descriptions-Who do you think may be the most important characters in the Arthurian Legends? (choose 6) _____King Arthur-King of Britain _____Merlin-the King Arthur’s Magician _____Morgan Le Fay-King Arthur’s sister _____Mordred-Morgan Le Fay and King Arthur’s son _____Elaine-Lancelot’s Wife _____Gawain-nephew of Arthur _____Sir Kay-in charge of Arthur’s house _____Perceval-a blessed fool _____Guinevere-King Arthur’s wife _____Lady of the Lake-gives Arthur Excalibur _____Lancelot-knight of the round table, lover of Guinevere

Who? (3 facts) King Arthur: The Once and Future King Legendary King of Britain from around 400 AD to 600 AD, Arthur was the son of Uther Pendragon and Igraine, whose actual name might have been its Latin version, Arturus. This king is mentioned briefly in the Easter Annals, or the Annals of Wales, describing battles of the sixth century, and later by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his History of the Kings of Britain (ca 1136). According to legend, Arthur's conception takes place when Uther seduces Igraine. Uther was made, by Merlin's sorcery, to resemble Igraine's husband, Gorlois. After Arthur was born, he was given to Ector to be raised in secret. Uther died in battle shortly after Arthur's birth. However, before Uther died, he planted Excalibur in a stone where it remained for many years. Merlin said that whoever withdrew the sword from the stone would be the future king of Britain. Though many tried to remove the sword, Arthur alone succeeded. However, this young King stirred controversy among other knights who had been competing for king. Arthur, under the guidance of Merlin, stopped the rebellion against him and married Guinevere. After this Arthur established the Knights of the Round Table at the castle of Camelot.

Guinevere Arthur's queen, reputedly the most beautiful woman in Britain, and the lover of Lancelot, Arthur's best knight. She is occasionally a political pawn in the hands of Mordred, other knights, even Arthur himself, and with the help of Lancelot, she escapes a number of predicaments, including kidnapping by Sir Meliagaunt, burning at the stake, and later, marriage with her step- son. In Malory, she flees after Arthur's death to Amesbury, where she becomes a nun, as well as "abbess and ruler, as reason would." After the last battle in which Arthur and many others are killed, Lancelot comes to find her there, and when Guinevere sees him as she walks with the sisters in the cloister, she swoons three times so "that all ladies and gentlewomen had work enough to hold the queen from the earth." Who? (3 facts)

What was the importance of the round table? (3 facts) As its name suggests, it has no head, implying that everyone who sits there has equal status. The knights were usually of noble birth: they were usually kings and princes, dukes, counts (or earls) and barons. They formed the backbone of the army, since they were the only one who could afford expensive armor and weapon, as well as the cost of training and maintaining the war-horse. When the knights attend a festival or council at the king's main hall, those who sat at the head of table, usually have precedence over others. These knights would feel envy or jealousy to those of higher ranking. Sometimes, the knights would cause a brawl, over who would take the seat at the head of table. To resolve these problems, Arthur resorted to having his table constructed in a rounded shape. The ingenuity of this design, make all the knights equal, regardless if he was a king or a minor baron. No one would have precedence over others. The knights in Arthur's company became known as the "Knights of the Round Table". These knights were heroes, renowned for their strength and courage, and for their skill in combat and warfare. They swore to protect the king and the kingdom. The symbolism of the Round Table developed over time; by the close of the 12th century it had come to represent the chivalric order associated with Arthur's court, the Knights of the Round Table. So the Round Table actually began in a more basic tradition, that of political expenditure. There was no magical or mystical ingredient that would appeared later in this century or early next century.

Where and When did Arthur live? King Arthur: The Once and Future King Legendary King of Britain from around 400 AD to 600 AD, Arthur was the son of Uther Pendragon and Igraine, whose actual name might have been its Latin version, Arturus. This king is mentioned briefly in the Easter Annals, or the Annals of Wales, describing battles of the sixth century, and later by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his History of the Kings of Britain (ca 1136). According to legend, Arthur's conception takes place when Uther seduces Igraine. Uther was made, by Merlin's sorcery, to resemble Igraine's husband, Gorlois. After Arthur was born, he was given to Ector to be raised in secret. Uther died in battle shortly after Arthur's birth. However, before Uther died, he planted Excalibur in a stone where it remained for many years. Merlin said that whoever withdrew the sword from the stone would be the future king of Britain. Though many tried to remove the sword, Arthur alone succeeded. However, this young King stirred controversy among other knights who had been competing for king. Arthur, under the guidance of Merlin, stopped the rebellion against him and married Guinevere. After this Arthur established the Knights of the Round Table at the castle of Camelot.

How and why did Arthur become king? The Sword in the Stone, sometimes a sword in an anvil, is drawn by Arthur as proof of his birthright and of his nobility. It is both a test and a miraculous sign of his royalty. The sword drawn from the stone is different from the one given to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake. The latter is always referred to as Excalibur; the former is called by that name only once, when Arthur draws the sword at a crucial moment in the first battle to test his sovereignty.

Why do you think the concept of the round table and equality might have been so important to King Arthur?