Arthur: God and Hero in Avalon

225 Pages·2019·16.22 MB·English

by  Christopher R. Fee

arthur

A RT H U R
god and hero
in avalon
christopher r. fee
reaktion books
For the epic heroes gathered around my Round Table:
Emma, Chandler, Samuel and Maxima.
Published by
Reaktion Books Ltd
Unit 32, Waterside
44–48 Wharf Road
London n1 7ux, uk
www.reaktionbooks.co.uk
First published 2019
Copyright © Christopher R. Fee 2019
All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the prior permission of the publishers
Printed and bound in China by 1010 Printing International Ltd
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
isbn 978 1 78023 999 6
Contents
Preface: Who was King Arthur? 7
Introduction: Where was Avalon? 25
1 The Lost Gods of Avalon 43
2 Legendary Treasures of Avalon 85
3 Arthur Ascendant 103
4 The Once and Present King 151
Conclusion: Why does Arthur Abide? 191
References 199
Bibliography 206
Further Reading and Filmography 211
Acknowledgements 215
Index 217
Detail of a miniature of King Arthur taking a letter
from two Roman emissaries.
Preface:
Who was King Arthur?

ho was King Arthur, and why should we examine the myth-
W
ology surrounding him?
The answers to these questions are complex, but we may begin
to unravel this knot by following two main strands. First, the source
materials for the tales of Arthur are rich in ancient mythic compon-
ents; second, the medieval versions of these narratives developed over
time into their own system of mythic, folkloric and legendary
material. Simply put, the early court of Arthur is peopled with pagan
Welsh gods and heroes of yore, which are transformed over the course
of the Middle Ages into mortal heroes who fight monsters and
embark on quests that we may organize according to categories we
see widely in world mythology. In addition, much of the earliest
Arthurian material takes the form of chronicles and saints’ lives which
– although not ‘history’ as we would define it – suggests that the
figure of the mythic Arthur developed out of legendary accounts of
the struggle between the beleaguered British and the Anglo-Saxon
invaders who widely supplanted them after the final withdrawal of
the Roman legions from Britain in the mid-fifth century.
Over the centuries, King Arthur himself has become a cultural
icon of totemic power, and this book seeks to view the myths and
legends of Arthur and Avalon from the perspective of comparative
mythology. Looking at Arthur in this way may help us to understand
why the hero of a half-forgotten battle some fifteen centuries ago
still captivates our imaginations today. King Arthur has in fact gained
the status of a quasi-religious figure: Arthur is both a cultural hero
and a sacrificial dying god of sorts, and Arthurian figures, episodes,
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arthur: god and hero in avalon
places and objects may thus be organized into and examined in
archetypal mythic categories. A book of this length can’t possibly
examine every possible perspective on Arthur, but it can make a good
stab at charting the most important aspects in an interesting and
readable way, and can point the interested reader to resources for
further study and exploration. That is precisely the intention of this
book. This is a work addressed to the vast general audience interested
in all things Arthur, and it is therefore designed to be accessible,
engaging and illuminating for students and readers who would like
a solid grounding in the myths and legends of King Arthur, as well
as in aspects of comparative mythology as these can inform a study
of Arthur and his world. The reader seeking a specialist treatment of
Arthurian scholarship need only turn to the myriad such volumes
available on countless related topics. The background research for this
book was scholarly, and the endnotes reference a large quantity of
recent and traditional scholarship on its topic, although as fluidly as
is practical. It is my hope that readers will return to this tome repeat-
edly over time as they embark on new and varied quests in Avalon.
Whether or not one man gave rise to the towering mythical
figure that came to be known as ‘King Arthur’ is a subject that will
likely always evoke hot debate.1 It is certain that the British did win
some notable victories in their long struggle with the Anglo-Saxons,
and such victories – gilded by the mists of time – have contributed
to the aura of the ‘golden age’ associated with the Arthurian myths.
In short, although there may have been a historical figure who has
been remembered through the ages as King Arthur, we are unlikely
ever to know that for certain.
Regardless of whether the man we know as Arthur once lived
and breathed, the legend, folklore and mythology associated with
this figure are very real indeed. A historical Arthur may or may not
have rallied the Britons in their struggle against the Anglo-Saxons;
what is certain is that writers from across Europe and throughout the
Middle Ages cultivated and nurtured a vast literary tradition around
the figure of King Arthur, and the roots of this tradition drink deeply
from the wellsprings of very ancient legend, folklore and myth. And
although King Arthur became a mainstay of French and – some-
what ironically – English literature of the Middle Ages, the taproot
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Preface: Who was King Arthur?
of Arthuriana is firmly planted in Welsh soil, and the early Welsh
narratives concerning Arthur are treasure troves of ancient Celtic
mythology, as well as of medieval British legendary and folkloric
details. For instance, the very name Arthur has itself been the object
of considerable Welsh etymology, and one likely scenario suggests
that the compound designator Arth Gwr reflects its bearer’s identity
as an ancient ‘Bear Hero’, an iconic cultural saviour that occurs in
many traditions.2 Notably – and again, some might suggest, ironic-
ally – possibly the best-known bear hero to contemporary readers is
Beowulf, the epic hero of the Anglo-Saxons.
This book explores how ancient Celtic myths, in combination
with early medieval Welsh legends and folklore, evolved over the
course of several centuries – via many languages, literary traditions
and countless pens – into a fully formed Arthurian mythology in its
own right, complete with stories and subjects we might fruitfully
compare to numerous god, hero, place and object myths that we could
discover in any major mythological system. In addition, this book
examines how the abiding appeal of this particular set of tales has
been manifested in myriad modern works which take these myths
and legends as their basis.
Before plunging into the deepest fount of Arthurian lore, a
few caveats are in order. Medieval texts are very often hard to date,
authorship is difficult to authenticate, and names, dates and facts can
seldom be taken at face value. It is often impossible to know for cer-
tain upon what sources an author drew, and we must always question
our own agenda and assumptions, not to mention those of medieval
authors whose world we can only glimpse in always fragmentary
and often misleading snatches. That said, we are likely to gain our
surest grasp of what elements of fact may swirl at the bottom of the
wellspring of Arthuriana by cross-referencing the major sources still
available to us, noting where they agree and disagree, and drawing
reasonable assumptions about why they may have done so. Wherever
possible, the archaeological record – slim and suspect though it may
be – might offer additional means to corroborate or refute various
sources and assertions.
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