The Arthurian Legend

Medieval Romances, as we all know, consist of chivalry, spontaneous fighting, love, and magic. They are set in a remote time or place and emphasize rank and social distinctions. The hero always has a pure advantage over the villain, and the story has loose structure, lacking in unity. Medieval Romances posses every element out there that will capture an audience's attention. The Arthurian Legend has endured the test of time because it does, in fact, consist of every element needed to capture an audience's attention. The Arthurian Legend is very much like the modern-day soap opera, this could easily be another major reason why it is still popular. There have been many different versions of the legend written.

'Le Morte D'Arthur' written by Sir T. Malory is just one of the many versions. Malory's story is taking place in a later time in King Arthur's life. "When King Arthur returned from Rome he settled his court at Camelot, and there gathered about him his knights of The Round Table, who diverted themselves with jousting and tournaments." (Malory, 118) Meanwhile T. H. White's version of the story entitled 'The Once Future King' is based on an earlier time in King Arthur's life, focusing on Lancelot. "You remember that Arthur wanted to catch his knights young, to train them for The Round Table, and that he had noticed Lancelot at the feast, because he was winning most of the games."

Not only have many stories been written about the Arthurian Legend, many movies have been made also. Parodies, even. 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' is a parody consisting of a plot line based on the time of King Arthur. "It's just a flesh wound" (Monty Python) is probably one of the most popular quotes from this movie. The quote comes from a scene where a knight gets his arm cut off and that is his response, this illustrates the humor in the movie. Even though 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' is a parody, it is still effective in telling the story of the

Legend of King Arthur.