Scenes

In this part, I want to show with the first 20 minutes of the film Excalibur (divided into two scenes), the origins of the legend mentioned below. I think is quite reliable to what it has been said and told about the origins of King Arthur. I hope you enjoy…
Part 1

Part 2

Source: Youtube

The film

Movie details 

Ø Title                    Excalibur Ø   Directed by          John Boorman Ø   Produced by        John Boorman Ø   Written by           Thomas Malory                                   Rospo Pallenberg                                   John Boorman Ø   Starring               Nicol Williamson                                   Nigel Terry                                   Helen Mirren Ø   Music by             Trevor Jones     Carl Orff     Richard Wagner

Ø      Cinematography   Alex Thomson Ø      Editing by             John Merritt Ø      Distributed by      Warner Bros. Pict                                                     Ø      Release date        April 10, 1081 Ø      Running time       Original cut                                        140 min.                                       Edited cut                                       119 min. Ø      Country                United States                                       United Kingdom Ø      Language             English Ø      Gross revenue     $34,967,437

Cast
Ø      Keith Buckley as Uryens Ø      Nigel Terry as King Arthur Ø      Helen Mirren as Morgana Le Fay Ø      Nicol Williamson as Merlin Ø      Nicholas Clay as Lancelot Ø      Cherie Lunghi as Guinevere	Ø      Liam Neeson as Gawain Ø      Patrick Stewart as King Leondegrance Ø      Clive Swift as Sir Ector Ø      Gabriel Byrne as Uther Pendagron Ø      Robert Addie as Mordred Ø      Paul Geoffrey as Perceval

Synopsis

King Uther Pendragon upsets a fragile peace when he lusts after Igrayne, the wife of his former rival. With Merlin's help, he enters Igrayne's castle disguised as her absent husband and fathers a child, who will be Arthur, with her. Arthur is then raised by Merlin, and Uther is killed, thrusting before he dies the sword Excalibur into a stone from which it can be withdrawn only by the rightful ruler of the land. Arthur meanwhile grows up unaware of his lineage and destiny. By accident, he draws Excalibur from the stone and is proclaimed reluctant king. Eventually he establishes peace in the realm that is ensured by the fellowship of the Round Table. He marries Guinevere, but their happiness is shattered when Lancelot arrives. First cool to each other, Lancelot and Guinevere are soon involved in an adulterous affair that threatens the realm. Merlin himself is threatened by the wily Morgana, Arthur's half-sister, who has for years been secretly plotting revenge for the murder of her father by Merlin and Uther. When an enraged Arthur breaks Excalibur, the kingdom is plunged into chaos as the knights set forth in search of the elusive Grail, many falling into traps set by Morgana. Only Perceval is successful in his quest for the Grail, which he brings back to Camelot to heal Arthur. The renewed king rides forth to reclaim his land and to defeat Morgana and their son Mordred. In the final battle, Arthur kills Mordred but is himself mortally wounded. As Arthur sets sail in a boat captained by three mysterious women, Perceval returns Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake, its magic denied to future generations for all times. Loosely based on Sir Thomas Malory's fifteenth century Le Morte D'Arthur, Boorman's film is a dark brooding meditation on the Arthurian legend in which Arthur becomes the Grail King.

Bibliography:

• http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/acpbibs/harty.htm#excalib
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur_(film)

The origins

     The Arthurian legend belongs to Celtic tradition. It remained a matter of local interest until 12th century and no mentions are found in texts on the historical character of Arthur.

     The first explicit mention of Arthur is made in Nennius´s Historia Brittonum (800), where Arthur is described as dux bellorum. The character of Arthur achieved European circulation with the publication of Geoffrey of Monnmouth´s Historia Regum Britanniae (1135, s.XII).

Arthur dux bellorum

     Who was Arthur Pendragon? Roman soldier, or king of Camelot, the utopia to which all others are compared? Does he still sleep, as the legends say, upon the isle of Avalon, to one day reawaken and save Britain once more? Or did he die, and was buried in Glastonbury Tor? Assuming he did exist, where was Camelot? The evidence, both archeological and literary, is contradictory. Also, most Arthurian legends seem to be based on far older ones. This only complicates the puzzle.

     Arthur, it seems, was based upon an actual historical figure. Named Artorius Dux Bellorum ('Duke' or 'Lord' of Battles), he led the Britons to defeat the Saxons who had invaded their land. (Day, 1995) The Saxons were originally hired by a previous king, Vortigern (overlord), to defeat the Picts. He told the Saxons that, in return, they would be allowed to settle in Britain. When things got out of hand, Ambrosius Aurelianus defeated them. Artorius was his second-in command. Later, Artorius led an army to defeat the Saxons at Mount Badon. Peace reigned for fifty years. (O'Neal, 1992) Legend says, and the archeological record seems to support, that King Arthur lived from the late fifth to early sixth centuries, from c. AD 465 - 542. (Day, 1995)

     Legend claims that Arthur was born at Tintagel Castle, which lies on the Cornwall coast. (brittania.com, 1998) Geoffrey of Monmouth first mentions the connection in his "History of the Kings of Britain," when Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father, first became king upon the death of his brother Aurelius Ambrosius.

     During an Easter feast, King Uther noticed the Duke of Cornwall's wife, Ygerna, and became infatuated with her. The Duke, Gorlois, left as soon as he realized. Taking the opportunity to claim that the Duke had insulted him by leaving early, Uther declared war on him. While Gorlois was on the front lines, away from home, Uther had Merlin cast an illusion that made the king look like Gorlois. Then Merlin transported them to the Duke's castle. Ygerna, not realizing the deception, welcomed Uther as if he truly were Gorlois. Soon after, Gorlois died on the front lines. Nine months later, Arthur was born. Merlin took and hid the unchristened babe to keep him safe. He gave the babe to Sir Ector, one of Uther's most trustworthy knights, and told him to christen the baby Arthur. (Day, 1995).

Bibliography

• Day, David. The Search for King Arthur. New York: Facts on File, 1995.
• O'Neal, Michael. Great Mysteries Opposing Viewpoints: King Arthur. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1992.
• Ashe, Geoffrey. "Cadbury Castle: King Arthur's Camelot?" King Arthur on Britannia (1998) Online. Internet. 14 April 1999. www.britannia.com/history/arthur.html.

The Round Table

Some research has taken place nowadays in order to find any evidence and proof of the existence of this table intimately linked to this legend. These research involve experts on different subjects and fields.

Introduction

This is the most popular theme which later English poetry derived from medieval legend and that can be also included in the oral traditional literature:

-         King Arthur, Guinevere, the Knights- Lancelot, Gawain, Perceval…

King Arthur is said to be a British King about whom there are many doubts and many contradictory aspects. Genealogies and elements from his life and environment are different or do not coincide.

According to the tradition he was Uther’s and Igraine’s son. Arthur got married to Guinevere always finding near to him some invincible knights such as the ones mentioned before. Traditions also talk about a magician called Merlin and all of them agree introducing Mordred as Arthur’s main enemy. King Arthur also appears near Excalibur which is the name of a very significant sword. King Arthur’s knights achieve many deeds on his benefit and one of them it was the search of the Holy Grail.

Next to the Round Table Knights it appears this Holy Grail which is an spiritual adventure and also a search of power.