Fantasy Fiction

Lesson 2: Arthurian Fantasy

The Legend of King Arthur

This section tells the King Arthur legend in its most basic form.

The story begins before Arthur’s birth. His father, Uther Pendragon, lusts after Igraine the wife of Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. Gorlois places is wife at Tintagel castle to protect her from the High King. Uther asks Merlin to help disguise him so he can be with Igraine. During this liaison, Gorlois is killed, throwing Arthur’s legitimacy into question.

When Arthur is born, Merlin takes him away to be fostered. Arthur grows up under Merlin’s training until Uther dies. Arthur pulls the sword Excalibur from the stone and becomes High King of Britain. He spends the early part of his reign fighting invaders. Once peace reigns things change.

After things settle, King Arthur builds Camelot. He founds the Round Table of knights with his nephews Gawaine, Agravaine and Gaheris. He marries Guenivere and meets Lancelot. They become close friends. During this time, his sister Morgan Le Fay plots to overthrow him. Depending on which version of the story, he fathers a son on his sister (Morgan or Morgause). He commits a horrible crime of killing a group of infants while trying to murder his son Mordred, who survives.

The kingdom begins to fall apart after these events. Merlin disappears from the story, seduced by a woman and imprisoned in a tree. Guenivere and Lancelot have an affair, which Arthur doesn't know about or ignores. There is a last chance to save the kingdom with the quest for the Holy Grail, but it fails. Agravaine reveals the affair, forcing Lancelot to flee, and killing Gaheris in his flight. Arthur is forced to obey the law and burn Guenivere at the stake for adultery. Lancelot saves her from the fire.

King Arthur goes to battle Lancelot for his betrayal. While he is away, Mordred takes control of the kingdom. Arthur returns to take his kingdom back. The two armies meet at Camlann to talk, but the battle starts when a knight tries to kill a poisonous snake. Arthur kills Mordred. He is gravely wounded and all the knights are killed.

King Arthur is taken away to the mythical island of Avalon to be healed. He will return when Britain needs him again.

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