King Arthur as A Major Work

2020-07-23 |

It is possible to divide the birth of King Arthur epics into three parts. First of all, the epic takes place between 450-500 CE. If we look at the period when King Arthur epics were composed, we see that it was between 800-1500 CE. It became a written work towards the middle of the 1100s. It is seen that especially its written forms are translated from many different European vernacular languages. King Arthur novels have been rewritten by many people in different regions and have been kept alive and have survived until today. We see that King Arthur novels have a long history.

First of all, it should be said that King Arthur epics have a unique style. When we examine other heroes in major works, we see that King Arthur is in a very different and special place. This is because King Arthur is at the crossroads of ancient and modern history. Although there are mythological figures in the texts, modern political terms are also used. One of the best example of this will be the figure of Merlin. On the one hand, Merlin is referred to as a prophet and on the other hand refereed as a mythological figure. When we consider these, it would be correct to say that it is an original work of transition that combines the old with the new.

King Arthur epics was one of the important works born after the emergence of monotheistic religions. The god-king hero or demigod heroes that were formed in the previous major works have now become the representatives of the god on earth and the heroes who convey his power. King Arthur is aware that he is a mortal being. Also, it is possible to see King Arthur as an important Christian character. King Arthur shows the power and morality of Christianity to the world. In particular, King Arthur's honesty, courage, and religious personality in the texts made it easier for him to be adopted by the Christian community.

The fact that King Arthur was an important Christian figure did not just have religious implications. It is also correct to say that it has military and political effects. It was especially important for Christians to find the Holy Grail that Jesus used in his last supper. This is also expressed in the King Arthur epics. It was believed that anyone who finds the Holy Grail will be immortal. The knights of King Arthur; Lancelot, Percival, Galahad make great sacrifices and heroism to find Holy Grail. With these epics, exemplary characters were created for the knights in the Crusades and the control of the soldiers was made easier.

It is also seen King Arthur epics have universal impacts. The importance of fairness to the whole world is especially emphasized in King Arthur's epics. The round table, perhaps one of the most important icons of King Arthur epics which represents the fairness of King Arthur. In the epic, conversations should be held in an equal environment where each of the people sitting around the round table has an equal say. Especially when we look at the current political world, we see that round tables are still used in United Nations conferences to emphasize the equality of countries. King Arthur's honesty and fairness have also been a great inspiration to leaders in today's world.

If we need to examine the cultural works of King Arthur left to the modern world, we will see a large variation. First of all, King Arthur has a large audience at the cinema. Knights of the Round Table (1953), First Knight (1955), Excalibur (1981), King Arthur (2004), Camelot (2011), King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) are some of these films. Moreover, many poems have been written about King Arthur, and operas have been composed. As you can see, King Arthur has enlightened our world also culturally.

All in all, when we consider the originality of King Arthur epics, their effects on our present and our past, and the messages it gives, we see that King Arthur is a major work for our past, present, and future. The reason why I especially like King Arthur's novels is that King Arthur has collected both modern and epic features. Moreover, stories and heroic novels set in medieval times have always attracted my attention. King Arthur's epics will continue to be read in the future, and King Arthur will stay as an unforgettable legendary king.

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