Adapting the Arthurian Legends for Children: Essays on Arthurian Juvenilia (Studies in Arthurian and Courtly Cultures)

Announcing a New Series The stories and legends of King Arthur, the Round Table, and the Grail have been with us for centuries, in an endless variety of forms. From medieval texts to popular films, modernist literature to feminist fantasy, from the sixth through the 21st centuries, few literary subjects have inspired such fertile ground for cultural elaboration. This dynamic field is the subject for a new book series, Worlds of King Arthur. The series will explore a wide range of topics related to the stories and legends of Arthur, and the great variety of literary and cultural texts which they have inspired. Including worlds of literary criticism, cultural studies, and history, the series provides a venue for the publication of the most significant new works in Arthurian Studies. Series Editor: Bonnie Wheeler, Southern Methodist University Editorial Board: James Carley, York University Jeffrey Jerome Cohen, American University Virginie Greene, Harvard University Siân Echard, University of British Columbia Sharon Kinoshita, University of California, Santa Cruz Alan Lupack, University of Rochester Andrew Lynch, University of Western Australia For centuries, the Arthurian legends have fascinated and inspired countless writers, artists, and readers, many of whom first became acquainted with the story as youngsters. From the numerous retellings of Malory and versions of Tennyson for young people to the host of illustrated volumes to which the Arthurian Revival gave rise, from the Arthurian youth groups for boys (and eventually for girls) run by schools and churches to the school operas, theater pieces, and other entertainment for younger audiences, from the Arthurian juvenile fiction sequences and series to the films and television shows featuring Arthurian characters, children have learned about the world of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table Announcing a New Series The stories and legends of King Arthur, the Round Table, and the Grail have been with us for centuries, in an endless variety of forms. From medieval texts to popular films, modernist literature to feminist fantasy, from the sixth through the 21st centuries, few literary subjects have inspired such fertile ground for cultural elaboration. This dynamic field is the subject for a new book series, Worlds of King Arthur. The series will explore a wide range of topics related to the stories and legends of Arthur, and the great variety of literary and cultural texts which they have inspired. Including worlds of literary criticism, cultural studies, and history, the series provides a venue for the publication of the most significant new works in Arthurian Studies. Series Editor: Bonnie Wheeler, Southern Methodist University Editorial Board: James Carley, York University Jeffrey Jerome Cohen, American University Virginie Greene, Harvard University Siân Echard, University of British Columbia Sharon Kinoshita, University of California, Santa Cruz Alan Lupack, University of Rochester Andrew Lynch, University of Western Australia For centuries, the Arthurian legends have fascinated and inspired countless writers, artists, and readers, many of whom first became acquainted with the story as youngsters. From the numerous retellings of Malory and versions of Tennyson for young people to the host of illustrated volumes to which the Arthurian Revival gave rise, from the Arthurian youth groups for boys (and eventually for girls) run by schools and churches to the school operas, theater pieces, and other entertainment for younger audiences, from the Arthurian juvenile fiction sequences and series to the films and television shows featuring Arthurian characters, children have learned about the world of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table Cover......Page 1 Table of Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 List of Illustrations......Page 12 Introduction......Page 14 1 Le Morte Darthur for Children: Malory’s Third Tradition......Page 24 2 Text, Image, and Swords of Empowerment in Recent Arthurian Picture Books......Page 74 3 The Case of the Disappearing Text: Connecticut Yankee for Kids......Page 96 4 Deceptive Simplicity: Children’s Versions of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight......Page 130 5 The Sense of Place in Arthurian Fiction for Younger Readers......Page 146 6 Susan Cooper’s "The Dark Is Rising"......Page 162 7 Interview with Susan Cooper......Page 184 8 Swords, Grails, and Bag-Puddings: A Survey of Children’s Poetry and Plays......Page 194 9 Arthurian Youth Groups in America: The Americanization of Knighthood......Page 220 10 Good King Arthur: Arthurian Music for Children......Page 240 11 Once and Future Kings: The Return of King Arthur in the Comics......Page 266 12 Camelot on Camera: The Arthurian Legends and Children’s Film......Page 286 Contributors......Page 318 A......Page 321 B......Page 322 C......Page 323 E......Page 326 F......Page 327 G......Page 328 H......Page 329 I......Page 330 K......Page 331 L......Page 332 M......Page 333 P......Page 336 S......Page 338 T......Page 340 W......Page 342 Z......Page 343 For centuries, the Arthurian legends have fascinated and inspired countless writers, artists, and readers, many of whom first became acquainted with the story as youngsters. From the numerous retellings of Malory and versions of Tennyson for young people to the host of illustrated volumes to which the Arthurian Revival gave rise. From the Arthurian youth groups for boys (and eventually for girls) run by schools and churches to the school operas, theater pieces, and other entertainment for younger audiences; and from the Arthurian juvenile fiction sequences and series to the films and television shows featuring Arthurian characters, children have learned about the world of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. For centuries, the Arthurian legends have fascinated and inspired countless writers, artists and readers, many of whom first became acquainted with the story as youngsters. This book explores the subject. Malory's Le Morte Darthur is a book for adult readers, but one that most of them will already have encountered in a version for children.