The Arthur of the Welsh: The Arthurian Legend in Medieval Welsh Literature (Arthurian Literature in the Middle Ages #1)

This volume is unique in offering a comprehensive discussion of the subject. It will appeal widely to medievalists, to Welsh and Celtic scholars and to those non-specialists who have felt the fascination of the figure of Arthur and wish to know more. Little, if anything, is known historically of Arthur, yet for centuries the romances of Arthur and his court dominated the imaginative literature of Europe in many languages. The roots of this vast flowering of the Arthurian legend are to be found in early Welsh tradition and this volume gives an account of the Arthurian literature produced in Wales, in both Welsh and Latin, during the Middle Ages. The distinguished contributors offer a comprehensive view of recent scholarship relating to Arthurian literature in early Welsh and other Brythonic sources. The volume includes chapters on the "historical" Arthur, Arthur in early Welsh verse, the legend of Merlin, the tales of Culhwch ac Olwen, Geraint , Owain, Peredur, The Dream of Rhonabwy and Trystan ac Esyllt . Other chapters investigate the evidence for the growth of the Arthurian theme in the Triads and in the Historia Regum Britanniae of Geoffrey of Monmouth, and discuss the Breton connection and the gradual transmission of the legend to the non-Celtic world.

Little, if anything, is known historically of Arthur, yet for centuries the romances of Arthur and his court dominated the imaginative literature of Europe in many languages. The roots of this vast flowering of the Arthurian legend are to be found in early Welsh tradition, and this volume gives an account of the Arthurian literature produced in Wales, in both Welsh and Latin, during the Middle Ages. The distinguished contributors offer a comprehensive view of recent scholarship relating to Arthurian literature in early Welsh and other Brythonic sources. The volume includes chapters on the 'historical' Arthur, Arthur in early Welsh verse, the legend of Merlin, the tales of Culhwch ac Olwen, Geraint, Owain, Peredur, The Dream of Rhonabwy and Trystan ac Esyllt. Other chapters investigate the evidence for the growth of the Arthurian theme in the Triads and in the Historia Regum Britanniae of Geoffrey of Monmouth, and discuss the Breton connection and the gradual transmission of the legend to the non-Celtic world. The volume, which is unique in offering a comprehensive discussion of the subject, will appeal widely to medievalists, to Welsh and Celtic scholars, and to those non-specialists who have felt the fascination of the figure of Arthur and wish to know more.

The Arthur Of History / Thomas Charles-edwards -- The Early Welsh Arthurian Poems / Patrick Sims-williams -- Culhwch Ac Olwen, The Triads, Saints' Lives / Brynley F. Roberts -- Geoffrey Of Monmouth, Historia Regum Britanniae And Brut Y Brenhinedd / Brynley F. Roberts -- The Merlin Legends And The Welsh Tradition Of Prophecy / A. O. H. Jarman -- Chwedl Geraint Ab Erbin / Roger Middleton -- Owain : Chwedl Iarlles Y Ffynnon / R. L. Thomson -- Historia Peredur Ab Efrawg / Ian Lovecy -- Breuddwyd Rhonabwy And Later Arthurian Literature / Ceridwen Lloyd-morgan -- The Tristan Of The Welsh / Rachel Bromwich -- Some South-western Sites With Arthurian Associations / O. J. Padel -- Brittany And The Arthurian Legend / J. .e. Caerwyn Williams -- First Transmission To England And France / Rachel Bromwich. Edited By Rachel Bromwich, A. O. H. Jarman, Brynley F. Roberts. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover Title Copyright Contents List of Abbreviations Introduction 1 The Arthur of History 2 The Early Welsh Arthurian Poems 3 Culhwch ac Olwen, The Triads, Saints’ Lives 4 Geoffrey of Monmouth, Historia Regum Britanniae and Brut y Brenhinedd 5 The Merlin Legend and the Welsh Tradition of Prophecy 6 Chwedl Geraint ab Erbin 7 Owain: Chwedl Iarlles y Ffynnon 8 Historia Peredur ab Efrawg 9 Breuddwyd Rhonabwy and Later Arthurian Literature 10 The Tristan of the Welsh 11 Some South-Western Sites with Arthurian Associations 12 Brittany and the Arthurian Legend 13 First Transmission to England and France Index This collection of essays presents an account of the Arthurian literature produced in Wales, in both Welsh and Latin, during the Middle Ages. Topics addressed include the ""historical"" Arthur, Arthur in early Welsh verse, the legend of Merlin, and the tales of Culhwch ac Olwen, Geraint, and Owain Originally published : Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1991.