The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend (Oxford Paperback Reference)

The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend is both a critical history of the Arthurian tradition and a reference guide to Arthurian works, names, characters, symbols, and places. Seven essays offer a comprehensive survey of the legends in all of their manifestations, from their origins in medieval literature to their adaptation in modern literature, arts, film, and popular culture. It also demonstrates the tremendous continuity of the legends by examining the ways that they have been reinterpreted over the years. The indispensable reference on the subject, it also contains encyclopedic entries, bibliographies, and a comprehensive index. The extensive chapter-by-chapter bibliographies, which are subdivided by topic, augment the general bibliography of Arthurian resources. Comprehensive in its analysis and hypertextual in its approach, the Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend is an essential reference book for Arthurian scholars, medievalists, and for those interested in cultural studies of myth and legend. Mythology Cover 1 Copyright page 6 Acknowledgements 7 Contents 9 Introduction 17 Citations 21 Names 21 The Structure and Use of This Volume 21 Bibliography of Basic Resources for the Study of the Arthurian Legends 22 General Sources 22 Journals 22 Arthurian Names 22 Bibliographies 23 On-line Bibliographies of Arthurian Literature 23 Medieval Arthurian Literature 23 Modern Arthurian Literature 24 Novels 24 Plays 24 All Genres 24 Films 24 Overviews and Studies of Particular Countries, Periods, or Genres 24 Guides to Major Arthurian Texts 25 Arthurian Characters and Symbols 26 Arthurian Art 26 Arthurian Music 27 Arthurian Sites 27 Anthologies 27 1 Early Accounts of Arthur, Chronicles, and Historical Literature 29 Early References to Arthur 29 The Gododdin 29 Gildas 30 Bede 30 Nennius 31 Annales Cambriae 31 Arthur in Welsh Literature 32 Culhwch and Olwen 32 The Dream of Rhonabwy 33 The Birth of Arthur 34 Taliesin 34 Welsh Verse 35 David Jones 37 Saints' Lives 38 Geoffrey of Monmouth and his Influence 40 Geoffrey of Monmouth 40 Translations and Adaptations of Geoffrey's Historia 44 Gaimar and Wace 44 Layamon 45 Perceforest 47 Romances Focusing on Arthur 47 Other Latin Chronicles 50 The Continuing Chronicle Tradition in England and Scotland 52 English Metrical and Prose Chronicles 52 Robert of Gloucester 52 Short Metrical Chronicle 52 Robert Mannyng of Brunne 53 Thomas Castleford's Chronicle 53 John Hardyng 54 Arthur 55 English Prose Chronicles 55 Scottish Chronicles (in Latin and Scottish) 56 John of Fordun and Walter Bower 56 Hector Boece and his Translators 57 John Major 58 George Buchanan 59 The Historical Arthur after the Middle Ages 59 Arthur's Death and Survival 61 Arthur's Grave 61 Arthur's Survival and Return 62 Historical Verse 66 Sir Richard Blackmore 66 Richard Hole 66 H. H. Milman 67 John Lesslie Hall 68 John Masefield 69 John Heath-Stubbs 70 Historical Drama 71 The Misfortunes of Arthur by Thomas Hughes 71 King Arthur by John Dryden 71 Arthur, Monarch of the Britons by William Hilton 72 Vortigern by William Ireland 73 The Dragon King by J. F. Pennie 73 Twentieth-Century Historical Drama 74 Historical Novels 75 Alfred J. Church 76 William H. Babcock 76 Warwick Deeping 77 T. H. Crosfield 78 Farnham Bishop and Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur 78 W. Barnard Faraday 79 Edward Frankland 79 John Masefield 80 Alfred Duggan 80 Meriol Trevor 81 Henry Treece 81 Edison Marshall 82 Rosemary Sutcliff 82 Walter O'Meara 83 George Finkel 83 Godfrey Turton 83 Adam Fergusson 84 Roy Turner 84 Jayne Viney 85 Victor Canning 85 Douglas Carmichael 86 John Gloag 86 Peter Vansittart 86 Catherine Christian 87 Parke Godwin 87 Bernard Cornwell 88 Jack Whyte 90 Bibliography 91 Early References to Arthur 91 Arthur in Welsh Literature 91 Saints' Lives 92 Geoffrey of Monmouth and his Influence 92 Other Latin Chronicles 93 The Continuing Chronicle Tradition in England and Scotland 93 Arthur's Death and Survival 95 Historical Verse 96 Historical Drama 96 Historical Novels 97 2 The Romance Tradition 99 Chrétien de Troyes and the Beginnings of the Romance Tradition 99 Chrétien de Troyes 101 The Influence of Chrétien de Troyes 109 Fergus and the Dutch Ferguut 109 Hartmann von Aue 110 Erex saga and Ívens saga 113 Gereint Son of Erbin and Owain (The Lady of the Fountain) 114 Ywain and Gawain 115 The Continuing Tradition 116 Lancelot and Guinevere 119 Ulrich von Zatzikhoven 119 The Vulgate Cycle or Lancelot-Grail Cycle 120 Lancelot of the Laik 126 The Stanzaic Morte Arthur 127 Romances with Non-traditional Heroes 129 Lanval and Launfal 134 Chastity Tests 136 Ballads 138 Bibliography 141 Chrétien de Troyes and the Beginnings of the Romance Tradition 141 The Influence of Chrétien de Troyes 142 Lancelot and Guinevere 144 Romances with Non-traditional Heroes 145 Lanval and Launfal 146 Chastity Tests 146 Ballads 147 3 Malory, His Influence, and the Continuing Romance Tradition 149 Sir Thomas Malory's Morte d'Arthur 149 From Malory to Tennyson 160 Alfred, Lord Tennyson 162 Lady of Shalott / Elaine of Astolat 168 Other Victorian Poets 173 Parodies and Criticisms of Tennyson 175 Mark Twain's Connecticut Yankee 178 Twain's Connecticut Yankee in Film 180 Arthurian Youth Groups and their Influence 180 Adapting and Illustrating the Arthurian Legends for Children 183 Illustrating Malory and Tennyson 185 The Continuing Romance Tradition in Poetry 188 The Continuing Romance Tradition in Drama, Music, and Film 193 Drama 193 Music 199 Film 201 The Continuing Romance Tradition in Fiction 204 T. H. White 204 John Steinbeck 208 Thomas Berger 211 Donald Barthelme 212 Lancelot and Guinevere in Fiction 213 Mordred 216 Excalibur 217 Feminist Retellings 217 Bibliography 221 Sir Thomas Malory's Morte d'Arthur 221 From Malory to Tennyson 222 Lady of Shalott / Elaine of Astolat 222 Other Victorian Poets 223 Parodies and Criticisms of Tennyson 223 Arthurian Youth Groups and their Influence 223 Illustrating Malory and Tennyson 224 The Continuing Romance Tradition in Poetry 225 The Continuing Romance Tradition in Drama, Music, and Film 225 The Continuing Romance Tradition in Fiction 226 4 The Holy Grail 229 Chrétien de Troyes's Perceval and its Continuations and Translations 229 Chrétien de Troyes's Perceval or Le Conte du Graal 229 The Continuations and Prologues to Chrétien s Perceval 234 The First Continuation 234 The Second Continuation 235 Gerbert de Montreuil's Continuation 236 Manessier's Continuation 237 Eric Rohmer's Perceval le Gallois 237 The Elucidation 238 Bliocadran 238 Translations and Adaptations of Chrétien's Perceval 238 Robert de Boron and the Prose Adaptations of his Work 240 Perlesvaus 243 Perlesvaus 243 Y Seint Greal 245 Dorothy James Roberts's Kinsmen of the Grail 246 Peredur and Sir Perceval of Galles 246 Peredur 246 Sir Perceval of Galles 248 Tyolet and Related Tales 249 Tyolet 249 Lanceloet en het hert met de witte voet 249 Moriaen 250 Clemence Housman's The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis 250 George Moore 251 Wolfram von Eschenbach and his Influence 251 Parzival 251 Titurel 256 Richard Wagner 256 Works Influenced by Wolfram and Wagner 257 The Grail in the Vulgate (or Lancelot-Grail) and the Post-Vulgate Cycles and Henry Lovelich's Translation 257 Estoire del Saint Graal (The History of the Holy Grail) 257 Queste del Saint Graal (The Quest for the Holy Grail) 259 The Post-Vulgate Queste del Saint Graal 261 Henry Lovelich's The History of the Holy Grail 262 Joseph of Arimathea 263 Sone de Nausay 263 Joseph of Arimathea 263 Later Accounts of the Life of Joseph of Arimathea 264 The Grail from Malory to Victorian England 266 William Wordsworth 266 J. H. Shorthouse 266 Victorian Poets 267 Victorian Artists 268 American Interpretations of the Grail 270 James Russell Lowell's The Vision of Sir Launfal 270 J. Dunbar Hylton's Arteloise 271 Katrina Trask 272 Sophie Jewett's 'The Dwarf's Quest' 272 Sara Hawks Sterling 273 Edwin Austin Abbey's Grail Murals 273 Irwin St John Tucker's The Sangreal 274 John Erskine's Galahad 274 Jack Spicer 275 John Steinbeck's Cup of Gold 276 Bernard Malamud 276 Walker Percy 277 Bobbie Ann Mason 278 Jessie Weston and T. S. Eliot 279 The Influence of The Waste Land 282 Twentieth-Century British Interpretations of the Grail 282 R. C. Trevelyan 282 E. S. Padmore 283 Evelyn Underhill 283 Arthur Machen 284 John Cowper Powys's A Glastonbury Romance 285 Charles Williams 285 C. S. Lewis's 'Launcelot' 288 Naomi Mitchison 288 Jim Hunter 289 Anthony Powell 290 Peter Vansittart 290 The Grail in Popular Culture 291 The Grail in Popular Literature 291 The Grail in Film 294 Esoteric and New Age Approaches to Glastonbury and the Grail 295 Bibliography 297 Chrétien de Troyes's Perceval and its Continuations and Translations 297 Robert de Boron and the Prose Adaptations of his Work 298 Perlesvaus 299 Peredur and Sir Perceval of Galles 299 Tyolet and Related Tales 299 Wolfram von Eschenbach and his Influence 300 The Grail in the Lancelot-Grail (or Vulgate) and the Post-Vulgate Cycles and Henry Lovelich's Translation 301 Joseph of Arimathea 301 The Grail from Malory to Victorian England 302 American Interpretations of the Grail 302 Jessie Weston and T. S. Eliot 303 Twentieth-Century British Interpretations of the Grail 303 The Grail in Popular Culture 304 5 Gawain 307 Gawain Romances Other than English 307 The Youth of Gawain 307 French Romances 308 Roman van Walewein 314 Heinrich von dem Türlin's Diu Crône 316 The Irish Tale The Story of the Crop-Eared Dog 317 English Gawain Romances 318 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 318 Other English Gawain Romances 320 Reworkings of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 323 The Greene Knight 323 Poetry 324 Drama 325 Fiction 326 Film 329 The Loathly Lady 330 The Fair Unknown 333 Gawain and his Family in Later Literature 336 Prince Valiant 338 Gareth 338 Bibliography 339 Gawain Romances Other than English 339 English Gawain Romances 341 Reworkings of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 341 The Loathly Lady 342 The Fair Unknown 343 Gawain and his Family in Later Literature 343 6 Merlin 345 The Origins of Merlin 345 The Celtic Merlin Figures 345 Geoffrey of Monmouth 347 Prophecies of Merlin 349 Merlin in Medieval Romance 351 Merlin in French Romance 351 Merlin in English Romance 353 Tom Thumb 355 Merlin in Drama 359 Merlin in Modern Poetry 362 Merlin in Modern Fiction 367 Merlin in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Fiction 367 Merlin in Juvenile Fiction 375 Merlin in Popular Culture 378 Bibliography 380 The Origins of Merlin 380 Prophecies of Merlin 380 Merlin in Medieval Romance 381 Tom Thumb 382 Merlin in Drama 382 Merlin in Modern Poetry 383 Merlin in Modem Fiction 384 Merlin in Popular Culture 385 7 Tristan and Isolt 387 Tristan in Welsh Literature 387 The Common and Courtly Versions of the Tristan Story 388 Béroul 389 Thomas of Britain 390 Shorter French Tristan Pieces 391 Eilhart von Oberge 392 Gottfried von Strassburg 394 Tristan in Scandinavian Literature 396 Sir Tristrem 398 The Chertsey Abbey Tiles 398 The Prose Tristan and its Influence 399 The Prose Tristan 399 Italian Tristan Romances 401 Povest' o Tryshchane (The Romance of Tristan) 403 Palamedes 403 Palamedes in Medieval Literature 403 Palamedes in Modern Verse 405 Palamedes in Modern Fiction 408 Tristan and Isolt in the Victorian Age 410 Tristan Plays 413 The Tristan Legend in Twentieth-Century Verse 421 Tristan and Isolt in Fiction 425 Tristan and Isolt in Film 432 Bibliography 435 Tristan in Welsh Literature 435 The Common and Courtly Versions of the Tristan Story 435 The Prose Tristan and its Influence 436 Palamedes 436 Tristan and Isolt in the Victorian Age 437 Tristan Plays 438 The Tristan Legend in Twentieth-Century Verse 439 Tristan and Isolt in Fiction 440 Tristan and Isolt in Film 440 Afterword 443 Arthurian People, Places, and Things 445 A 445 B 449 C 453 D 456 E 457 F 459 G 460 H 466 I 467 J 468 K 469 L 470 M 475 N 479 O 480 P 480 Q 483 R 484 S 485 T 486 U 489 V 490 W 491 Y 492 Index 493 A 493 B 494 C 495 D 497 E 497 F 498 G 499 H 500 I 501 J 501 K 502 L 502 M 503 N 505 O 506 P 506 Q 507 R 507 S 508 T 509 U 510 V 510 W 511 Y 511 Z 512 mythology;,history;,King,Arthur;,Holy,Grail;,fantasy;,literature;,cinema;,drama;,poetry;,art;,music mythology,history,King Arthur,Holy Grail,fantasy,literature,cinema,drama,poetry,art,music Cover......Page 1 Copyright page......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Introduction......Page 17 The Structure and Use of This Volume......Page 21 Arthurian Names......Page 22 Medieval Arthurian Literature......Page 23 Overviews and Studies of Particular Countries, Periods, or Genres......Page 24 Guides to Major Arthurian Texts......Page 25 Arthurian Art......Page 26 Anthologies......Page 27 The Gododdin......Page 29 Bede......Page 30 Annales Cambriae......Page 31 Culhwch and Olwen......Page 32 The Dream of Rhonabwy......Page 33 Taliesin......Page 34 Welsh Verse......Page 35 David Jones......Page 37 Saints' Lives......Page 38 Geoffrey of Monmouth......Page 40 Gaimar and Wace......Page 44 Layamon......Page 45 Romances Focusing on Arthur......Page 47 Other Latin Chronicles......Page 50 Short Metrical Chronicle......Page 52 Thomas Castleford's Chronicle......Page 53 John Hardyng......Page 54 English Prose Chronicles......Page 55 John of Fordun and Walter Bower......Page 56 Hector Boece and his Translators......Page 57 John Major......Page 58 The Historical Arthur after the Middle Ages......Page 59 Arthur's Grave......Page 61 Arthur's Survival and Return......Page 62 Richard Hole......Page 66 H. H. Milman......Page 67 John Lesslie Hall......Page 68 John Masefield......Page 69 John Heath-Stubbs......Page 70 King Arthur by John Dryden......Page 71 Arthur, Monarch of the Britons by William Hilton......Page 72 The Dragon King by J. F. Pennie......Page 73 Twentieth-Century Historical Drama......Page 74 Historical Novels......Page 75 William H. Babcock......Page 76 Warwick Deeping......Page 77 Farnham Bishop and Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur......Page 78 Edward Frankland......Page 79 Alfred Duggan......Page 80 Henry Treece......Page 81 Rosemary Sutcliff......Page 82 Godfrey Turton......Page 83 Roy Turner......Page 84 Victor Canning......Page 85 Peter Vansittart......Page 86 Parke Godwin......Page 87 Bernard Cornwell......Page 88 Jack Whyte......Page 90 Arthur in Welsh Literature......Page 91 Geoffrey of Monmouth and his Influence......Page 92 The Continuing Chronicle Tradition in England and Scotland......Page 93 Arthur's Death and Survival......Page 95 Historical Drama......Page 96 Historical Novels......Page 97 Chrétien de Troyes and the Beginnings of the Romance Tradition......Page 99 Chrétien de Troyes......Page 101 Fergus and the Dutch Ferguut......Page 109 Hartmann von Aue......Page 110 Erex saga and Ívens saga......Page 113 Gereint Son of Erbin and Owain (The Lady of the Fountain)......Page 114 Ywain and Gawain......Page 115 The Continuing Tradition......Page 116 Ulrich von Zatzikhoven......Page 119 The Vulgate Cycle or Lancelot-Grail Cycle......Page 120 Lancelot of the Laik......Page 126 The Stanzaic Morte Arthur......Page 127 Romances with Non-traditional Heroes......Page 129 Lanval and Launfal......Page 134 Chastity Tests......Page 136 Ballads......Page 138 Chrétien de Troyes and the Beginnings of the Romance Tradition......Page 141 The Influence of Chrétien de Troyes......Page 142 Lancelot and Guinevere......Page 144 Romances with Non-traditional Heroes......Page 145 Chastity Tests......Page 146 Ballads......Page 147 Sir Thomas Malory's Morte d'Arthur......Page 149 From Malory to Tennyson......Page 160 Alfred, Lord Tennyson......Page 162 Lady of Shalott / Elaine of Astolat......Page 168 Other Victorian Poets......Page 173 Parodies and Criticisms of Tennyson......Page 175 Mark Twain's Connecticut Yankee......Page 178 Arthurian Youth Groups and their Influence......Page 180 Adapting and Illustrating the Arthurian Legends for Children......Page 183 Illustrating Malory and Tennyson......Page 185 The Continuing Romance Tradition in Poetry......Page 188 Drama......Page 193 Music......Page 199 Film......Page 201 T. H. White......Page 204 John Steinbeck......Page 208 Thomas Berger......Page 211 Donald Barthelme......Page 212 Lancelot and Guinevere in Fiction......Page 213 Mordred......Page 216 Feminist Retellings......Page 217 Sir Thomas Malory's Morte d'Arthur......Page 221 Lady of Shalott / Elaine of Astolat......Page 222 Arthurian Youth Groups and their Influence......Page 223 Illustrating Malory and Tennyson......Page 224 The Continuing Romance Tradition in Drama, Music, and Film......Page 225 The Continuing Romance Tradition in Fiction......Page 226 Chrétien de Troyes's Perceval or Le Conte du Graal......Page 229 The First Continuation......Page 234 The Second Continuation......Page 235 Gerbert de Montreuil's Continuation......Page 236 Eric Rohmer's Perceval le Gallois......Page 237 Translations and Adaptations of Chrétien's Perceval......Page 238 Robert de Boron and the Prose Adaptations of his Work......Page 240 Perlesvaus......Page 243 Y Seint Greal......Page 245 Peredur......Page 246 Sir Perceval of Galles......Page 248 Lanceloet en het hert met de witte voet......Page 249 Clemence Housman's The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis......Page 250 Parzival......Page 251 Richard Wagner......Page 256 Estoire del Saint Graal (The History of the Holy Grail)......Page 257 Queste del Saint Graal (The Quest for the Holy Grail)......Page 259 The Post-Vulgate Queste del Saint Graal......Page 261 Henry Lovelich's The History of the Holy Grail......Page 262 Joseph of Arimathea......Page 263 Later Accounts of the Life of Joseph of Arimathea......Page 264 J. H. Shorthouse......Page 266 Victorian Poets......Page 267 Victorian Artists......Page 268 James Russell Lowell's The Vision of Sir Launfal......Page 270 J. Dunbar Hylton's Arteloise......Page 271 Sophie Jewett's 'The Dwarf's Quest'......Page 272 Edwin Austin Abbey's Grail Murals......Page 273 John Erskine's Galahad......Page 274 Jack Spicer......Page 275 Bernard Malamud......Page 276 Walker Percy......Page 277 Bobbie Ann Mason......Page 278 Jessie Weston and T. S. Eliot......Page 279 R. C. Trevelyan......Page 282 Evelyn Underhill......Page 283 Arthur Machen......Page 284 Charles Williams......Page 285 Naomi Mitchison......Page 288 Jim Hunter......Page 289 Peter Vansittart......Page 290 The Grail in Popular Literature......Page 291 The Grail in Film......Page 294 Esoteric and New Age Approaches to Glastonbury and the Grail......Page 295 Chrétien de Troyes's Perceval and its Continuations and Translations......Page 297 Robert de Boron and the Prose Adaptations of his Work......Page 298 Tyolet and Related Tales......Page 299 Wolfram von Eschenbach and his Influence......Page 300 Joseph of Arimathea......Page 301 American Interpretations of the Grail......Page 302 Twentieth-Century British Interpretations of the Grail......Page 303 The Grail in Popular Culture......Page 304 The Youth of Gawain......Page 307 French Romances......Page 308 Roman van Walewein......Page 314 Heinrich von dem Türlin's Diu Crône......Page 316 The Irish Tale The Story of the Crop-Eared Dog......Page 317 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight......Page 318 Other English Gawain Romances......Page 320 The Greene Knight......Page 323 Poetry......Page 324 Drama......Page 325 Fiction......Page 326 Film......Page 329 The Loathly Lady......Page 330 The Fair Unknown......Page 333 Gawain and his Family in Later Literature......Page 336 Gareth......Page 338 Gawain Romances Other than English......Page 339 Reworkings of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight......Page 341 The Loathly Lady......Page 342 Gawain and his Family in Later Literature......Page 343 The Celtic Merlin Figures......Page 345 Geoffrey of Monmouth......Page 347 Prophecies of Merlin......Page 349 Merlin in French Romance......Page 351 Merlin in English Romance......Page 353 Tom Thumb......Page 355 Merlin in Drama......Page 359 Merlin in Modern Poetry......Page 362 Merlin in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Fiction......Page 367 Merlin in Juvenile Fiction......Page 375 Merlin in Popular Culture......Page 378 Prophecies of Merlin......Page 380 Merlin in Medieval Romance......Page 381 Merlin in Drama......Page 382 Merlin in Modern Poetry......Page 383 Merlin in Modem Fiction......Page 384 Merlin in Popular Culture......Page 385 Tristan in Welsh Literature......Page 387 The Common and Courtly Versions of the Tristan Story......Page 388 Béroul......Page 389 Thomas of Britain......Page 390 Shorter French Tristan Pieces......Page 391 Eilhart von Oberge......Page 392 Gottfried von Strassburg......Page 394 Tristan in Scandinavian Literature......Page 396 The Chertsey Abbey Tiles......Page 398 The Prose Tristan......Page 399 Italian Tristan Romances......Page 401 Palamedes in Medieval Literature......Page 403 Palamedes in Modern Verse......Page 405 Palamedes in Modern Fiction......Page 408 Tristan and Isolt in the Victorian Age......Page 410 Tristan Plays......Page 413 The Tristan Legend in Twentieth-Century Verse......Page 421 Tristan and Isolt in Fiction......Page 425 Tristan and Isolt in Film......Page 432 The Common and Courtly Versions of the Tristan Story......Page 435 Palamedes......Page 436 Tristan and Isolt in the Victorian Age......Page 437 Tristan Plays......Page 438 The Tristan Legend in Twentieth-Century Verse......Page 439 Tristan and Isolt in Film......Page 440 Afterword......Page 443 A......Page 445 B......Page 449 C......Page 453 D......Page 456 E......Page 457 F......Page 459 G......Page 460 H......Page 466 I......Page 467 J......Page 468 K......Page 469 L......Page 470 M......Page 475 N......Page 479 P......Page 480 Q......Page 483 R......Page 484 S......Page 485 T......Page 486 U......Page 489 V......Page 490 W......Page 491 Y......Page 492 A......Page 493 B......Page 494 C......Page 495 E......Page 497 F......Page 498 G......Page 499 H......Page 500 J......Page 501 L......Page 502 M......Page 503 N......Page 505 P......Page 506 R......Page 507 S......Page 508 T......Page 509 V......Page 510 Y......Page 511 Z......Page 512 "The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend presents the Arthurian legends in all their manifestations - from their origins in medieval literature to their modern interpretations in literature, art, film, and popular culture. It takes the reader through the chronicle and romance traditions, the influence of Malory, the Grail legend, and the stories of Sir Gawain, Merlin, and Tristan and Isolt." "Each area is explored chronologically, tracing the stories from their earliest versions to the present day, and includes an analysis of the works covered, as well as a synopsis of their plot, and a discussion of their significance and relationships to other works. Complemented by an A-Z reference section and an extensive index, the Guide is both a critical history of the legends and an easy-to-use reference book."--BOOK JACKET.