Durer, Albrecht. King Arthur. 1520. Statue designed by Albercht Durer. Wikipedia. JPEG file.

 

 

Arthur is regarded as the king of the Arthurian universe. This hero of medieval literature can be a complicated yet simple figure. He is depicted as a powerful warlord in Welsh and Latin traditions, but becomes a weak and passive character in Chretien’s romances. In many of the early texts, he is unfailingly portrayed as being one dimensional with little or no emotion. The 13th century Lancelot-Graal presents a different king, revealing more of the man underneath the crown.  In other tales, his emotions are explored and integrated into a plot to reveal the consequences for his actions on other characters and the Arthurian world all together. Many authors have been selective in their presentation of Arthur’s life, more so than any other folklore character. There is a consistent dichotomy between Arthur the king and Arthur the man. Arthur is often in conflict with himself because of his public and private persona's. Doesn’t this problem sound familiar? History tends to repeat itself.  Arthur evolves from a newly crowned king to a seasoned monarch who eventually falls and watches his kingdom fall.  I have read many stories about kings who have gained and lost power. Maybe Arthur’s legend is part of a cycle that warns about the consequences of power.