Date of Award
Winter 3-15-2024
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of arts (BA)
Department
Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
First Advisor
Dr. William Burghart
Second Advisor
Dr. Mary Hanneman
Abstract
In 411 CE, the Roman legions left the island of Britain, never to return. This led to the slow decline of the Romano-Britons until their ultimate defeat at the hands of the Anglo-Saxons invaders. The Anglo-Saxons would remain on the island slowly supplanting the native Celtic language and culture until the Old English emerged. Out of this era emerged stories of a Celtic hero that would drive out the foreign invaders and reclaim Britain for the Celtic Britons. This story would later become very popular on the continent of Europe and the Celtic legend of Arthur would change. Using a literary lens I have analyzed the famous accounts of this era written before the continental expansion of Arthur’s lore to analyze how Arthur changed from a post-Roman warlord. My research began with a desire to understand how Celtic Arthur developed and how he was portrayed.
In this essay I argue that King Arthur represents the hope for Welsh sovereignty and a desire to expel the non-Celtic peoples on the island. Understanding how Arthur changed from a post-Roman warlord to a Briton king can help us understand how the Celtic Britons saw themselves and their struggle for sovereignty against the English.
Recommended Citation
Long, Austin, "Arthur Before the Romances: Exploring Arthur's Evolution as a Literary Figure" (2024). History Undergraduate Theses. 61.
https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/history_theses/61