"Even so, A Companion to Arthurian Literature is without a doubt a very useful collection of essays with up-to-date guides for reading and a bibliography that students and non-specialists will find very handy." (Besprechungen, 1 January 2011) "This is a volume which will be of particular use to students and scholars of English-though it will be equally useful, no doubt, to readers from other traditions who need a quick, but scholarly and exhilarating, introduction largely to the English-language Arthur." (Arthuriana, 21 January 2011)
"A must for anyone interested in the many aspects of the Arthurian legend, the book includes abundant references (including to primary sources) that will serve both those approaching this material for the first time and those pursuing complete knowledge of the subject." (CHOICE, 2009)
"If the coverage is impressive, it is matched by the content.... Any library that covers English literature and popular culture will find this a very worthwhile and popular acquisition for a range of student, academic and other interested readers." (Languages and Literature, Autumn 2009)
This Companion offers a chronological sweep of the canon of Arthurian literature - from its earliest beginnings to the contemporary manifestations of Arthur in film and electronic media. Leading scholars review Arthurian legends and their transformations, language-to-language, text-to-film, and medieval-to-modern adaptations are analyzed, and key concepts such as empire, romance and chivalry are explored. Beginning with the historical Arthur and his Celtic origins, this volume chronicles the transmission of the legend throughout Britain and Europe. Arthurian legends within the medieval and Victorian literary movements and the iconography of Arthurian themes in art are surveyed, and the symbolic role of Arthur in modernist literature ushers in the twentieth century, while the feminist approach of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon initiates a genre of fantasy fiction based on a richly conceived Arthurian world. Finally, the Companion highlights the rebirth and legacy of the Arthurian legend in contemporary films and computer games.
Part of Blackwell's popular Companions to Literature and Culture series, this expansive volume enables a fundamental understanding of Arthurian literature and leaves no doubt as to why it is still important today.
From the Back Cover
This Companion offers a chronological sweep of the canon of Arthurian literature - from its earliest beginnings to the contemporary manifestations of Arthur in film and electronic media. Leading scholars review Arthurian legends and their transformations, language-to-language, text-to-film, and medieval-to-modern adaptations are analyzed, and key concepts such as "empire", "romance" and "chivalry" are explored. Beginning with the historical Arthur and his Celtic origins, this volume chronicles the transmission of the legend throughout Britain and Europe. Arthurian legends within the medieval and Victorian literary movements and the iconography of Arthurian themes in art are surveyed, and the symbolic role of Arthur in modernist literature ushers in the twentieth century, while the feminist approach of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon initiates a genre of fantasy fiction based on a richly conceived Arthurian world. Finally, the Companion highlights the rebirth and legacy of the Arthurian legend in contemporary films and computer games.
Part of Blackwell's popular Companions to Literature and Culture series, this expansive volume enables a fundamental understanding of Arthurian literature and leaves no doubt as to why it is still important today.
About the Author
Helen Fulton is Professor of English and Director of the Center for Medieval and Early Modern Research at Swansea University. She has published widely on medieval Welsh and English literatures and has related interests in language and critical theory, particularly narrative. Recent books include Medieval Celtic Literature and Society (2005), an edited collection of articles, and Narrative and Media (2005), a co-authored study of narrative theory applied to media texts.
