Im-mortality: death and rebirth of King Arthur and his kingdom

Abstract

(work in progress. To be filled in within 31/01) First part: analysis of the Arthurian matter throughout the English history, with a focus on its source materials and the exploitation of the Arthurian myth by the passing monarchies. Second part: analysis of contemporary Arthurian retellings with T. H. White's "The Once and Future King" as starting point; following with Marion Zimmer Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon", Mary Stewart's "The Merlin Trilogy" plus "The Wicked Day" with an analysis focused mostly on the matters of magic/religion, gender and sexuality. These texts will be furtherly studied together with Vera Chapman's "The Enchantresses" and "The Three Damosels" arguing their different approaches to feminism and female agency. The last part will cover the concept of national memory by taking in analysis Kazuo Ishiguro's "The Buried Giant" and Philip Reeves "Here Lies Arthur".