The Character of King Arthur in Medieval Literature by Morris, Rosemary - 1985: Arthurian studies

Arthur appears in medieval literature in an infinite variety of different guises, yet remains a distinct character. Medieval writers, however freely they treat their sources, respected the traditions of the past, and Dr. Morris, in writing the 'biography'of Arthur, is concerned to show the complex interlinking of different versions of his story. Her approach is through the sequence of events which make up Arthur's career. She looks in turn at his antecedents, the story of his conception and birth, and his accession, the initial 'facts', and then discuss his warfare, his role in peacetime, his relationships with his family, and his personal attributes. The problems surrounding Arthur's death are examined in the final chapter.