Publication Date

8-1988

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

James Heldman, Nancy Davis, Joseph Survant

Comments

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Degree Program

Department of English

Degree Type

Master of Arts

Abstract

Alfred Tennyson's King Arthur is a blameless ruler with a dream of uniting his kingdom and driving the heathen and bestial influences out of his realm. To help him in this endeavour, he marries Guinevere, who he hopes will join him not only in marriage but also in the fulfillment of his dream; he also gathers around him men whom he calls the Knights of the Round Table to assist him in his battle against the evil forces which exist in the kingdom. His ideal is one of purity and goodness, and he asks of his knights that they follow him unconditionally and with genuine commitment to that ideal. At first, Arthur and his knights are of one mind, but sin and corruption soon enter into the court, eventually destroying the King and his ideal. What causes this destruction is the subject of this study. By looking closely at how various characters in the poems react to the King and his ideal, we are able to understand why his dream did not succeed as he had believed it would. While some characters do believe in Arthur and his dream and choose to stand by him and preserve his ideal, others reject him and his ideal, bringing pure evil into the kingdom; still others believe in what Arthur stands for, but they allow their own desires to control them, and they eventually betray their King. This study examines these three groups of people, their actions, and the ultimate fate of Arthur and the legacy he leaves.

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | English Language and Literature | Literature in English, British Isles

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