A Companion to Arthurian Literature - (Blackwell Companions to Literature and Culture) by Helen Fulton (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

This Companion offers a chronological sweep of the canon of Arthurian literature - from its earliest beginnings to the contemporary manifestations of Arthur found in film and electronic media. Part of the popular series, Blackwell Companions to Literature and Culture, this expansive volume enables a fundamental understanding of Arthurian literature and explores why it is still integral to contemporary culture.

• Offers a comprehensive survey from the earliest to the most recent works
• Features an impressive range of well-known international contributors
• Examines contemporary additions to the Arthurian canon, including film and computer games
• Underscores an understanding of Arthurian literature as fundamental to western literary tradition

From the Back Cover

This companion is a complete guide to the canon of Arthurian literature, from its earliest beginnings to contemporary manifestations of Arthur in film and media. Leading scholars review Arthurian legends and their transformations across time, from language to language, text to film, medieval to modern.

Beginning with the debate about the "historical" Arthur and his Celtic origins, this volume chronicles the transmission and reception of the legend throughout Britain and Europe. Arthurian legends from medieval to Victorian literature are surveyed and the iconography of Arthurian themes in art is explored. The symbolic role of Arthur in modernist literature ushers in the twentieth century, while feminist and fantasy fiction bring Arthur into post-imperial contexts. Finally, the companion highlights the rebirth and legacy of the Arthurian legend in contemporary film and digital media.

Part of Wiley-Blackwell's popular Companions to Literature and Culture series, this expansive volume enables a rich understanding of the many forms of Arthurian literature and why the legend lives on.

Review Quotes

"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)

About the Author

Helen Fulton is Professor of Medieval Literature in the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of York. She has published extensively on medieval Welsh and English literatures and has related interests in language and critical theory, particularly narrative and discourse. Other books which she has edited include Medieval Celtic Literature and Society (2005) and Urban Culture in Medieval Wales (2011).