EPICS AND LEGENDS

EPICS A long narrative poem of grand scope, style, and theme Recounts the exploits of a HERO (or group of heroes), a larger-than-life figure whose character traits are the stylized ideals of a people An epic is the story of a civilization's values and meaning.

LEGENDS A legend is a narrative that people tell as a true story, but it is not authenticated Details are difficult to confirm, but the characters and locations are rooted in historical fact. Legends often contain a moral or a lesson and are told to uphold the values of the community.

Arthurian Legends Cycle of stories that has been shaped and passed down through over fourteen hundred years of English history King Arthur is the original meme, i.e. an idea or belief that spreads throughout a culture either vertically (as by parents to children) or horizontally by cultural acquisition (as by peers, information media, and entertainment media)  Evolved from a political fable, to Medieval Chivalric Romance to commentary on the loss of morals and spirituality

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EPICS AND LEGENDS Romance general reflects a Chivalric Age (a time of knights and ladies during the Middle Ages in Europe with emphasis on the Code of Chivalry) and the Epic reflects the Heroic Age (a time of superhuman Heroes in ancient Greek and Roman history).

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EPICS AND LEGENDS In the Epic, the fighting is serious and motivated by national and very serious values and ideals. In the Romance, fighting is often spontaneous and for little purpose.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EPICS AND LEGENDS The hero of the Romance is not quite as heroic as the Epic hero. The Epic hero normally has a more noble quest or mission (with the exception of the Holy Grail quest often discussed in the Romance.) The Romantic hero is often satisfied with aimless adventure. But he is still “larger than life,” like the Epic hero, and he also usually has a mysterious birth and childhood.

MEDIEVAL ROMANCE literary genre most often associated with Arthurian legends stories of adventure in which the chief parts are played by knights, kings, or distressed ladies characters are acting most often under the impulse of love, religious faith, and desire for adventure Characters are held to the Code of Chivalry

Code of chivalry Idealized code of military and social behavior for the aristocracy in the late medieval period. Word "chivalry" comes from Old French cheval (horse) and literally means "horsemanship" Tenets of chivalry were attempts to civilize the rather brutal activity of warfare

Code of Chivalry Ideals include: sparing non-combatants such as women, children, and helpless prisoners protection of the church honesty in word and bravery in deeds loyalty to one's liege lord dignified behavior single-combat between noble opponents who had a quarrel

the 10 Commandments of Chivalry quoted directly from Chivalry by Leon Gautier 1. Thou shalt believe what the Church teaches, and shalt observe its directions. 2. Thou shalt defend the Church. 3. Thou shalt respect all weaknesses, and shalt constitute thyself the defender of them. 4. Thou shalt love the country in which thou wast born. 5. Thou shalt not recoil before thine enemy. 6. Thou shalt make war against the Infidel (those who attack the weak and the poor) without cessation, and without mercy. 7. Thou shalt perform scrupulously thy feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of God. 8. Thou shalt never lie, and shalt remain faithful to thy pledged word. 9. Thou shalt be generous, and give charity to everyone. 10. Thou shalt be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil.

TENNYSON Idylls of the King—retold as poetry Used Arthurian legends to express his views on what society should be like Made Arthur a great moral leader—seeks order and justice in the world

WHITE The Once and Future King Wrote with a modern viewpoint Found the Arthur legend a proper setting in which to search for new hope for a world wracked by war (WWI & WWII) Portrayed Arthur as a boy and as a wise, judgelike king who gropes for a solution to his world’s problems

MALORY One of the most important shapers of the legend Morte D’Arthur—gave stories an order and unity A knight himself—used his writings to recapture the grandeur of the good old days of knights or give the institution of knighthood a virtue it never had