Examining the origins of the Arthurian legend and major trends in the portrayal of Arthur from the middle ages to the present, the 16 essays in this collection deal with such matters as the search for the historical Arthur and the depiction of Arthur in medieval romances, 19th-century art and stories, and in 20th-century literature. Works discussed include those by Geoffrey, Wace, Chretien, Malory, Spenser, Tennyson and T.H. White.

Discusses the Matter of Arthur as it has appeared in English, French, Latin, and German from the Middle Ages to the present. Examines the works of Harmann von Aue, Malory, Polydore Virgil, John Leland, Tennyson, T. H. White, and others; as well as works such as anonymous romances, Scottish Chronicle

The seven chronicles edited here record Scottish history as it circulated in the late fifteenth century and the early sixteenth century in abbreviated and mostly vernacular texts, intended for a broader, less educated audience than was served by the great Latin chronicles of Fordun, Bower, Boece, and their successors. They reflect the greatly expanded literacy of the end of the Middle Ages, and the consequent necessity of educating a broader public in the outlines of Scottish history and contemporary Scottish politics. They build their version of medieval events on Scotland's foundation myths...