The Changing Destiny of King Arthur in Medieval Romances and Verse Narratives

Ancient and medieval myths continue to influence us today. However, even myths are in danger of falling apart under close and critical scrutiny. This is the case with the myth of King Arthur, as the discussion of representative literary examples from the late twelfth through the late fourteenth centuries indicates. Even though we do not observe explicit criticism of the king, the various poets increasingly projected him only as a shadowy figure of little significance, if not as a dangerous character undermining his own traditional values as a king.