Is it Noble to Die? A Comparative Review of the Death of King Arthur

Abstract

The legend of King Arthur often gets swept into a vision of glory and gold, known for it’s symbols of the round table, the holy grail and the magic of Merlin. Yet, Arthur’s death at the conclusion of his legend contradicts the success of his reign prior to the battle against his nephew, Mordred. Incidents of usurption, civil war, and political instability within Britain plague the historical contexts at the time of each author’s writing. Arthur’s relationship to Mordred represent tensions regarding British civil war and contributes to the formation of a British identity. Each work legitimizes Arthur’s royal claim through using Arthur’s sword, Excalibur, as a symbol for his identity as King and by purposefully outlining the line of succession both before and after Arthur. When analyzing the battle against Mordred, and the elements of Arthur’s death, his tale serves to emphasize Britian’s anxieties around succession and leadership as a whole.