So far as the character, as distinguished from the provenance, of this subject-matter is concerned, it is largely of folk-lore origin, representing the working over of traditions, in some cases (as e.g. in the account of Arthur's birth and upbringing) common to all the Aryan peoples, in others specifically Celtic. Thus there are a number of parallels between the Arthurian and the Irish heroic cycles, the precise nature of which has yet to be determined. So far as Arthur himself is concerned these parallels are with the Fenian, or Ossianic, cycle, in the case of Gawain with the Ultonian.
In its literary form the cycle falls into three groups: - pseudohistoric: the Histories of Nennius and Geoffrey, the Brut of Wace and Layamon (see Arthur poetic: the works of Chretien de Troyes, Thomas, Raoul de Houdenc and others (see Gawain, Perceval, Tristan, and the writers named above); prose: the largest and most important group (see Grail, Lancelot, Merlin, Tristan). Of these three branches the prose romances offer the most insuperable problems; none can be dated with any certainty; all are of enormous length; and all have undergone several redactions. Of not one do we as yet possess a critical and comparative text, and in the absence of such texts the publication of any definite and detailed theory as to the evolution and relative position of the separate branches of the Arthurian cycle is to be deprecated. The material is so vast in extent, and in so chaotic a condition, that the construction of any such theory is only calculated to invite refutation and discredit. [/p] [p]The best general study of the cycle is to be found in Gaston Paris's manual [i]La Literature franraise au moyen age[/i] (new and revised edition, 1905). See also the introduction to vol. xxx. of [i]Histoire litteraire de la France.[/i] For the theories as to origin, see the Introductions to Professor FOrster's editions of the poems of Chretien de Troyes, notably that to vol. iv., [i]Der Karrenritter,[/i] which is a long and elaborate restating of his position. Also Professor H. Zimmer's articles in [i]Gottingische gelehrte Anzeigen,[/i] 12 and 20. For the Insular view, Ferd. Lot's "Etudes sur la provenance du cycle arthurien," [i]Romania,[/i] vols. xxiv. - xxviii., are very valuable. For a popular treatment of the subject, cf. Nos. i. and iv. of [i]Popular Studies in Romance and Folk-lore[/i] (Nutt). Robert Huntington Fletcher's "The Arthurian Matter in the Chronicles" (vol. x. of [i]Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature),[/i] is a most useful summary. (J. L. W.) [br][br][p]This article is from the 1911 edition of an encyclopedia, which is out of copyright here in the U.S. It is in the public domain and you may copy, download, print and distribute this work as you see fit. [p]Every effort has been made to present this text accurately and cleanly, but no guarantees are made against errors. Neither Melissa Snell nor About may be held liable for any problems you experience with the text version or with any electronic form of this document. _z_historymedren_z_);
