Arthurian Romance: A Short Introduction

by Derek Pearsall

This witty and accessible book traces the history of Arthurian romance from medieval to modern times, explaining its enduring appeal.

Genres: Arthurian, History, Nonfiction, Mythology

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2003

About the author

Derek Pearsall (b.1931) is a prominent medievalist and Chaucerian who has written and published widely on Chaucer, Langland, Gower, manuscript studies, and medieval history and culture.

He is the Co-director, Emeritus, Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York; Gurney Professor of English Literature, Emeritus, Harvard University. He earned a B.A. in 1951 and an M.A. in 1952 from the University of Birmingham .

Reviews

[Rosemary Atwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of the chronological development of Arthurian romance, which flags a little towards the end (or perhaps that was just me), finishing abruptly with a roll call of films and a nod to 'already too many film adaptations.'

Disappointing, because the early chapters are excellent, with Pearsall in comfortable academic territory, dispensing advice and criticism in equal doses and the chapter on Malory's 'Morte D'Arthur' is indispensable and worth the admission price alone.
Four stars for accessibility and breadth of content, with some genuinely funny critical commentary to lighten the overall skilfully erudite tone.

[Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars because this was exactly what I was looking for, a brief but well informed overview of the Arthurian tradition from Geoffrey of Monmouth to T. H. White. Unusually for an academic, Pearsall is not afraid to express his own assessment of the literary value of each text, although this comes across almost too bluntly at times - we are never left in any doubt of his love for the Gawain-poet or disdain for T.H. White. If the reader is happy to put aside opinion and generalisation, however, this is a witty, sardonic book that does not ignore the humour of medieval texts or pathos of the modern. It doesn't quite achieve what it sets out to in the preface; 'to show how the story has been the embodiment at different times of chivalric idealism, patriotic nationalism, spiritual aspiration, the idealisation of romantic sexual love.... a medium through which different cultures could express their deepest hopes and aspirations and contain and circumscribe their deepest fears and anxieties', but it fails at this only due to its brevity. An excellent starting point from which to explore the Arthurian tradition.

[Hitzuji · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es un libro muy interesante en el que el autor hace un análisis y resumen de la literatura artúrica.

Mi problema con el libro es que al no haber leído las obras que menciona, habían partes que se me hacían tediosas. Creo que sería bueno regresar a él una vez leídos estos.

[Ty Partridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting history of the Arthur legend

[Robert Vigliotti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful and surprisingly lively.