Arthurian Legend

Any thoughts on the History Channel special?

I thought it was really good, though a lot of times it lost track and focused on the evolution of the literary Arthur rather than the historical Arthur(s) like it intended to do.

I found it interesting that they chose to include the more recent version of the Excalibur tale, when in fact the Sword first originated as belonging to Galahad--Arthur was not pure enough to touch Excalibur.

I'd be really interested to see a special more devoted to the evolution of the literature, though I suppose that can be gauged by several years of intense reading :)

I was watching "History's Mysteries: The Knights of the Round Table" on the History Channel, and one historian remarked that people are drawn to the Legends because Camelot is like Eden, and the fall of Camelot is like that archetypal fall of Paradise inherent in the history of man. I think that's such a Christian way of looking at the Legends.

So what drew you to the Legends, and what holds your interest? Is it Camelot's resemblance to paradise, or is it something different?

For me, I think it is the sense of fantasy. The Legends are so rich and varied that they seem an entire universe in themselves. It's like an alternate dimension I can escape to whenever I read about them, or imagine the characters. It's probably the same feeling that LOTR fans have about Middle Earth, etc.