Today’s cinematic movement show a heightened interest in stories based on historical periods or events. These stories, however, need not necessarily be historically accurate but may merely evoke an...Show moreToday’s cinematic movement show a heightened interest in stories based on historical periods or events. These stories, however, need not necessarily be historically accurate but may merely evoke an illusion of historical reality. In this thesis, I explored the methods contemporary filmmakers can turn to in order to achieve a sense of realism in the on-screen worlds of their imagination. I limited myself to discussing those methods that are concerned with setting, character, and plot respectively; I used Antoine Fuqua’s King Arthur as my point of reference.Show less
Throughout time, the legend of King Arthur has been adapted and exploited to meet the needs of each era; each era has its own King Arthur. In this thesis the focus will be on how the legend lends...Show moreThroughout time, the legend of King Arthur has been adapted and exploited to meet the needs of each era; each era has its own King Arthur. In this thesis the focus will be on how the legend lends itself to such manipulation and adaptation and in what ways the legend has been adapted to suit changing political times. From the start of the Early Middle Ages, the legend of King Arthur was firmly established in society and many medieval writers embellished the legend. Authors like Chretien de Troyes and Thomas Mallory enriched the legend, subtly imposing the conflicts of their time onto the legend. After falling from popularity in the Early Modern era the legend was to experience a revival of interest in the 19th and 20th centuries. The portrayal of Arthur throughout each era differs spectacularly and sheds light on contemporary political issues, as the outside world feeds into the view. This in turn calls attention to my research question; how does the portrayal of Arthur in different eras relate to the outside political world and concerns of the time? My provisional thesis statement is that the legend of Arthur has been adapted throughout time to express and relate the needs and concerns of different eras. In order to answer my research question I will make use of several primary texts from the Middle Ages, Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Chronicle Historia Regum Britanniae, Thomas Mallory’s Le Morte D’Arthur and the poem the Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle and compare them with texts from the 19th and 20th century. In particular, Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Tennyson’s Idylls of the King and T.H. White’s The Once and Future King. I will carry out a historically and culturally contextualised analysis of the portrayal of Arthur and his knights in each era that will explain the differing ways in which they are presented.Show less
