The Arthurian Annals: The Tradition in English from 1250 to 2000

Folklore, Dec, 2005 by Juliette Wood

The Arthurian Annals: The Tradition in English from 1250 to 2000. By Daniel P. Nastali and Phillip C. Boardman. 2 vols. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.1,086 pp. 295.00 [pounds sterling] (hbk). ISBN 0-19-860725-3

The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend. By Alan Lupack. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. 510 pp. 50.00 [pounds sterling] (hbk). ISBN 0-19-280287-9

This two-volume index may not tell researchers everything about the Arthurian tradition from the middle of the thirteenth century to the present, but it will certainly give them the means to find out. The main volume of the Arthurian Annals contains over 11,000 entries covering the full range of Arthurian material from medieval text to contemporary ephemera. The term "Arthurian" is defined very widely here to include not just the canonical medieval texts, but also many aspects of the post-medieval development of this legend. This open-ended post-medieval field includes retellings of medieval stories, either as historical fiction or as a treatment in a modern setting, and there are many works that contain allusions to the legend or employ important themes in a way that makes them essential to the meaning of these new interpretations. The entries are not limited to literary works, however; they include poetry, music, opera, film, computer games, and comic books, as well as a selection of Arthurian ephemera.

As with any research tool, its usefulness is measured in the comprehensiveness of the entries and the ease with which they can be accessed. This work succeeds on both counts. The entries are very complete and each one follows the same pattern, so that there is some degree of balance and equality as well. Each entry gives a full bibliographical citation, plus a summary of publication history and/or special details of the work cited. This, in turn, is followed by another annotation that specifies the Arthurian connection and notes any unique features.

The second volume that indexes these entries is, in some ways, the more important as it provides the key to the castle of knowledge that contains the entries. This smaller volume runs to nearly 250 pages. It is printed in a clear typeface and classifies the material in the larger volume in a variety of ways. Thus it is possible to search for various features of Arthurian tradition such as original language, place, and culture, as well as themes, characters, titles, and genre. The price means that it is intended for libraries rather than personal collections, but teachers and students of Arthurian literature should certainly lobby their favourite reading room to acquire a copy.

Whether Alan Lupack's Arthurian Guide was intended as a companion to this two-volume research tool or not, it certainly complements it--and while not cheap at fifty pounds, it does fall within the price range of private scholar, frugal academic, or serious student.

Professor Lupack, director of the Robbins Library at the University of Rochester and past president of the North American Branch of the International Arthurian Society, traces the development of the Arthurian legend in a series of extended essays, each of which explores a key theme or character from the medieval sources to the present. Lupack's treatment is divided into seven general topics: early literary, historical, and pseudo-historical accounts; the romance tradition; Malory and his influence; the Holy Grail, and specific characters such as Gawain, Merlin and, finally, Tristan and Isolt. These are in turn subdivided into a range of appropriate topics. The result is an indispensable reference guide that also contains encyclopedic entries that highlight key Arthurian characters, symbols, and places, and offers quick and easy references. There are excellent bibliographies and a comprehensive index.

The tone of the prose is clear and has the assurance of someone who has obviously read, taught, thought about, and edited Arthurian matters for many years. For example, one can trace the motif of the Holy Grail from its appearance in Chretien's medieval romance through the complexities of subsequent Continuations and adaptations that completed his initial vision. Likewise the equally complex traditions of Robert de Boron, Wolfram von Eschenbach and the Vulgate Grail are laid out in clear informative sections. The section of the Welsh romance Peredur is informative, although it would have been strengthened by reference to recent work published by University of Wales Press and the on-line text available through Cardiff University. One of the many attractive features of this work is that the different sections are balanced; for example, modern interpretations of the grail in America are treated equally with the Victorian revival of the grail in Tennyson, and the section on the esoteric grail, so prominent at the moment in mass market fiction, is treated proportionately. The section on "American Interpretations of the Grail" includes a note on Edwin Austin Abbey's Grail Murals in the Boston Library. If there is one regret about this volume, it is that there are not more items about the material culture attached to the Arthurian tradition and more on contemporary non-English-language works.