Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation)

E195685

Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation) refers to the medieval writer’s influential shaping and popularization of the King Arthur legend in his 12th-century historical and narrative works.

All labels observed (2)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Arthurian tradition milestone
cultural consolidation
literary phenomenon
associatedWithGenre Arthurian literature
medieval historiography
pseudo-historical narrative
associatedWork Historia Regum Britanniae
Vita Merlini
basedOnWorkOf Geoffrey of Monmouth
centralFigure Guinevere
linked to: Queen Guinevere

King Arthur
Merlin
Mordred
Uther Pendragon
chronologicalContext composed circa 1130s–1140s
consolidatesTraditionsFrom Breton oral traditions
Welsh legendary material
earlier Latin chronicles
culturalImpact contributed to the use of Arthur as a symbol of British identity
served as a primary source for vernacular Arthurian romances
shaped medieval and later perceptions of King Arthur
geographicalFocus Armorica (Brittany)
linked to: Armorica

Britain
linked to: Great Britain
historicity combines legendary material with invented historical framework
influenced Chrétien de Troyes
Layamon’s Brut
Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur
linked to: Le Morte d'Arthur

Vulgate Cycle of Arthurian romances
linked to: Vulgate Cycle

Wace’s Roman de Brut
later medieval Arthurian chronicles
introducesMotif Arthur as a pan-European conqueror
Arthur’s conception through Uther’s deception with Igraine
Merlin as prophetic advisor
prophecies of Merlin
keyContribution elevated Arthur from regional hero to legendary king of international stature
linked Arthurian legend with a putative national history of Britain
provided a continuous narrative of British kings centered on Arthur
standardized many narrative elements of the Arthurian story
languageOfKeyWorks Latin
medium Latin prose narrative
refersTo the shaping and popularization of the King Arthur legend by Geoffrey of Monmouth
relatedConcept Arthurian mythography
medieval British pseudo-history
national foundation legend
scholarlyDebate extent of Geoffrey’s invention versus use of lost sources is disputed
scholarlyInterpretation often described as the foundational literary consolidation of the Arthurian legend
seen as transforming disparate Arthurian traditions into a coherent narrative cycle
timePeriod 12th century

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (12)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

King Arthur createdBy Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation)
Merlin createdBy Geoffrey of Monmouth
linked to: Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation)
Anglo-Norman Brut basedOnAuthor Geoffrey of Monmouth
linked to: Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation)
Wace influencedBy Geoffrey of Monmouth
linked to: Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation)
Tintagel Castle associatedWith Geoffrey of Monmouth
linked to: Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation)
Uther Pendragon createdBy Geoffrey of Monmouth
linked to: Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation)
Prophecies of Merlin associatedWith Geoffrey of Monmouth
linked to: Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation)
Caerleon mentionedBy Geoffrey of Monmouth
linked to: Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation)
Historia Regum Britanniae author Geoffrey of Monmouth
linked to: Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation)
Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation) basedOnWorkOf Geoffrey of Monmouth
linked to: Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation)
Tintagel, Cornwall, England associatedWith Geoffrey of Monmouth
linked to: Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation)
Aurelius Ambrosius sourceAuthor Geoffrey of Monmouth
linked to: Geoffrey of Monmouth (literary consolidation)