Abstract
Abstract This article explores civic pageantry’s role in detaching King Arthur and aspects of the Arthurian world from the narratives of the medieval tradition by examining the Society of Prince Arthur’s show, a popular event hosted by an archery fraternity in late sixteenth-century London. The processional nature of the Society’s annual show, the account of the Society provided by Richard Mulcaster, and readers’ annotations in copies of Richard Robinson’s The Ancient Order, Societie, and Unitie Laudable of Prince Arthure and his knightly armory of the Round Table (1583) reveal the importance of performance in the early modern reimagining of Arthur and his knights as symbols of civic virtue. The Society’s adaptations of Arthurian characters and the chivalry of the Round Table thus influence both satirical responses to chivalric literature in the period and Edmund Spenser’s presentation of the Arthurian legend in The Faerie Queene (1590).
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.