Geoffrey of Monmouth and the feminist origins of the Arthurian legend /

In this study, Fiona Tolhurst offers the first feminist analysis the Arthurian section of Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain and his Life of Merlin. It argues that Geoffrey's history presents the marriage of Queen Igerna and King Uther as founded upon both love and equa...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author:	Tolhurst, Fiona
Format:	Book
Language:	English
Published:	New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.
Edition:	First edition.
Series:	Studies in Arthurian and courtly cultures.
Subjects:	Geoffrey, > of Monmouth, Bishop of St. Asaph, > 1100?-1154. > Vita Merlini. Geoffrey, > of Monmouth, Bishop of St. Asaph, > 1100?-1154. > Historia regum Britanniae. Arthurian romances > Sources. Women in literature. Wace, > approximately 1100-approximately 1175. > Roman de Brut. Layamon, > active 1200. > Brut. Historiography > Great Britain > History > To 1500. Great Britain > History > To 1485 > Historiography. LITERARY CRITICISM / Medieval. LITERARY CRITICISM / Feminist. LITERARY CRITICISM / General.

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Summary:	In this study, Fiona Tolhurst offers the first feminist analysis the Arthurian section of Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain and his Life of Merlin. It argues that Geoffrey's history presents the marriage of Queen Igerna and King Uther as founded upon both love and equality, Igerna and Uther's daughter Anna as a pivotal figure in British history, and Queen Ganhumara as King Arturus's partner in power. In addition, the Merlin poem introduces a Morgen who possesses powers that Merlin does not, and a Ganieda who replaces Merlin as the prophet of the Britons.
Physical Description:	x, 196 pages ; 23 cm.
Bibliography:	Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:	9781403965431 1403965439