Recollection of a mythical age: Re-creating Arthur in the 12th century

Abstract

This article presents the development of the Arthurian myth throughout the twelfth century from the perspective of the creation of memory. It assesses the value the past was granted in the seminal text Historia Regum Britanniae, where Geoffrey of Monmouth re-enacted the past in creating a mythical time he inserted in the frame of the story. It is late in the twelfth century when Chrétien de Troyes’ novel deprived Arthur of his historical essence, by blurring the temporal boundaries of his kingdom. The addition of the Grail legend and the very capacity of the Arthurian matter to express religious truths would allow Robert de Boron, around the year 1200, to re-write a section of the Historia Regum Britanniae after the biblical model, and thus to turn the story of the Arthurian lineage into a symbol of the history of all humankind.