King Arthur - Bloom's Major Literary Characters

From early British "historical" documents to current novels and film, the character of King Arthur has captured the Western imagination for more than a thousand years. The Once and Future King has taken many different forms, as Geoffrey of Monmouth, Sir Thomas Malory, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, T.H. White and others have adapted his character to different genres and historical contexts. Accordingly, the character studies in the present volume do not paint a single "portrait" of King Arthur. Rather, it is hoped that in examining the twists and turns the legend has taken—and in particular, noting what has stayed true to the original—something of the "essence" of King Arthur will emerge.