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King Arthur Research Paper

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King Arthur is placed into two categories amongst historians. The first is a legend of King Arthur but it’s nothing more than a myth. The second is historical Arthur, which believes that he did exist. Arthur is a prominent figure in history regardless of the debate over his existence. Historians and archeologists have spent a great amount of time trying to prove who Arthur is and many of these researches have different objectives and ideologies to this monumental figure in history. Arthur has supporters but also has critics in the issue of his existence. R.G. Collingwood, Geoffrey Ashe, and Leslie Alcock are all advocates of Arthur, but they have different arguments, methodologies and writing styles for the “historical” Arthur. Collingwood …show more content…

Arthur was believed to be as a hero who helped fight off the invading Anglo-Saxons. During this time, The Britons were victims to many invasions, hunger, and oppression. There was a huge gap between rich and poor and educated people as well. There was a lot of uncertainty and no security in this society. The people waited for a savior from the long and continuous invasions from the Saxons, Danes, and Vikings. This is where the story of King Arthur is born, this is where the legend begins and spreads through Europe. Arthur’s warrior like skills and great leadership carry a legacy that still lives today. Arthur’s story is hard to figure out because many historians have created their own version of Arthur’s life. Due to the lack of remaining evidence for his existence, historians often have to use their own judgment and observation to tell his …show more content…

In his journal article, The Willing Suspension of Disbelief, Dave Burnham said, “He wrote no more than a few pages about Arthur, but the vivid image he conjured became accepted as real by students, the public and some historians. This idea was largely unchallenged for over thirty years and has power even today.” Collingwood made major claims with such little evidence. He laid out his observations and believed that’s exactly how it happened. Even though Collingwood’s ideas were widely accepted, he wrote as if there no other possible conclusion. In his book Roman Britain and English Settlements, Collingwood said, "The historicity of the man can hardly be called into question. The fact that his name in later ages was a magnet drawing to itself all manner of folklore and fable, and that an Arthurian cycle grew up composed partly of events transferred from other contexts, no more proves him a fictitious character than similar fables prove it of Alexander or Aristotle, Vergil or Roland. It tends rather to prove the opposite. The place which the name of Arthur occupies in Celtic legend is easiest to explain on the hypothesis that he really lived, and was a great champion of the British people." Collinwood writes with confidence and writes that the readers should not hesitate or doubt his existence. I believe Collingwood is so assured in his work because he is a philosopher and idealist which

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