KING ARTHUR RETURNS - Tapa dura

The legend of King Arthur and his court at Camelot has been one of the most enduring tales of Western culture. Neglected since the Middle Ages, the legend enjoyed a revival in the poetry, paintings and popular culture of Victorian Britain. However, it is argued that the Victorians re-shaped the legend to correspond with their own political, moral and cultural beliefs, their views on gender roles and their ideas about the upbringing of children. This book illustrates how the ancient legend was given modern modes and messages, by focusing on the art and literature that presented it. Writers and poets examined are Tennyson, Percy Bysshe Shelley and Sir Walter Scott. The artworks discussed include those by Aubrey Beardsley, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones and Julia Margaret Cameron.