Objective: To learn an amazing number of fascinating facts, many of which are not included in most high school textbooks, about the legend of King Arthur.

Directions: Number your own paper in the same way this page is numbered.  Follow the links to answer the questions.  To read the questions, keep one printed copy of this page at your computer; by doing so, you only need to return to this page when you begin a new lettered section.  The URL for this page is http://www. telapex.com/~tommyboy/kingarthur.htm.  Turn in this paper before you leave, with each group member's name and number.   Enjoy!

A. Vocabulary: Go to  the vocabulary page to answer questions in this section:

1. Define chivalry.
2. a.) Define motif.  b.) What is a common motif in medieval stories?
3. Who is the worst scoundrel in Arthurian legend?

B. Go to Encyclopedia Mythica: Arthurian Legend to answer questions in this section:

1. Who is Sir Ector?
2. Is Excalibur generally considered to be "the sword in the stone"?
3. Who are Galahad's parents?
4. Was Galahad successful in his search for the Holy Grail?
5. When did Uther Pendragon marry Igraine?
6. Who is Sir Kay?
7. How many knights could be seated at the Round Table (according to one version)?
8. Distinguish between the two Ladies of the Lake.
9. What notable thing did Sir Percival do (the first sentence)?

C. Go to Camelot and Arthurian Legend  to answer these questions (After you have answered the questions on Camelot, scroll down and click on the appropriate links to find answers to the other questions.):

Camelot

1. Where have modern attempts at identifying Camelot sought to place it?
2. What has Camelot come to be viewed as, besides a place?

Arthur

1. Who were Arthur's parents?
2. On whom do most historians agree the legendary Arthur is based?
3. What is the name of the battle in which the real Arthur was "dux bellorum"?
4. What is the name of the battle in which Arthur fell?
5. When Arthur was fifteen, what happened to his father?
6. Where was Arthur's father buried?
7. Who gave Arthur his sword Excalibur?
8. What happened to Excalibur when Arthur died?
9. Whom does Arthur kill with a spear in a great battle?
10. By whom was Arthur mortally wounded?
11. Where is Arthur taken on a fairy barge?

Gwynevere

1. According to Malory, who was Gwynevere's father?
2. What did Gwynevere give to Arthur as her dowry?
3. Who made the Round Table?
4. What did Mordred force Arthur to do about Gwynevere? Who rescued her?
5. Give one version of what Gwynevere did after Arthur's death.

Lancelot

1. Who stole Lancelot away from a lake and reared him in her underwater palace?
2. What was one of Lancelot's first tasks as a knight (in some versions)?
3. What was Lancelot's home renamed?
4. What did Lancelot do in order to quell his guilty conscience?
5. Why was Lancelot not able to get the Holy Grail?
6. Who was Lancelot's son?
7. Who discovered Lancelot and Gwynevere together in Gwynevere's chamber?
8. What was Gwynevere's sentence?
9.  In what way did Lancelot vow to live out the rest of his life?

Merlin

1. In whose writings did Merlin first take literary shape?
2. What was one of Merlin's  many magical skills?
3. What part did Merlin play in the conception of King Arthur?
4. What was one of the conditions of Merlin performing his magic for Uther?
5. With whom did Merlin fall in live?
6. Give one version of what Merlin's fate was.

Morgan le Fay

1. What does fay mean?
2. From whom did Morgan learn much of her magic?
3. Who was Morgan le Fay's lifelong rival?
4. Whom did Morgan create and send to Arthur to test Arthur and his knights?

D. Go to  Mystical-WWW to answer these questions (click on "Legends," and then on "King Arthur"):

1. Where does the whole Arthurian cycle begin?
2. How long before the life of Arthur was Stonehenge probably built?
3. In what century does it seem that Arthur was transported from historical fact to semi-legend?
4. Which two ancient Egyptian deities have stories about them that are similar to the story of Arthur?

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