Who was King Arthur?

The name “King Arthur” brings to mind certain images when we hear it. We think of King Arthur as a
brave, kind, honest—an almost magical figure that tried to make a perfect kingdom for his people. The
King Arthur legend, which seems to have originated in England in medieval times, is an example of myth.
The romantic story of King Arthur and his knights is so appealing that many poems, stories, books, and
films have been created with this theme. But who was King Arthur? Was he a fictional character, or a real
man? How has his story influenced society’s values and ideals, especially the notions of chivalry and
honor? Here is one opinion regarding who he was:

“There is much debate whether Arthur was an actual historical person. There is no
absolute evidence, but it is possible that Arthur was a Briton or Romano-Briton king who led the
Celts against the Anglo-Saxons in the early 8th century (Americana, Arthurian Romances, 1972).
The kings of the medieval period were warlords that protected a particular area of land. They
surrounded themselves with knights, or thanes, who swore allegiance in battle in exchange for gifts
of gold, armor, and land. There are stories that depict Arthur in this role, similar to that of Beowulf
and Hrothgar in the poem Beowulf. However, later stories show Arthur in a different light. There are
three basic character descriptions of Arthur: Arthur as epic hero, Arthur as symbol of the virtues of
Camelot, and Arthur as Victim of Fate.”