Quest for the Answers to This Arthurian Legend Quiz

Published in 1889, “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” is a satirical novel about an American named Hank Morgan who suffers a brain trauma that causes him to journey back to the time of King Arthur. The book espouses the ideals of democracy over monarchy, but questions the wisdom of religion and a capitalist system.

Not much is known about the writer Thomas Malory, but the mysterious author is famous today for his English prose poetry titled “Le Morte d’Arthur” or “The Death of King Arthur.” Published in 1485 (15 years after it was written), the epic poem follows the rise and fall of King Arthur and the legendary stories of the Knights of the Round Table, laying the groundwork for future Arthurian accounts.

According to Arthurian legend, Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon, became enraptured with a woman named Igraine, the wife of the Duke of Cornwall. Uther, disguised as the duke, snuck into Igraine’s bed, resulting in the birth of King Arthur. Merlin then raised the boy away from his parents.

“History of the Kings of Britain,” written by Geoffrey of Monmouth, is the first recorded life history of King Arthur. Before this point, legends of King Arthur were pieced together from poetry and the writings of previous scholars and historians; Geoffrey claimed to base his work on a now-lost Celtic manuscript that only he was allowed to see.

Sir Galahad was the illegitimate son of Sir Lancelot from an affair with Lady Elaine. While Sir Lancelot had a reputation as a ladies’ man, Sir Galahad was notable for being pure of heart, virginal, and virtuous. These qualities later aided Sir Galahad as the Knight chosen to quest after the Holy Grail.

While Sir Galahad is now immortalized as the Knight who succeeds in his pursuit of the Holy Grail, he actually replaced another Knight: Sir Perceval. Perceval’s original quest culminated in him learning the true meaning of chivalry. However, while Perceval was still allowed to play a part in later iterations of the legend, he was slowly phased out when Sir Galahad entered the canon.

The enchantress Morgan le Fay has had different roles across Arthurian legend, but is often described as the sister of King Arthur. Le Fay was ruler of the island of Avalon, the mystical healing island where Arthur traveled after his final battle. Some tales also describe Le Fay as a meddler in the marriage between Arthur and his queen, Guinevere.

King Arthur is often described as a Celtic British king concerned with defending the British Isles from Saxon invaders in the sixth century CE — roughly a century after the ancient Romans left the region. Eventually, the Germanic tribes known as the Angles (the namesake of England) and the Saxons conquered the island, giving rise to the Anglo-Saxon cultural group.

Sir Balin was one of King Arthur’s Knights, who went on a long and mysterious quest at the behest of a mysterious damsel who gifted him a cursed sword. Although Sir Balin had all of the qualities of a Knight of the Round Table, he died before the Table was ever created. According to Merlin, if Balin had survived, he would have been one of King Arthur’s best Knights.

Lancelot was one of the greatest knights of King Arthur’s court, and also one of the most scandalous. Breaking from the chaste depictions often associated with Camelot, Lancelot’s adulterous relationship with Queen Guinevere ultimately spelled the end of the Round Table fellowship. After Arthur’s death, Lancelot returned to Britain and became a monk.

In “Dante’s Inferno,” Dante witnesses Mordred frozen to his neck in ice for acts of treachery against members of his family. In some legends, Mordred is King Arthur’s son, while in others, he is depicted as Arthur’s nephew. In either case, his continual attempts to take the throne from Arthur were enough to make Italian author Dante Alighieri condemn him to the final circle of Hell in his epic poem, written in the 14th century.

Sir Gawain is best known as the subject of the legend of Gawain and the Green Knight, where he undertakes a quest from a mysterious knight to protect King Arthur. The quest takes a full year to complete, and becomes a lesson in romantic chivalry. Gawain was also known for being courteous and kind towards the vulnerable, a mark of a chivalrous character in medieval times.

Sir Bedivere was one of the most loyal of the Knights of the Round Table and is best known for returning Excalibur to the lake after King Arthur is fatally wounded. According to legend, Bedivere finally succeeded in throwing the sword back on his third attempt and watched the Lady of the Lake’s hand rise from the waters, seize the sword, and take it back into the depths, ending King Arthur’s reign.

“Monty Python and the Holy Grail” is arguably the greatest satire of Arthurian legend. The knights Sir Bedivere, Galahad, Lancelot, and Arthur all make appearances in the film, and go on daring adventures involving murderous rabbits and enchanters named Tim. One long-running joke in the film is that the knights don’t ride horses but are instead accompanied by servants who make the sound of hoofs by clapping coconuts (likely carried to England by swallows).

King Arthur was part of a group that medieval scholars believed embodied the ideal virtues of men in chivalry, service toward God, and service toward country: the Nine Worthies. The Nine Worthies were composed of three Christian men, three Jewish men, and three pagan men. Among the three Christians, King Arthur was believed to represent the ideal Christian king, valuing religion, honor, and justice.

The archetype of the wise wizard guiding powerful figures toward some unknown glory is a well-worn fictional trope. “Star Wars” Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi guides Luke Skywalker’s exploration of the Force, Dumbledore aids Harry Potter in his fight against Voldemort, and Gandalf helps Frodo destroy the “One Ring” in order to save Middle-earth.

The Holy Grail is important in Christian legends because it was purportedly used by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper. It is also a notable part of Arthurian legend. While there are many different stories that surround King Arthur and his Knights' most famous quest, the most common says that the Holy Grail cures all illness, bestows eternal youth, and provides a life free of strife and worry.

Avalon is the legendary island where King Arthur traveled to be healed after his final battle. On the island, Arthur was attended to by enchantresses skilled in the art of healing. Some Arthurian scholars and historians consider Glastonbury in Somerset to be the inspiration for Avalon because of its extensive, island-like marshes.

The fortress of Camelot, first mentioned around the 12th century, is the legendary setting for many Arthurian tales as the location of King Arthur’s court. Although Arthurian authors Geoffrey of Monmouth and Chrétien de Troyes place the mythical kingdom in South Wales, a few other candidates exist, including Cadbury Castle, an Iron Age hill fort in Somerset; Tintagel Castle in Cornwall; and Winchester Castle in Hampshire.

A traditional rectangular table is shaped so that important figures sit at the widths, or the “heads,” of the table. For that reason, King Arthur specifically commissioned a round table for his knights. The round table symbolized that no man was above any other, and allowed every Knight to have an equal voice in discussions.