Everyone loves a gripping tale full of intrigue, with interesting characters and story-lines that revolve around human relationships. In the myths and legends of olden times, fantastical creatures and a bit of magic often increased the drama. Even today these elements still make for a gripping read. A common theme for contemporary fantasy romance novels based in England is the legends of long ago, particularly the stories of Camelot.
Fantasy romance, as the name implies, is a blend of two popular genres. Fantasy often revolves around magic and mythical creatures while romance deals with tales of love. In Arthurian legend, these elements combine perfectly to create some of the greatest love stories of all time.
Nobody knows whether King Arthur actually existed. According to legend, he was king of Britain in the fifth or the sixth century. At the time, England was a place of conflict: Anglo-Saxon invasions, the spread of Christianity to the detriment of the old religions, and endless struggles for power. Arthur supposedly brought peace with the help of his knights, who would convene around a round table at his castle, the legendary Camelot.
Love is a common theme in many of the stories of Camelot. The most well-known of the Arthurian romances is the one between Lancelot and the beautiful Guinevere. However, this is also a tragic story that eventually destroys Arthur's kingdom. Lancelot, after all, is a close friend of King Arthur and a knight everyone looks up to, being handsome and brave and having been raised in the magical kingdom of Avalon, while Guinevere is married to King Arthur.
Another famous love story in the legends of the Round Table is that of Tristan and Iseult, also known as Isolde. Their story has even been made into a well-known opera. Tristan is a knight who has to bring Iseult from Ireland so that she can marry King Mark, who reigns in Cornwall and is also Tristan's uncle. A love potion causes Tristan and Iseult to fall in love with each other instead.
There are also some beautiful stories that have a happy ending. One of these is the tale of Sir Gawain and the Dame Ragnelle. Gawain marries Ragnelle, a truly ugly woman, in order to save Arthur's life. This act partially breaks the spell that destroyed Ragnelle's looks in the first place and Gawain, through his chivalry, eventually breaks the spell completely to restore Ragnelle's beauty.
Several classic works in literature are based on the stories of King Arthur. Contemporary novels, especially those in the fantasy genre, are often inspired by the legends of Camelot too. Sometimes the authors take the old stories and give them a contemporary setting. More often, though, they tell a specific Arthurian story but from a different angle, such as in the extremely popular 'The Mists of Avalon'.
To find stories based on Arthurian legend in your local bookstore or library, look in the sections marked 'fantasy' or 'romance'. You'll find the older versions under the 'classics'. If you want to make the search much easier, simply go online. This way you can also use the reviews to decide whether a specific novel will be for you.
Fantasy romance, as the name implies, is a blend of two popular genres. Fantasy often revolves around magic and mythical creatures while romance deals with tales of love. In Arthurian legend, these elements combine perfectly to create some of the greatest love stories of all time.
Nobody knows whether King Arthur actually existed. According to legend, he was king of Britain in the fifth or the sixth century. At the time, England was a place of conflict: Anglo-Saxon invasions, the spread of Christianity to the detriment of the old religions, and endless struggles for power. Arthur supposedly brought peace with the help of his knights, who would convene around a round table at his castle, the legendary Camelot.
Love is a common theme in many of the stories of Camelot. The most well-known of the Arthurian romances is the one between Lancelot and the beautiful Guinevere. However, this is also a tragic story that eventually destroys Arthur's kingdom. Lancelot, after all, is a close friend of King Arthur and a knight everyone looks up to, being handsome and brave and having been raised in the magical kingdom of Avalon, while Guinevere is married to King Arthur.
Another famous love story in the legends of the Round Table is that of Tristan and Iseult, also known as Isolde. Their story has even been made into a well-known opera. Tristan is a knight who has to bring Iseult from Ireland so that she can marry King Mark, who reigns in Cornwall and is also Tristan's uncle. A love potion causes Tristan and Iseult to fall in love with each other instead.
There are also some beautiful stories that have a happy ending. One of these is the tale of Sir Gawain and the Dame Ragnelle. Gawain marries Ragnelle, a truly ugly woman, in order to save Arthur's life. This act partially breaks the spell that destroyed Ragnelle's looks in the first place and Gawain, through his chivalry, eventually breaks the spell completely to restore Ragnelle's beauty.
Several classic works in literature are based on the stories of King Arthur. Contemporary novels, especially those in the fantasy genre, are often inspired by the legends of Camelot too. Sometimes the authors take the old stories and give them a contemporary setting. More often, though, they tell a specific Arthurian story but from a different angle, such as in the extremely popular 'The Mists of Avalon'.
To find stories based on Arthurian legend in your local bookstore or library, look in the sections marked 'fantasy' or 'romance'. You'll find the older versions under the 'classics'. If you want to make the search much easier, simply go online. This way you can also use the reviews to decide whether a specific novel will be for you.
About the Author:
Read more about The Most Enduring Theme For Fantasy Romance Novels Based In England.
No comments:
Post a Comment