King Arthur: History and Legend/ Dorsey Armstrong

โ€‹Please scroll down for an English review.

ืคืจื•ืคโ€™ ื“ื•ืจืกื™ ืืจืžืกื˜ืจื•ื ื’ ืกื™ืคืงื” ืœื™ ืฉืขื•ืช ืžืจืชืงื•ืช ื•ืžื”ื ื•ืช ื‘ืงื•ืจืก ื”ืงืฆืจ ืฉืœื” ืขืœ ืžื™ืชื•ืกื™ื ืžื™ืžื™ ื”ื‘ื™ื ื™ื™ื. ื”ื™ื ืžื”ืžืจืฆื™ื ืฉืžืขื‘ื™ืจื™ื ืืช ื”ื—ื•ืžืจ ื‘ื’ื•ื‘ื” ื”ืขื™ื ื™ื™ื ื•ื‘ืฉืคื” ืคืฉื•ื˜ื”. ื”ื™ื ื’ื ืžื™ื™ืฆื’ืช ืฉื™ืœื•ื‘ ื ื“ื™ืจ ืฉืœ ื™ื“ืข ืขืžื•ืง, ื›ืจื™ื–ืžื”, ื•ื—ื•ืฉ ื”ื•ืžื•ืจ ื“ืง โ€“ ืžืจืฆื” ืฉืžืฆืœื™ื—ื” ืœื”ื—ื–ื™ืง ืืช ื”ืžืื–ื™ื ื™ื ืžืจื•ืชืงื™ื ื’ื ื›ืฉื”ื™ื ืžื“ื‘ืจืช ืขืœ ืฉื•ืฉืœื•ืช ืื‘ื•ื“ื•ืช ืื• ืงื“ื•ืฉื™ื ื ื™ื“ื—ื™ื. ื‘ืžื”ืœืš ื”ื”ืจืฆืื” ืขืœ ืžื™ืชื•ืกื™ื ืžื™ืžื™ ื”ื‘ื™ื ื™ื™ื, ื”ื™ื ื”ืคื™ื—ื” ื—ื™ื™ื ื‘ืกื™ืคื•ืจื™ื, ืžื” ืฉื”ืคืš ืืช ื”ื”ืจืฆืื•ืช ืœืชืขื ื•ื’ ืืžื™ืชื™.

ื‘ื’ืœืœ ื–ื”, ื›ืฉื”ื’ืขืชื™ ืœ-โ€œKing Arthur: History and Legendโ€, ื”ื’ืขืชื™ ืขื ืฆื™ืคื™ื•ืช ื’ื‘ื•ื”ื•ืช. ื”ืงื•ืจืก ื ืฉืžืข ื›ืžื• ื”ื–ืžื ื” ืœืžืกืข ืืคื™: ืžืœืš ืืจืชื•ืจ, ืฉื•ืœื—ืŸ ืขื’ื•ืœ, ืœืื ืกืœื•ื˜, ื’ื•ื•ื™ื ื™ื‘ื™ืจ ื•ื”ื’ื‘ื™ืข ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉ. ืžื” ื™ื›ื•ืœ ืœื”ื™ื•ืช ื’ืจื•ืข? ื•ื‘ื›ืŸ, ืœื ื’ืจื•ืข, ืื‘ืœ ืืจื•ืš ืžื”ืฆืคื•ื™, ื•ืœืคืจืงื™ื ื ื’ืจืจ.

ื”ืงื•ืจืก ื”ื–ื”, ื‘ืฉื•ื ื” ืžื”ืงื•ืจืก ื”ืงืฆืจ, ื”ื•ื ื ื™ืกื™ื•ืŸ ืฉืืคืชื ื™ ืœื”ืงื™ืฃ ืืช ื›ืœ ื”ื™ืงื•ื ื”ืืจืชื•ืจื™ืื ื™ โ€“ 24 ื”ืจืฆืื•ืช (!) ืฉืžื ืกื•ืช ืœืืกื•ืฃ ืืช ื›ืœ ืฉื‘ืจื™ ื”ืžื™ืชื•ืกื™ื, ื”ืžืงื•ืจื•ืช ื”ื›ืชื•ื‘ื™ื, ื”ืฉืคื•ืช ื”ืื‘ื•ื“ื•ืช ื•ื”ืคื™ืจื•ืฉื™ื. ื”ื‘ืขื™ื”? ืœื ื›ืœ ืฉื‘ืจ ื‘ืืžืช ื“ื•ืจืฉ ื–ื›ื•ื›ื™ืช ืžื’ื“ืœืช. ื‘ืžื”ืœืš ื”ื”ืจืฆืื•ืช ื”ื™ื ืฉื•ืคื›ืช ืื•ืจ ื’ื ืขืœ ืคื™ื ื•ืช ืืคืœื•ืช ืฉื‘ืืžืช ื™ื›ืœื• ืœื”ื™ืฉืืจ ื‘ืฆืœ. ื‘ื—ืœืงื™ื ืžืกื•ื™ืžื™ื, ื”ื”ืจืฆืื•ืช ื”ืคื›ื• ืœืžืกืข ื‘ืœืฉื ื™ โ€“ ืขื ืงืจื™ื™ื ื•ืช ืฉืœ ืฉื•ืจื•ืช ืฉืœืžื•ืช ื‘ืœื˜ื™ื ื™ืช, ื•ื•ืœืฉื™ืช ืขืชื™ืงื” ื•ื’ืืœื™ืช โ€“ ืฉื’ืจืžื• ืœื™ ืœื”ืจื’ื™ืฉ ื›ืื™ืœื• ื”ื’ืขืชื™ ืœืงื•ืจืก ืื—ืจ ืœื’ืžืจื™.

ื•ืขื“ื™ื™ืŸ, ื“ื•ืจืกื™ ื”ื™ื ื“ื•ืจืกื™. ื›ืฉื”ื™ื ืžื’ื™ืขื” ืืœ ืœื‘ ื”ืื’ื“ื” โ€“ ื”ืืงืฉืŸ ื—ื•ื–ืจ, ื•ื”ืงื•ืจืก ืžืชืขื•ืจืจ ืœื—ื™ื™ื. ื›ืš, ื”ืกื™ืคื•ืจ ืฉืœ ืœืื ืกืœื•ื˜ ื•ื’ื•ื•ื™ื ื™ื‘ื™ืจ ืžืงื‘ืœ ื›ืืŸ ื˜ื™ืคื•ืœ ืขืฉื™ืจ ื•ืžื•ืจื›ื‘. ืœื ืขื•ื“ ืจืง ืจื•ืžืŸ ืืกื•ืจ, ืืœื ื ื™ืชื•ื— ืžื“ื•ื™ืง ืฉืœ ื”ื˜ืจื’ื“ื™ื” ื”ืื ื•ืฉื™ืช ืฉืžืื—ื•ืจื™ ื”ืงืœื™ืฉืื”: ื”ื—ื™ืคื•ืฉ ืื—ืจื™ ืื”ื‘ื”, ื”ื‘ื’ื™ื“ื” ื‘ื—ื‘ืจ, ื”ืžืœืš ื•ื”ืื™ื“ื™ืืœ, ื•ื”ืงืจืข ืฉื”ื•ืœื™ื“ ืืช ื ืคื™ืœืช ื—ืฆืจื• ืฉืœ ืืจืชื•ืจ. ื›ืืŸ, ื“ื•ืจืกื™ ืขื•ืฉื” ืืช ืžื” ืฉื”ื™ื ื™ื•ื“ืขืช ืœืขืฉื•ืช ื”ื›ื™ ื˜ื•ื‘ โ€“ ืœื”ืคื•ืš ื˜ืงืกื˜ ืขืชื™ืง ืœื ืจืื˜ื™ื‘ ื—ื™, ืฉื‘ื• ื›ืœ ื“ืžื•ืช, ืื‘ื™ืจ ืื• ืžืœื›ื” ืžืจื’ื™ืฉื™ื ื›ืžื• ื“ืžื•ื™ื•ืช ื‘ืฉืจ ื•ื“ื.

ื”ื™ื”ืœื•ื ืฉื‘ื›ืชืจ, ื”ื—ืœืง ืฉื‘ื• ื”ืงื•ืจืก ื‘ืืžืช ืžืžืจื™ื ื”ื•ื ื›ืฉื”ื™ื ืฆื•ืœืœืช ืœืžื™ืชื•ืœื•ื’ื™ื” ืฉืœ ื”ื’ื‘ื™ืข ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉ. ื›ืืŸ, ื“ื•ืจืกื™ ืคื•ืจืฉืช ืืช ืื—ื“ ื”ืžืงืจื™ื ื”ืžื•ื–ืจื™ื ื•ื”ืžืจืชืงื™ื ื‘ืชื•ืœื“ื•ืช ื”ืชืจื‘ื•ืช โ€“ ืื™ืš ืฆืœื—ืช ื”ื’ืฉื” ืคืฉื•ื˜ื” ื‘ืžืื” ื”-12, ื”ืคื›ื” ืœืกืžืœ ื ื•ืฆืจื™ ืฉืขืœ ืžื ืช ืœื—ืคืฉื• ื™ืฆืื• ื”ืžื•ื ื™ื ืœืžืกืขื•ืช ืฆืœื‘, ืœืงื•ื“ ืžืกืชื•ืจื™ ื‘ืกืคืจื™ ื“ืŸ ื‘ืจืื•ืŸ ื•ืœื—ื•ืžืจ ื‘ืขืจื” ืœืกืจื˜ื™ ื”ืจืคืชืงืื•ืช, ืงื•ืžื™ืงืก ื•ืžื›ื™ืจื•ืช. ืื™ืŸ ื”ืจื‘ื” ืžืจืฆื™ื ืฉื™ื›ื•ืœื™ื ืœื”ืกื‘ื™ืจ ื‘ืฆื•ืจื” ื›ื” ื‘ื”ื™ืจื” ืื™ืš ืื’ื“ื” ื ื•ืฆืจืช ื•ื”ื•ืคื›ืช ืžื›ืœื™ ืงื“ื•ืฉ, ืœืžื›ื•ื ืช ื›ืกืฃ.

ื‘ื™ืŸ ืœื‘ื™ืŸ ื™ืฉื ืŸ ืชื’ืœื™ื•ืช ื ื•ืกืคื•ืช โ€“ ื’ืœื’ื•ืœื• ืฉืœ ืžืจืœื™ืŸ ืžื‘ืืจื“ ื•ื•ืœืฉื™ ืืœ ืงื•ืกื-ื”ื—ืฆืจ ื”ืขืจืžื•ืžื™, ื”ืกื™ืคื•ืจื™ื ื”ืืœื™ืžื™ื ืฉืœ ืœื™ื™ืžื•ืŸ ื•ื”ืงืจื™ืฆื•ืช ื”ืฉื ื•ื ื•ืช ืฉืœ ืžืืจืง ื˜ื•ื•ื™ื™ืŸ ืœโ€ื™ืžื™ ื”ืื‘ื™ืจื™ืโ€ ืืœื” ื”ื ืจื’ืขื™ื ืฉืžืฆื“ื™ืงื” ืืช ืจื›ื™ืฉืช ื”ืงื•ืจืก.

ืœืฆืขืจื™, ืžื™ ืฉื”ืงืฉื™ื‘ ืœืงื•ืจืก ื”ืงืฆืจ, ื™ื—ื•ื•ื” ื›ืžื•ื ื™ ืชื—ื•ืฉืช ื“ื” ื–โ€™ื”-ื•ื•. ืคืจืงื™ื ืžืกื•ื™ืžื™ื ื—ื•ื–ืจื™ื ืขืœ ืชื›ื ื™ื ืžื”ืงื•ืจืก ื”ืงืฆืจ, ืจืง ื”ืคืขื ืขื ื”ืจื—ื‘ื•ืช, ื”ืคื ื™ื•ืช ื•ื ื‘ื™ืจื” ืขืžื•ืงื” ื™ื•ืชืจ.

ืœืžืจื•ืช ืฉื”ืงื•ืจืก ื”ื–ื” ืœื ื ื™ืฆื ืฅ ืขื‘ื•ืจื™, ืœื ื”ื™ื™ืชื™ ืžื•ื•ืชืจืช ืขืœ ื”ื—ื•ื•ื™ื” ื›ื•ืœื”. ืื ืืชื ืื•ื”ื‘ื™ื ืžื™ืชื•ืœื•ื’ื™ื•ืช, ืžืชืขื ื™ื™ื ื™ื ื‘ืงืฉืจื™ื ืฉื‘ื™ืŸ ืื‘ื™ืจื•ืช ืœืืžื ื•ืช ืžื•ื“ืจื ื™ืช, ืื• ืกืชื ืจื•ืฆื™ื ืœื”ื‘ื™ืŸ ืื™ืš ืกื™ืคื•ืจ ืขืœ ืžืœืš ืžื“ื•ืžื™ื™ืŸ ื”ืคืš ืœืžื™ืชื•ืก ืฉืœื ื ืก ืœื™ื—ื• ื’ื 1,000 ืฉื ื™ื ืื—ืจื™ โ€“ ื™ืฉ ื”ืจื‘ื” ืžื” ืœืงื—ืช ืžื”ืงื•ืจืก ื”ื–ื”.

ื”ื”ืžืœืฆื” ืฉืœื™? ืœื”ืชื—ื™ืœ ืขื ื”ืงื•ืจืก ื”ืงืฆืจ ืฉืœื” ืขืœ ืžื™ืชื•ืกื™ื ืžื™ืžื™ ื”ื‘ื™ื ื™ื™ื โ€“ ื•ืžืฉื ืœื”ื—ืœื™ื˜ ืื ื™ืฉ ืœื›ื ื—ืฉืง ืœื”ืžืฉื™ืš ืœื”ืจืคืชืงื” ื”ืืจื•ื›ื” ื™ื•ืชืจ ืขื ื”ืžืœืš ืืจืชื•ืจ.


Professor Dorsey Armstrong gave me several fascinating and enjoyable hours in her short course on Medieval Myths. She is one of those rare lecturers who engages with students as if she is speaking directly to them rather than at them. Dorsey combines profound knowledge, charisma, and subtle humor, making her the professor who captivates you, even when discussing forgotten dynasties or obscure saints. She transformed medieval myths into vibrant, compelling stories at that timeโ€“ a course I eagerly devoured.

Thatโ€™s why, when I enrolled in her more comprehensive course titled โ€œKing Arthur: History and Legend,โ€ I had high expectations. It sounded like an epic adventure: King Arthur, the Round Table, Lancelot, Guinevere, and the Holy Grail. What could go wrong? While things didnโ€™t go awry, the journey was longer than I anticipated and occasionally a bit meandering.

This course is an ambitious effort to cover the entire Arthurian universe, consisting of 24 lectures that aim to explore every fragment of myth, written source, lost language, and interpretation. However, not every fragment requires such a detailed examination. In this series, Dorsey illuminates even the darkest corners that could have comfortably remained in the shadows. At times, the lectures transform into a linguistic journey, featuring complete readings of entire lines in Latin, Old Welsh, and Gaelic, which makes it feel like Iโ€™ve stumbled into a completely different course.

Dorsey remains true to herself as the action intensifies when she delves into the essence of the legend, bringing the story to life. For instance, her portrayal of Lancelot and Guinevere is rich and nuanced. Itโ€™s more than just a tale of forbidden love; it offers a deep exploration of the human tragedy behind this clichรฉ: the quest for love, the betrayal of a friend, a king, and an ideal, as well as the rift that ultimately leads to the downfall of Arthurโ€™s court. In this, Dorsey excels at transforming ancient texts into vibrant narratives where every knight, queen, and broken hero is given a genuine and alive voice.

The highlight of the course occurs when she delves into the mythology of the Holy Grail. Dorsey explores one of the most intriguing transformations in cultural history: how a simple serving dish from the 12th century became a Christian symbol, a secret code in Dan Brownโ€™s novels, and inspiration for adventure films, comics, and marketing campaigns. Few lecturers can clearly explain how a legend evolves from a sacred relic into a commercial phenomenon.

Along the way, there are other surprising discoveries โ€“ the evolution of Merlin from a Welsh bard to a cunning court wizard, Layamonโ€™s brutal English tales, and Mark Twainโ€™s sharp jabs at the myth of chivalry โ€“ moments where Dorsey justifies every penny of this course.

Unfortunately, for those who listened to her earlier short course, thereโ€™s a definite sense of dรฉjร  vu. Some lectures revisit material from the shorter series, only this time with more detours, references, and deeper dives.

While this course didnโ€™t sparkle for me as I had hoped, I still wouldnโ€™t trade the experience. If you love mythology, are intrigued by the intersections of chivalry and modern art, or want to understand how a tale of a possibly fictional king became a cultural myth that spans the globe. Thereโ€™s plenty to gain from this course.

My advice? Start with her short Medieval Myths course, then decide if youโ€™re ready for the more extended adventure with King Arthur.

๐Ÿคž ืงื‘ืœื• ืžื™ื™ืœ ืžืจื•ื›ื– ืื—ืช ืœืฉื‘ื•ืข!

ืื ื—ื ื• ืœื ืฉื•ืœื—ื™ื ืกืคืื! ืœืžื™ื“ืข ื ื•ืกืฃ ื ื™ืชืŸ ืœืงืจื•ื ืืช ืžื“ื™ื ื™ื•ืช ื”ืคืจื˜ื™ื•ืช ืฉืœื ื•.


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ืืžื ื‘ืžืฉืจื” ืžืœืื” ื•ืืฉืช ืงืจื™ื™ืจื”, ืชื•ืœืขืช ืกืคืจื™ื ื”ื™ืกื˜ืจื™ืช ื•ืฆืœืžืช ื‘ืฆื•ืง ื”ืขื™ืชื™ื. ื“ืขืชื ื™ืช ื•ื—ื•ื‘ื‘ืช ืคื•ืœื™ื˜ื™ืงื” ื•ืคื™ืœื•ืกื•ืคื™ื”. ืฉื•ืืคืช ืœื”ื’ื™ืข ืœื™ืจื— ื•ืžืงื•ื•ื” ืฉื–ื” ื™ืงืจื” ืœืคื ื™ ืฉื”ื™ืจื— ื™ื’ื™ืข ืืœื™ื ื•. ืื ื™ ืžืื—ืœืช ืœืงื•ืจืื™ ื”ื‘ืœื•ื’ ื ืกื™ืขื” ื ืขื™ืžื”!

ื”ืฉืืจ ืชื’ื•ื‘ื”

ืืชืจ ื–ื• ืขื•ืฉื” ืฉื™ืžื•ืฉ ื‘-Akismet ื›ื“ื™ ืœืกื ืŸ ืชื’ื•ื‘ื•ืช ื–ื‘ืœ. ืคืจื˜ื™ื ื ื•ืกืคื™ื ืื•ื“ื•ืช ืื™ืš ื”ืžื™ื“ืข ืžื”ืชื’ื•ื‘ื” ืฉืœืš ื™ืขื•ื‘ื“.

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ืœื’ืœื•ืช ืขื•ื“ ืžื”ืืชืจ Sivi's Books

ื›ื“ื™ ืœื”ืžืฉื™ืš ืœืงืจื•ื ื•ืœืงื‘ืœ ื’ื™ืฉื” ืœืืจื›ื™ื•ืŸ ื”ืžืœื ื™ืฉ ืœื”ื™ืจืฉื ืขื›ืฉื™ื•.

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