The Quest

  in Legend & Literature

     by David Maher

The quest has been a constant theme in legend, literature and film. This book focuses on one of the most enduring of the quest legends - the story of King Arthur, the Round Table and the search for the Holy Grail.

These stories are the basis of a wide range of photocopiable English activities - speaking, listening, reading and viewing, with references to novels, poems and films which have drawn on the legend of King Arthur.

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The Quest Contents

Introduction

Malory's Le Morte D Arthur - A Basic Plot Outline

Quest Characters

King Arthur and Star Wars

Character Profile 1: King Arthur

How Arthur Discovered the Truth of His Birth

Responding to the Story       - Sequencing

                                      - Newspaper Reporting

                                      - Advertising

King Arthur Crossword

How Arthur Claimed the Sword Excalibur

Responding to the Story       -Creating a Weapon

Looking at Picture Books    - Creating a Children's Book

                                    - Merlin and the Dragons

                                    - Dragon Quest

Further Reading: The Sword and the Circle

Character Profile 2: Merlin

The Round Table

Character Profile 3: Guinevere

Joan of Arc

Character Profile 4: Lancelot

Poetry Worksheet - The Lady of Shalott

Merlin - Film Text

Merlin and Nimue

Poetry Worksheet     - Poetry Writing

                        - The Ballad

Character Profile 5: Uther Pendragon

Le Morte D" Arthur (excerpt)

King Arthur's World    1: Knights

                          2: Chivalry

                          3: Jousting

                          4: Courtly Love

                          5: Heraldry

                          6A: Settings - Utopia + Dystopia

                          6B: Settings - Arthur's Kingdom

                          6C: Settings - Creating a Map

                                                   The Dark Forest Game

 Mythical Creatures

Character Profile 6: The Orkney Knights

Bold Gareth and the Red Knight     – Playscript

                                                  - Staging a Production

                                                  - Writing & Design Activities

Park's Quest by Katherine Paterson

Character Profile 7: The Grail Knights

The Holy Grail and The Legend of the Fisher King

Film Texts:                 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

                        - Monty Python and the Holy Grail

                        - Fisher King

In Search of the Holy Grail- Creating a Comic Book

Character Profile 8: Mordred

Character Profile 9: Morgause and Morgan Le Fay

Celtic Heroes:            - The Legend of Cuchulainn

                         - The Tragedy of Blodeuwedd

Further Reading: Bernard Cornwell's The Warlord Chronicles

Film Text: Excalibur (Years 11-12)

The Knight of the Lion: Reading & Writing Activities - Part 1

                                                                                           - Part 2

Notes for the Teacher:          - Aims and Strategies

                                     - The Historical Arthur

                                     - Creating the Romantic Vision

                                     - King Arthur Comic Books