The Sword and the Circle
Encyclopedia
The Sword and the Circle: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a children's novel by Rosemary Sutcliff
and was first published in 1981. It is a retelling of the story of King Arthur
and his Knights of the Round Table. According to her own statements in the introduction, The Sword and the Circle follows the myths and folktales of King Arthur, crediting inspiration primarily from Sir Thomas Malory
's Le Morte d'Arthur
; other sources include Geoffrey of Monmouth
's Historia Regum Britanniae
, English ballads, and Irish folktales.. She contrasts this telling of the King Arthur story with her previous novels, The Lantern Bearers
and Sword at Sunset
, which were more an attempt to connect with a concrete historical figure behind the folktales.
, begot upon Lady Igraine
with the assistance of Merlin
. Merlin did not feature in Sutcliff's previous Arthurian stories of Sword at Sunset
, but is shown here as being the driving force behind the ascension of King Arthur and his court. Merlin is depicted as being descended from the Lordly Ones, or the 'Little Dark People', as Sutcliff commonly refers to the possible original inhabitants of Great Britain
. He orchestrates Arthur's upbringing under Sir Ector
, alongside his foster brother Sir Kay
. Arthur's identity as ruler of Britain is revealed when he pulls the Sword from the Stone, but he later receives Excalibur
, a different sword, from the Lady in the Lake
.
The rest of the novel's chapters cover many of the other classic Arthurian characters and tales
, including: the origins of Lancelot of the Lake, as well as his encounters with Elaine;Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
; Beaumains, the Kitchen Knight; Tristan and Iseult
, in a retelling nearly identical to Sutcliff's earlier novel of the same name
, albeit a much shorter version; Geraint and Enid; Gawain
and the Loathly Lady; and finally the arrival of Percival
at Arthur's court, which is connected by Merlin's previous prophecies to presage the beginning of the Round Table's downfall.
The book stops here, to be continued in The Light Beyond the Forest
and The Road to Camlann
.
Rosemary Sutcliff
Rosemary Sutcliff CBE was a British novelist, and writer for children, best known as a writer of historical fiction and children's literature. Although she was primarily a children's author, the quality and depth of her writing also appeals to adults; Sutcliff herself once commented that she wrote...
and was first published in 1981. It is a retelling of the story of King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
and his Knights of the Round Table. According to her own statements in the introduction, The Sword and the Circle follows the myths and folktales of King Arthur, crediting inspiration primarily from Sir Thomas Malory
Thomas Malory
Sir Thomas Malory was an English writer, the author or compiler of Le Morte d'Arthur. The antiquary John Leland as well as John Bale believed him to be Welsh, but most modern scholars, beginning with G. L...
's Le Morte d'Arthur
Le Morte d'Arthur
Le Morte d'Arthur is a compilation by Sir Thomas Malory of Romance tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table...
; other sources include Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth was a cleric and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur...
's Historia Regum Britanniae
Historia Regum Britanniae
The Historia Regum Britanniae is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written c. 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It chronicles the lives of the kings of the Britons in a chronological narrative spanning a time of two thousand years, beginning with the Trojans founding the British nation...
, English ballads, and Irish folktales.. She contrasts this telling of the King Arthur story with her previous novels, The Lantern Bearers
The Lantern Bearers (Sutcliff novel)
The Lantern Bearers is a historical adventure novel for children written by Rosemary Sutcliff and published in 1959, with illustrations by Charles Keeping...
and Sword at Sunset
Sword at Sunset
Sword at Sunset is a 1963 book by Rosemary Sutcliff, part of her The Eagle of the Ninth series. It is a modern interpretation of the legends of King Arthur....
, which were more an attempt to connect with a concrete historical figure behind the folktales.
Plot summary
The novel is broken into thirteen chapters, with the first five being the development of King Arthur's background, while the remaining are nearly stand-alone stories covering the exploits of different knights. He is shown as the son of Uther PendragonUther Pendragon
Uther Pendragon is a legendary king of sub-Roman Britain and the father of King Arthur.A few minor references to Uther appear in Old Welsh poems, but his biography was first written down by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae , and Geoffrey's account of the character was used in...
, begot upon Lady Igraine
Igraine
Igraine , in Arthurian legend, is the mother of King Arthur. She is also known in Latin as Igerna, in Welsh as Eigyr, in French as Igerne, in Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur as Ygrayne— often modernized as Igraine—and in Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival as Arnive...
with the assistance of Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
. Merlin did not feature in Sutcliff's previous Arthurian stories of Sword at Sunset
Sword at Sunset
Sword at Sunset is a 1963 book by Rosemary Sutcliff, part of her The Eagle of the Ninth series. It is a modern interpretation of the legends of King Arthur....
, but is shown here as being the driving force behind the ascension of King Arthur and his court. Merlin is depicted as being descended from the Lordly Ones, or the 'Little Dark People', as Sutcliff commonly refers to the possible original inhabitants of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. He orchestrates Arthur's upbringing under Sir Ector
Sir Ector
Sir Ector is the father of Sir Kay and the foster father of King Arthur in the Arthurian legend. Sometimes a king instead of merely a lord, he has an estate in the country as well as properties in London. In The Once and Future King T. H...
, alongside his foster brother Sir Kay
Sir Kay
In Arthurian legend, Sir Kay is Sir Ector's son and King Arthur's foster brother and later seneschal, as well as one of the first Knights of the Round Table. In later literature he is known for his acid tongue and bullying, boorish behavior, but in earlier accounts he was one of Arthur's premier...
. Arthur's identity as ruler of Britain is revealed when he pulls the Sword from the Stone, but he later receives Excalibur
Excalibur
Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was...
, a different sword, from the Lady in the Lake
Lady in the Lake
Lady in the Lake is a 1947 American film noir that marked the directorial debut of Robert Montgomery, who also stars in the film. The picture also features Audrey Totter, Lloyd Nolan, Tom Tully, Leon Ames and Jayne Meadows...
.
The rest of the novel's chapters cover many of the other classic Arthurian characters and tales
Matter of Britain
The Matter of Britain is a name given collectively to the body of literature and legendary material associated with Great Britain and its legendary kings, particularly King Arthur...
, including: the origins of Lancelot of the Lake, as well as his encounters with Elaine;Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a late 14th-century Middle English alliterative romance outlining an adventure of Sir Gawain, a knight of King Arthur's Round Table. In the poem, Sir Gawain accepts a challenge from a mysterious warrior who is completely green, from his clothes and hair to his...
; Beaumains, the Kitchen Knight; Tristan and Iseult
Tristan and Iseult
The legend of Tristan and Iseult is an influential romance and tragedy, retold in numerous sources with as many variations. The tragic story is of the adulterous love between the Cornish knight Tristan and the Irish princess Iseult...
, in a retelling nearly identical to Sutcliff's earlier novel of the same name
Tristan and Iseult (novel)
Tristan and Iseult is a children's novel by Rosemary Sutcliff and was first published in 1971. A re-telling of an ancient story, it received the Boston-Globe Horn Book Award in 1972 , and was runner-up for the 1972 Carnegie medal ....
, albeit a much shorter version; Geraint and Enid; Gawain
The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle
The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle is a 15th-century English poem, one of several versions of the "loathly lady" story popular during the Middle Ages...
and the Loathly Lady; and finally the arrival of Percival
Percival
Percival or Perceval is one of King Arthur's legendary Knights of the Round Table. In Welsh literature his story is allotted to the historical Peredur...
at Arthur's court, which is connected by Merlin's previous prophecies to presage the beginning of the Round Table's downfall.
The book stops here, to be continued in The Light Beyond the Forest
The Light Beyond the Forest
The Light Beyond the Forest: The Quest for the Holy Grail is the second book in Rosemary Sutcliff's Arthurian trilogy. While the previous book, The Sword and the Circle, is a collection of Arthurian tales including the creation of the Round Table, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Beaumains the...
and The Road to Camlann
The Road to Camlann
The Road to Camlann: The Death of King Arthur is the third book in Rosemary Sutcliff's Arthurian trilogy, after The Sword and the Circle and The Light Beyond the Forest...
.