From the Paper
"This paper will discuss the use of characterization in the medieval Welsh tale "Culhwch and Olwen." Particular emphasis will be placed on the character of Culhwch and his love for the character Olwen. "Culhwch and Olwen" is an early Arthurian legend which "is found in a thirteenth century manuscript but generally accepted as a tenth century redaction of much more ancient material". The story is concerned mostly with Culhwch's efforts to win the hand of Olwen, the daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden. In order to win her hand, Culhwch must first meet a series of challenges which have been imposed by the giant. Culhwch does not take on these challenges himself, but rather has Arthur and his men accomplish them for him. Because Culhwch's role in his own tale is limited in this way, and also because he is not described in much detail, ... "

Abstract
This paper compares and contrasts the changing character of King Arthur and the ideals of the society in "How Cullhwch won Olwen" in Mabinogion, with those displayed in later forms of the Arthurian legend, such as "L'Morte d'Arthur" by Chretien de Troyes and Sir Thomas Mallory. This paper argues that King Arthur in "Cullwhch and Olwen" is a paragon of ancient Welsh ideals, which were heroic, but different and less refined than the ideals of the later medieval European society.

From the Paper
"From the early days of Welsh folklore up to the present time, King Arthur has been a symbol of the ideal king, and his kingdom has been seen as an ideal society. Arthur, his knights, and his kingdom have gone through many changes throughout history as new versions of the legend were written. Each time the tale of King Arthur was rewritten, it was different, as it was reconfigured to conform to the morals and ideals of the culture it was written in. In the story of How Cullwhch won Olwen in the Mabinogion, Arthur and his knights are legendary Welsh heroes."

Tags:folklore, welsh, medieval

Abstract
Although no actual historical accounts of a King Arthur exist, his reputation is certainly legendary. Whatever the case, the deeds of Arthur, fictitious or not, developed into an immense body of romantic stories that have provided a glorious past for the Britons. This paper looks at the history of the Arthurian legends beginning with "De Excidio et Conauestu Britanniae" (c.540) by the Roman-Welsh citizen, Gildas, through Geoffrey of Monmouth's popular "History of the Kings of Britain" (c. 1136) and concluding with Sir Thomas Malory's "Morte D'Arthur (c. 1470), based on both English and French Arthurian traditions.

From the Paper
"The development of the Arthurian legend reflects medieval political and nationalistic concerns. A great deal of fiction in the guise of fact, the legend of Arthur provided a glorious past for the Britons who wanted to believe that they could trace their ancestry to Aeneas in Troy, as suggested by Geoffrey and Layamon. Geoffrey indeed realized this desire to satisfy the need to know one's roots when he created what he did not know in his History. In a turbulent age when acts of violence founded countries, kingdoms, and even families, the emergence of a strong leader capable of combating the discord with violent acts of his own appealed to the people and gave them both justification for their present state and hope for their future. With his series of expanding conquests, power being the ultimate authorizing force (might makes right), Arthur embodies the Celtic good by legally legitimizing and glorifying territorial victories much like the Norman Conquest. Thus, Arthur was a national hero who unified the Britons and prevented them from fighting amongst themselves so much that outside forces could easily defeat them."

Tags:Ambrosius, Aurelianus, Culwch, Olwen, Vulgate, Cycle