Arthurian Names

Sponsoring Organization(s)

Arthurian Literature

Organizer Name

David F. Johnson

Organizer Affiliation

Florida State Univ.

Presider Name

Elizabeth Archibald

Presider Affiliation

Durham Univ.

Paper Title 1

The Fairy Queens: Invocation of Fairy Tradition in the Names of Guinevere and Morgan le Fay

Presenter 1 Name

Paul Moffett

Presenter 1 Affiliation

Memorial Univ. of Newfoundland

Paper Title 2

Onomastic Innovation and Function in Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival

Presenter 2 Name

Stephen Mark Carey

Presenter 2 Affiliation

Univ. of Minnesota-Morris

Paper Title 3

Mockery and Identity in Kay's Round Table

Presenter 3 Name

Maia Farrar

Presenter 3 Affiliation

Univ. of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Paper Title 4

Britons amongst Hebrews: Two Brythonic Names in Melech Artus

Presenter 4 Name

Phillip A. Bernhardt-House

Presenter 4 Affiliation

Skagit Valley College-Whidbey Island

Start Date

11-5-2019 3:30 PM

Session Location

Bernhard 208

Description

Arthurian Names

Much attention has been paid to the names of major Arthurian characters. In this session we want to explore a wide range of names in both medieval and modern texts. Topics might include the repeated use of some names - for instance Elaine and Ector, both with Trojan resonances, or subsidiary Tristans and Arthurs; the possible derivation of some key names, not least Arthur himself; the trope of the hero’s discovery of his own name and the significance of identity; nicknames, medieval and modern - for instance, Arthur’s secret name is Childslayer in Guy Gavriel Kay’s FionnavarTapestry; and the choices of post-medieval writers for well-known characters in the legend. Why do the names of Arthur’s sisters and the Lady of the Lake differ in medieval sources? Do different national traditions vary in their approaches to Arthurian naming? - Elizabeth F. Archibald and David F. Johnson