1. Proposal

Although I have been studying and relishing Romantic, Victorian, and Modern British literature since I was a teenager, it was only a few years ago, when I was asked to teach an ancient British literature course, that I began to discover the magic of Arthurian legend. In Medieval works such as Morte Darthur, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, "Lanval" and The Myth of Arthur's Return, all of which I love, the female characters are intriguing, varied, and mysterious but often underdeveloped when compared to their male counterparts. In the late twentieth century, writer Marion Zimmer Bradley recognized and filled this gap by creating her epic Mists of Avalon series. I count the first book in this series--a retelling of Arthurian legend from the perspectives of Morgan le Fay, Igraine, Viviane, and Guinevere--among my favorite works of literature. Its rich imagery and attention to historical detail enables the female reader to delve deeply and lose herself into King Arthur's world while simultaneously empowering her with its message of gender equality and matriarchal significance. This blog is my attempt to pay homage to these fascinating, legendary characters who have provided me with much inspiration.