Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

First Advisor

Dr. Elisabeth Gruner

Abstract

The story of King Arthur has been told time and time again, emerging most recently as a major literary fascination for fantasy writers. The huge body of Arthurian literature published in the 20th century has been well-documented. Raymond H. Thompson’s The Return From Avalon surveys nearly two hundred works published from 1882 to 1983, noting trends and common themes that emerge over this collection. Several more scholars have examined modern Arthurian literature within a smaller scope, including Shiloh Carroll who looks into certain trends across both 20th and 21st century texts. Particular works have been the focus of closer analysis, such as Mary Stewart’s Merlin trilogy which appears frequently in feminist scholarship. Despite studies like Carroll’s, however, the Arthurian literature of the 21st century has naturally garnered less critical attention. This century’s body of literature is still emerging, with far fewer works to reference, and its trends blend together with those of the 20th century. Morgan and Guinevere continue to be popular characters to reimagine, for example, evident in Sophie Keetch’s Morgan Le Fay trilogy and Kiersten White’s Camelot Rising series, and the themes Thompson notes in Return to Avalon remain a consistent element of King Arthur’s story. Modern authors contribute to more than a thousand years of literary tradition, and the turning of a century will not significantly shift this tradition’s focus particularly quickly.

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