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The legend of King Arthur and his knights has been appropriated to serve diverse creative and political agendas over the centuries. This course will look at its origins in early Welsh legend, its elaboration by historian Geoffrey of Monmouth, and its flourishing in the English and French literature of the Middle Ages. We will attend to the ways that different groups attempt to appropriate and shape it for their own ends. We will end with a consideration of Arthur’s incarnations in the modern world, from Nazi propaganda to Monty Python.