Experiencing Tales of Wizardry, Mystery, and Chivalry: A Book Review

Legends of the Round Table: 7 Essential Arthurian Legends & Discussion Questions. Vol. 1. Edited by Katerina Kern. Concord: CiRCE Institute, 2023. 351 pages. $19.99, softcover.

 For centuries, Arthurian legend has captivated child and adult readers alike with tales of wizardry, mystery, and chivalry. While unanswered questions revolving around origin, characters, and events lend a certain magical quality to the tales, much of their appeal is owing to the exploration of character and virtue in the form of good stories. It is this “virtue, honor, and nobility” which drives the selection of the collected stories in CiRCE‘s recent volume, Legends of the Round Table.

Legends of the Round Table begins with a helpful introduction addressing two key concerns: the editors’ choice to leave the legends in unfamiliar, archaic language and the purpose and placement of discussion questions throughout each tale. Regarding the complexity of the language, the editor suggests that this is primarily a concern of adult readers—not children—arguing, “Children, especially those brought up on scripture, readily associate beautiful, mysterious, and complex language with the best of things.” Beauty and mystery enhance the experience of wonder, which motivates children to explore the stories in an effort to gain understanding. While the language of the stories has not been modernized, the editor does suggest a helpful strategy for addressing the frustration or confusion that may arise from reading unfamiliar words: Parents or teachers can encourage children to look for unfamiliar words, phrases, or sentences in other places in the text, seeking to gain an understanding of meaning from context.

The volume’s introduction also prepares the reader for three types of questions sprinkled throughout the text: “those within the story, those to conclude the story, and those seeking broader types.” Questions placed within the story prompt readers to consider the choice or action of a character or anticipate a conflict or resolution. The editor terms these “normative questions” aimed at cultivating poetic knowledge, helping readers digest the story from within before moving to analyze the whole. Following each tale, questions requiring close reading help students “to observe closely, draw connections, and analyze themes, symbols, motifs, and characters.” Finally, each chapter concludes with questions intended to help readers to identify types and patterns across stories, comparing, contrasting, and synthesizing what they have just read with stories they have read elsewhere.

The bulk of Legends of the Round Table is comprised of seven legends from the early years of King Arthur’s court. Each chapter begins with a brief preface, serving as a pre-reading exercise which helps readers develop some context for the story that follows—a strategy especially helpful for young readers without previous exposure to Arthurian legend. Beginning with Arthur’s “Winning of Knighthood” and continuing on to other legends of the court and of characters Sir Gareth, Sir Tristam, and the Lady Belle Isoult, most of the tales are divided into multiple parts, creating chapters that are easily read in one sitting. The stories include both male and female characters and explore a variety of themes, such as fear, courage, choice, loyalty, identity, love, and friendship. Each chapter ends with enough closure from which to draw adequate observation and reflection, yet the divided sections of story leave the reader curious about elements yet to be developed or resolved—a helpful motivator for readers of all ages.

As a childhood lover of Arthurian legend, I was eager to receive this volume and read it to my own children. My listeners included both strong and struggling readers, ages 9-13, with varying degrees of exposure to the characters addressed in the book. Admittedly, I had my apprehensions about the editor’s choice to retain the complex language of the tales; however, I found the decision to have valid support. Overall, my juvenile readers/listeners seemed unbothered by the unfamiliar words. When necessary, we stopped to examine context for meaning and paused to research words for definitions and/or pictures. While I expected to be the one proposing a new challenging chapter each day, my students swiftly beat me to the task, asking for “just one more story”—the best endorsement a child can offer.

As a parent and teacher, my favorite moments of experiencing Legends of the Round Table with my children came at the end of each chapter as we explored types and patterns scattered among other stories—especially those found in Scripture. My children lit up in wonder as they made connections between Arthur and David, Moses, or Christ. While engaging in comparison and synthesis sometimes presented a challenge for my young listeners, wrestling with the ideas nonetheless bore the fruit of broadened understanding and perspective. The discussion flowing from these struggles will undoubtedly continue to bear fruit as the same types and patterns arise in future stories shared.

While Legends of the Round Table does offer tales that can be read and discussed among children of different ages and abilities, two additions to the text would make it even more accessible for all types of families and classrooms. First, an index comprised of sources referenced in the “Listening for Echoes” discussion questions would offer an invaluable resource for parents and teachers. Throughout the volume, these questions sometimes assume familiarity with the storyline and characters from The Odyssey, Greek myth, and popular fairy tales, such as Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. While most adult readers will likely be familiar with these connections, younger readers may lack the background knowledge necessary to draw sound comparisons. Offering a bibliography of these works—perhaps even including recommended versions—would make the volume’s discussion questions more accessible to readers of all ages and enable parents and teachers to acquire necessary texts beforehand, if needed. For example, my youngest has not yet read The Iliad or TheOdyssey; acquiring a juvenile version of these stories enabled me to explain connections between some of the Arthurian tales and Aneas, Odysseus, and Telemachus to my child. Similarly, an index of biblical stories and characters referenced in “Listening for Echoes” sections would also serve the discussion leader. While some chapters include specific Scripture references (for example, reading 1 Samuel 16 to explore the comparison between Arthur and David), others lack specific book, chapter, or verse references, making it difficult to explore unfamiliar connections.

Overall, Legends of the Round Table offers a valuable resource to parents, teachers, and children desiring to step into the medieval world of King Arthur’s court. The book’s helpful introduction and prefaces to each chapter, the curated stories, and the thoughtful discussion questions that follow provide opportunity for rich conversation, an enlarged understanding of literature and history, and even spiritual growth. Future volumes in this series will undoubtedly offer similar benefits and serve as valuable additions to any home or classroom library.