The Rise of the Red Dragon: The Evolution of King Arthur as a Symbol of English Nationalism

Abstract

This project examines the portrayal of King Arthur as a symbol of English nationalism in dramatic works throughout the early modern period. This research analyzes the political and cultural context of Thomas Hughes' The Misfortunes of Arthur, The Speeches at Prince Henry's Barriers, The Birth of Merlin, as well as John Dryden and Henry Purcell's semi-opera, King Arthur, or the British Worthy. In each chapter, I examine the implications of the developments of English identity under Henry VII and how King Arthur, as a symbol of both British identity and English power, evolved from 1485 through to 1691. While most scholars focus on King Arthur as a symbol of English nationalism in the nineteenth century, during the peak of the British empire, Arthur’s evolution during this period is often overlooked. Arthur’s role in English narratives experienced a significant shift from the medieval traditions and can most clearly be traced through an analysis of English Arthurian dramatic works in the early modern era. These specific narratives, during the reigns of Tudor and Stuart monarchs, were unique in that they shifted Arthur away from being a figure the English had incorporated into their own heroic narratives, to one who was other––a Briton. It is through the racial division and portrayals of “otherness” in which English plays explore their own identity and where English nationalism can be clearly seen during this period.