This summary contains a summary of the introduction of Brut by Layamon, a summary of Layamon's Brut in Romance of Arthur, an Anthology of Medieval Texts in Translation (3rd ed), and extensive notes on the language and audience.
History of the Kings of Britain, or, Historia regum Britanniae by Geoffrey of Monmouth
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Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (RuG)
BA English Language and Culture
King Arthur, Romance, and Empire
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Roman de Brut – Wace • 1
Brut by Layamon
Introduction
This is the first full account of the Arthurian story in the English language. It is the second major
poetic adaptation of Geoffrey’s Historia and it takes Wace’s Roman de Brut as its immediate model.
It is a very long poem, containing 32000 half-lines, covering British history from the time of the myth
of Brutus to the retreat of Cadwallader before the Saxons in 689.
Layamon1 says in his prologue that he is a priest, using as his primary sources Ecclesiastical History of
the Venerable Bede and Wace. There are only two surviving manuscripts. Layamon used as little
borrowings as possible, trying to be very English. His alliterations often break down & he has some
occasional end-rhymes in his half lines. His poetry seems to have been descendant from popular
rather than ‘classical’ Old English verse.
Layamon is best at describing action and violence, and not very good at describing love. He uses
various kinds of folklore and local legends that Wace, as a Frenchman, did not know.
Brut
Arthur is told that Emperor Lucius is dead. He orders him to be covered in golden clothes and be
kept under watch for three days. During these three days he has a chest made, overlaid with gold.
He puts Lucius’ body inside it. Arthur collects all of the corpses of the noblest kings, earls and knights
that had fallen in battle, and has them buried. Lucius’ body in the expensive casket is carried by
three kings. He then sends the casket to Rome, saying this is the tribute they sought 2. He says that
he will be happy to rule Rome. However, Arthur is called back to Britain because of Mordred.
Arthur fights and loses many of his knights. Sir Kay dies, and Arthur has him honourably buried and
calls the town where Sir Kay is buried Kain (Caen) in memory of him. Bedivere also dies, and
Howeldin and Lear. Arthur fights to win Rome, but a message comes from Mordred. Arthur thinks
that the news is good, so he hangs out with the messenger for a whole night, and the messenger is
too afraid to give his message. That night, Arthur has a strange dream. He dreams he is sitting on a
roof as if sitting on a saddle, looking out on his land. Gawain sat before him, holding his sword, and
Mordred was there as well with numberless hosts, carrying a battle-axe. Arthur sees Guinevere,
ripping the roof off the hall, and Arthur falls to the ground, breaking his right arm. The entire hall
falls down. Gawain breaks both arms. With his one good arm, Arthur beheads Mordred and
dismembers Guinevere, pitching her deep down in a pit.
Everyone flees from Arthur, and he is standing alone. He sees gryffins and birds and a lioness, who
grabs him and carries him into the sea. A fish comes by and ferries him back to land. The whole
night, Arthur feels haunted by horrid thoughts.
The knight that Arthur tells this to says that Arthur shouldn’t be too quick to interpret this dream
and that if Mordred would ever get Guinevere, Arthur would fight back and win. Arthur says he had
never envisioned Mordred stealing Guinevere, and the knight says that Mordred did, and that this is
the message he wanted to give Arthur.
When Arthur hears this, he plans on travelling to Britain the next day to kill Mordred and burn
Guinevere and destroy all that are tied to their treason. He says he will leave Howell in charge.
Walwain says he forsakes Mordred as his brother and will travel with Arthur to destroy Mordred.
Other knights join in and say they will travel with Arthur too.
1
Probably pronounced ‘lawman’
2
Because Arthur had taken land from Rome, Rome wanted him to pay tribute since he now lived in their land.
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