Mythical and Legendary Figures

Mythical and Legendary Figures brings together the heroes of ancient myth, medieval epic and folklore, along with historical figures whose lives grew into legend. They come from many traditions: Achilles is the hero of Homer's Iliad, King Arthur is the ideal ruler of the legends of medieval Britain, and Beowulf is the champion of the Old English epic that bears his name. Others, like Joan of Arc, were real people whose faith and courage made them legendary. Told and retold for centuries in poetry, drama, music and art, their stories celebrate bravery, loyalty, sacrifice and the protection of the weak, and they remain a shared inheritance of world literature.