The Plights of an Ageing King: Old Age in Layamon’s Depiction of King Leir

Abstract

 Ageing, just like any other complex period of life, can be experienced and therefore portrayed in a variety of ways. The appraisal of this late stage of human existence by poets, philosophers, and other visual artists usually depends upon their narrative’s aims. Layamon’s Brut is a chronicle-style account of legendary events involving the monarchs of Britain. Among the various approaches to power and ideas of kingship represented in the poem, the story of Leir — a king who prepares to succession after reigning for more than sixty years and asks his daughters how much they love him – takes on a pivotal role. As a matter of fact, the king’s actions can be used to detect a form of ideal kingship, a primary concern that emerges from the Brut’s pages. This paper aims to explore the modalities through which Layamon depicts a king in his advanced years, thus raising fundamental concerns about all the issues that medieval kings faced once they reached old age.