Le Morte Darthur

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Le Morte Darthur

• Completed circa
• 1469-1470
• by
• Sir Thomas Malory

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Deaths of Arthur

• Stanzaic Morte Arthure (mid-14th century)
• Alliterative Morte Arthure (ca. 1400)
• Malory, Morte DArthur (1469-70)

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Autobiographical Hints

• Knight
• Prisoner
• Hunting and tournament aficionado
• Reader of French Arthurian romance

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Candidates

• TM of Holcot, Northamptonshire
• TM of Papworth St. Agnes, Cambridgeshire
• TM of Tachbrook Mallory, Warwickshire
• TM of Long Whatton, Leicestershire
• TM of Hutton Conyers, Yorkshire
• TM of Newbold Revel, Warwickshire

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Sir Thomas Malory of Newbold Revel(ca.
1416-1471)

• Landowner and participant in local politics from
  1439
• MP for Warwickshire, 1445-6
• Commenced life of crime, ca. 1450
• Involved in Wars of the Roses, 1460s
• Prisoner in London from 1452 to 1460s, 1468-70?

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CV ofSir Thomas Maloryof Newbold Revel
Sacrilege
Attempted murder
Rape
Vandalism
Extortion
Robbery
Le Mort Darthur?
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The Wars of The Roses
Henry VI House of Lancaster Red Rose
Edward IV House of York White Rose
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The Tumultuous 15th Century

• 1399 Henry IV overthrows Richard II
• 1460 Edward IV overthrows Henry VI
• 1470 Henry VI overthrows Edward IV
• 1471 Edward IV overthrows Henry VI
• 1483 Richard III sets aside Edward V
• 1485 Henry VII overthrows Richard III

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Versions of Malorys Morte

• The Noble and Joyous Booke entytled Le Morte
  Darthur
• Printed by William Caxton in 1485
• The Winchester Manuscript
• pre-1483
• Discovered in 1934

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The Whole Book of King Arthur and of His Noble
Knights of the Round Table

• Arthur
• Arthur and Lucius
• Lancelot du Lac
• Gareth of Orkney
• Tristram de Lyonesse

• Sangrail
• Lancelot and Guinivere
• Le Mort DArthur

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Part I Arthur
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How does Arthur Become King?
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• Succession
• p. 7
• Divine designation
• pp. 8-10
• Popular acclaim
• p. 11
• Legitimacy
• p. 13
• Might
• pp. 13-18

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Qualities of a Ruler

• Conquering (12)
• Quelling rebellion
• King Lot et al. (13-18)
• Thwarting threats from abroad
• Roman challenge (26, 82-94)
• Irish Challenge (30-31)
• Rewarding loyal service (18-19)
• Knowing when to quit (18)

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Part II Arthur and Lucius
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Then the knights and lords that longed to the
king called a council upon a fair morn, and said,
Sir King, we beseech thee for to hear us all.
We are under your lordship well stuffed, blessed
be God, of many fair things, and also we have
wives wedded. We will beseech your good grace to
release us to sport with our wives, for,
worshipped be Christ, this journey is well
overcome. Ye say well, said the King, for
enough is as good as a feast for to tempt God
overmuch, I hold it not wisdom. And therefore
make you all ready, and return we into England.
(94)
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Arthur as KingFlaws and Mistakes?
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When Herod realized that the astrologers had
tricked him he flew into a rage, and gave orders
for the massacreof all the boys aged two years or
under, in Bethlehem and throughout the whole
district, in accordance with the time he had
ascertained from the astrologers. So the words
spoken through Jeremiah the prophet were
fulfilled A voice was heard in Rama, sobbing in
bitter grief it was Rachel weeping for her
children and refusing to be comforted, because
they were no more. Matthew 216-18
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Qualities of a Round Table Knight
Then the King established all the knights, and
gave them riches and lands and charged them
never to do outrage nor murder, and always to
flee treason, and to give mercy unto him that
asketh mercy, upon pain of forfeiture of their
worship and lordship of King Arthur evermore and
always to do ladies, damosels, and gentlewomen
and widows succour strengthen them in their
rights, and never to enforce them, upon pain of
death. Also, that no man take no battles in a
wrongful quarrel for no love, nor for no worldly
goods. So unto this were all the knights sworn
of the Table Round, both young and old. (57)
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Part III Sir Lancelot du Lac
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Lancelots Sexuality

• The four queens (97-99)
• Mistaken identity! (100)
• Love and the unmarried man (108)
• Hallewes the sorceress (115-16)
• Guenivere?

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An Alternative Lancelot
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Part IV Sir Gareth of Orkney
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Defining Nobility

• Green knight (131)
• Lyonet, a.k.a. Damosel Savage (135, 149)
• Sir Persant (137)
• Arthur (157)
• The anti-model (140-41)