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Le Morte D' Arthur

by Thomas Malory, John Matthews (Editor), Anna-Marie Ferguson (Illustrator)

3.85 · rating details · 7,944 ratings · 309 reviews

The legends of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table have inspired some of the greatest works of literature--from Cervantes's Don Quixote to Tennyson's Idylls of the King. Although many versions exist, Malory's stands as the classic rendition. Malory wrote the book while in Newgate Prison during the last three years of his life; it was published some fourteen year...more

Hardcover, Complete, Unabridged, New Illustrated Edition, 950 pages

Published March 15th 2004 by Barnes and Noble Books (first published 1485)

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Community Reviews

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Dec 22, 2008

Nikki rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: arthurian, classics, medieval-literature, myth-legend-saga-etc

I'm so glad I finally read Le Morte Darthur. I've loved the King Arthur stories ever since I was little and read what I think was a retelling by Enid Blyton. I actually read this for my Late Medieval Literature class, but I'd have read it someday anyway. The copy I read was an abridgement, which is probably a good thing as parts of it got quite tedious as it was. The introduction to this version is pretty interesting -- and, by the way, my lectures on it were wonderful.

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Nov 27, 2009

Michael rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics

I just recently finished reading "Le Morte d'Arthur", and it was an interesting experience. It defies categorization. Not a novel, not an epic poem, not exactly a collection of myths, more than a collection of folk stories, certainly a product of a Christian imagination, but very earthy. Repetitive, but after I got into the rhythm of it, not boring. Once you submit your prejudices to the vision of the author, you become able to enter into this strange world of kings, knights, ladie...moreI just recently finished reading "Le Morte d'Arthur", and it was an interesting experience. It defies categorization. Not a novel, not an epic poem, not exactly a collection of myths, more than a collection of folk stories, certainly a product of a Christian imagination, but very earthy. Repetitive, but after I got into the rhythm of it, not boring. Once you submit your prejudices to the vision of the author, you become able to enter into this strange world of kings, knights, ladies, wars and tournaments. When we do, we discover that Arthur and his court represent an ideal. For Malory and his audience, a true king was noble at all times and able to marshall his forces in service of the good. A true knight trusted God to uphold his cause in the test of arms. A true lady was virtuous and worthy of being defended at all costs. There is much in these ideals that is noteworthy, and we look down our nose at these ideas at our own peril, I think.

There is a rhythm, a pattern in how the tales of King Arthur and his knights are told. There is always a quest in need of a knight, a lady in need of a champion, and a knight in need of proving his mettle. He will do so in the only way available to him at that time; through jousts and combat at arms with other errant knights he meets on his way. Courts, juries and judges are few and far between, so wrongs can only be righted by a gentle knight who will prove with his puissance that his cause is just. Again, when you sit back and accept that this is the pattern Malory used, the tales are enjoyable even though we know the formula and can predict with ease what is going to happen.

"Morte d'Arthur", though, is more than jousts and hunts. Digging beneath the surface, the reader discovers that the stories are filled with symbols and metaphors that show that Malory was telling more than stories of jousting knights. The legends of King Arthur are filled with Biblical allusions. Arthur, the once and future king, is a type of Christ. HIs knights bear resemblances to many of the apostles; Gawain is Peter, Modred is Judas, and so on. Even hunting excursions mean more than just a hunt. A white hart sometimes symbolizes Christ Himself, and the hunt becomes a pursuit of salvation.

But Malory was no mere idealist. King Arthur and his knights and ladies are deeply flawed. Sir Tristram and Queen Iseult indulge in an adulterous relationship for years under the protection of Lancelot. Lancelot himself uses his skill in battle to prove the innocence of himself and Guenevere, something few believe and even the king doubts. Gawain's impetuous nature is as much to blame for the fall of Camelot as Modred's treason. And in the quest for the holy Grail, the knights of the round table are all held accountable for their manifold sins.

The quest for the Grail came as a surprise to me. I always thought that the goal of the quest was to obtain the cup and give it to the king, and it is often presented in this manner. Malory, though, saw it differently. The quest for the Grail was a quest for the beatific vision, to be admitted into the presence of Christ while still on Earth. This is the reason it could only be accomplished by one who was as sinless as Galahad. This is also the reason that so many of the knights die in this quest. In their pride they pursued the Grail as an object to be possessed and manipulated. They embark on the quest unworthy of the quest itself, let alone the Grail. Half of them will pay for this affront with their lives.

Another surprise for me was the way in which "Le Morte" made it clear that Arthur, Camelot, and Logres are inextricably connected. The life of each follows the same arc. Camelot and Logres only begin to enjoy their greatness when Arthur becomes king. They grow and age with him, and his fate is their fate. As he waxes in strength, wisdom and goodness, so do they. They are at their height when he is at his, and when he falters and fails, they must also fall. The death of King Arthur is the death of his court and all that it stood for when at its best. The hope that he will return is the hope that true nobility, true chivalry has not died but only slumbers to awaken at need.

"Le Morte" is written in almost a perfunctory fashion. There is not much beauty to its prose. But the story itself is beautiful enough in its promise and tragedy to ameliorate any defect of technique. It is the font from which nearly all of our Arthurian stories springs. There is not a single book, poem, play, or movie about kings, knights and wizards that does not owe a certain debt to "Le Morte". There is much to reward the reader today who is willing to let Malory tell his tale his way. I encourage you to do so.(less)

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Aug 02, 2008

Mary rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics-old, folk-myth-fairy, need-to-re-read

I decided to review Le Morte d'Arthur, even though it has been SO long since I read it. I don't remember everything, but I remember how how fascinating it was. It was a hard read; I remember that. I remember why I decided to read it, too. I had been browsing in the library, and I happened to see the book on some obscure shelf and I noticed it was misfiled. I thought to myself, "is that in French?"

Fast forward to the next day at my state Knowledge Bowl competition (ple...more

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Dec 20, 2007

Sky rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Medieval Lit. Nerds

As a piece of engaging fiction Le Morte D'Arthur is bound to disappoint unless you are unabashedly entertained by similar cycles of knights questing again and again. Structurally Mallory's work is repetitive and contains a questionable moral structure.
But as an origin of British legends and the development of the English Language it is an essential work.
Its been interesting for me to look at one of the most definitive entries into the canon of England's national pride but it becomes ...more

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Jun 24, 2009

Kathleen rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, history, read-in-2009

Of all the patriarchal, new-religion interpretations of Arthurian myth, this is the most misogynistic. Yes, I know one must judge a book by it's time period, but if ever a book infuriated me by illustrating the virgin-whore paradigm, this one has. Not only do most of the female characters completely fail to have names, but those that do are either shrewish sluts or purely chaste and looking to die for God. Also, Sir Gawain is ruined. Also, Merlin is the son of the devil. Also, the Lady of th...more

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Feb 09, 2011

Julie Davis rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, book-club, classic, fiction, unfinished

Reading this for our Catholic women's book club and am pleased to find it extremely readable as well as moving along at a fairly fast clip. Of course, I'm just in the beginning at this point. We shall see how it goes.

Update:
I am finding this unexpectedly funny as the story zips about from adventure to adventure. I'm not sure if it is the translator's admitted conciseness with the text or the way the story really goes but some of these adventures present images that make me laugh o...more

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Jul 27, 2011

Bryan rated it

Recommends it for: anyone who loves a good (and lengthy, unabridged) story

Shelves: mythopoeia, to-read-again

*
July 27, 2011
Note: When I wrote the commentary below, I really did not understand Malory's depiction of the love affair between Lancelot and Guinevere. After giving it time and study, I find it to be a shallow, thoughtless, and self-gratifying study. It's almost as if he tossed the whole 'cheating on their best friend/husband' thing aside so that he could turn Lancelot into the hero Malory wanted Lancelot to be. The story still has great merit, but that particular aspect of the story ...more

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Nov 27, 2008

Jaclyn rated it

· review of another edition

At long last hath I enchieved the goodliest quest of 937 pages of Ye Olde English!

937 pages of damosels and knights smiting everych other and breaking their spears all to-brast, and tourneys and "justing" and villainous kings who traitorly slew... oops, there I go again. I'm just! so! happy! I've been reading this book since February (it's now November) and inasmuch as I thought I was prepared because of that one Christmas that Mr. Murray wrote the family Christmas letter...moreAt long last hath I enchieved the goodliest quest of 937 pages of Ye Olde English!

937 pages of damosels and knights smiting everych other and breaking their spears all to-brast, and tourneys and "justing" and villainous kings who traitorly slew... oops, there I go again. I'm just! so! happy! I've been reading this book since February (it's now November) and inasmuch as I thought I was prepared because of that one Christmas that Mr. Murray wrote the family Christmas letter in Ye Olde English... really, he did... I had no way of comprehending what I was getting myself into. It got to be a point of pride that I had to get through this book, even though it took me about 500 pages or so to really get the rhythm of it. Of course that means I should probably re-read the first 500 pages, since I don't remember much of what happened, but that's just not an option right now. At any rate, it's been a fun, what, nine months or so of reading, or at least trying to read, a little bit whenever I could, until I really hit my stride at around page 600 and knocked off 300 pages in a week. And I was wood wroth out of measure that it took me that long to figure out what was going on. By the end, I had gotten a good handle on it and was able to fully appreciate the tragedy of the story.

I do have a complaint, and a recommendation to anyone who wants to enchieve this goodly quest.

Complaint: the quest for the Holy Grail took about 50 pages, and it was, like, the freakin' easiest quest in the book. And could have been a lot easier if anyone paid attention to what was going on around them half the time - maybe they would have realized that they knew where the frakking thing was all along. Sigh. Maybe if a woman had been involved... I have to think that if Dame Elaine had been consulted, she would have smacked Launcelot, Galahad, Percivale and Bors upside the head and said something along the lines of, "Do I have to do EVERYTHING around here?"

Recommendation: I typically read two books at once - a big fat hardcover at home and a paperback on the way to work. As it happens, the paperback that I have been reading the last week or so on the subway is Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court. Reading the parody of Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur alongside the original actually has been very helpful - Twain kindly defines some of the Ye Olde English words for you and cracks you up with his take on the discomforts of wearing armor and the silly simplicity of most of the people in Ye Olde England. He definitely captures the head-shaking aspect of certain parts of the book - and I'm glad that he gave a shoutout to La Cote Male Taile, whose story was one of the few that I remembered from the first half of Malory's version - who could forget that shrew that the poor guy had to put up with? Reading Mark Twain alongside Sir Thomas actually clarifies Sir Thomas quite a bit and makes the original a little easier to read.

Happy questing!(less)

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Dec 05, 2007

Matt rated it

· review of another edition

I still have trouble believing I made it all the way through this. I really did have to struggle through it, and I feel bad saying that because this is a classic. It might not be the oldest written form of Arthurian Legend, but it what all others are based on. It's obviously a classic. However, it was written in the 1490s (yes, that's right, I said 1490s). A lot simply wasn't invented yet. For example, the quotation mark, or any punctuation except for a period. Also, there are a lot of archaic w...more

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Jun 04, 2008

Dan rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: medieval, fiction

This is a fairly literal, but perfectly understandable transcription from original manuscripts, and academic versions of the book that has inspired scores of novels, movies, musicals, et cetera. Spelling has been regularized when necessary, and there is no criticus apparatus or footnotes to break the flow of narrative. Scholars looking for critical editions must search elsewhere. Lovers of medieval literature, Aurthurian legends, and courtly romances will find all they wish in this edition of...more

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Jul 30, 2011

Phil rated it

· review of another edition

Fascinating book; peculiar though, too. Lots of jousting (and tournies - plenty of tournies), lots of fights against knights who just happen to permanently stand at a bridge for no particular reason. Two swords called Excalibur (both the sword in the stone AND the one presented to Arthur by the Lady in the Lake have that name), several knights appear to be killed more than once in different ways and the search for the sangrail seems to be retconned as soon as it's finished.

However, it's a great...more

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May 04, 2011

H. Smith rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: for-school, classics

I regret to say that I did not actually read all of this book. I was really pressed for time with school work, so I skipped over most of the part about Tristan and Isolde. Someday I will go back and read it all! If you start to read this, make sure not to give up during the first or second parts. Malory gets better as he goes along! The Middle English is not too hard to read, either, once you get into it and there ar footnotes to help if you need them. Malory deals with Arthurian legend in...more

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Feb 10, 2011

Jason Pettus rated it

· review of another edition

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)

The CCLaP 100: In which I read for the first time a hundred so-called "classics," then write reports on whether or not they deserve the label

Essay #56: Le Morte d'Arthur (1485), by Sir Thomas Malory

The story in a nutshell:
Compiled between the 1450s and '70s but ...more

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Dec 11, 2009

kingshearte rated it

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Shelves: fiction

"The legend of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table is one of the most enduring and influential stories in world literature. Its themes - love, war, religion, treachery, and family loyalty - are timeless, as are the reputations of its major characters, Arthur, Merlin, Guenevere, and Lancelot.

Malory's Le Morte Darthur is a story of noble knights, colourful tournaments and fateful love, set in a courtly society which is outwardly secure and successful, but in reality tor...more"The legend of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table is one of the most enduring and influential stories in world literature. Its themes - love, war, religion, treachery, and family loyalty - are timeless, as are the reputations of its major characters, Arthur, Merlin, Guenevere, and Lancelot.

Malory's Le Morte Darthur is a story of noble knights, colourful tournaments and fateful love, set in a courtly society which is outwardly secure and successful, but in reality torn by dissent and, ultimately, treachery.

Originally published in 1485, Malory's Le Morte Darthur is here presented in modern spelling and is accompanied by an Introduction and helpful Glossary."

This was a slog and a half. I have a certain fondness or fascination for the Arthur story, and have read/watched it in numerous incarnations. This was by far the most tedious. I realize that it's the original (in English at least. I believe before that, it comes from either a book or a set of stories in French.), but I'm not sure that makes it the best. At least a good half of it is simply describing various jousts, and frankly, there's only so many times one can read about how Sir So-and-So smote Sir Such-and-Such mightily and caused him grievous hurt before it becomes exceedingly dull. It's particularly maddening because half the time, they're not even jousting for any good reason. Sir A sets out on an adventure and encounters Sir B, who insists that they fight. Why? Just because. What's even more ridiculous is when such a thing happens, and Sir A wins, and then Sir B's relatives decide to avenge him. But dude. Sir A didn't go out of his way to massacre your brother. Sir B insisted, and, it turns out, isn't as good at it as he figured he was. It's just all very ridiculous.

As for the rest of the story, I just didn't find that there was much or any actual character development, so even the various relationships and love stories weren't enormously compelling, because you don't really know these people, so you don't really care about them. Even the Lancelot and Guenevere saga wasn't very interesting. It was never remotely comprehensible why a guy like Lancelot would risk his own life to put up with the whims and flightiness of Guenevere. Sure, she was putting out, but seriously? He really wouldn't have had any trouble finding someone else who would and that he could actually marry and father children with, and have a very satisfying family life. At least with Tristan and Isoud (and by the way, have to admit that I did not know that Wagner took this story directly out of the Arthur stories. Makes me want to learn more about Tristan und Isolde now.), we actually did get to know them a little better, and understood more why they wanted to be together. Theirs was actually just about the only story that ended up interesting me in the whole damn book.

Oh, and the reason I included the last paragraph in the blurb up there is because, "modern spellings"? As of when? This particular edition was published in 1996, and I am quite sure that "descrive" is not a current acceptable spelling of "describe," for example. This book is full of spellings and words that are not remotely modern. Which is fine, but don't tell me it's modern when it's clearly not. And as for that "helpful Glossary," well, helpful is rather generous, if you ask me. It only contained about half of the unfamiliar words I encountered when reading this book. Most of them you can get at least a vague idea of what it's supposed to mean based on the context, but there were a few that I truly had no idea. And for a word that unfamiliar to not be in a glossary? Clearly somebody dropped the ball, and if you're not going to make a glossary like that complete, why even bother.

Ultimately, I know it's a classic, and for that reason, I am glad I slogged through it, but seriously? Unless you really just want to be able to say you've read this, I'd advise sticking with TH White's The Once and Future King. It's almost like an actually modernly-spelled and abridged version of this, and it's a way better read.(less)

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Nov 24, 2009

Bryn rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: gave-up

I got about a third of the way through, and to my considerable shame, ran out of steam. It's a huge tome of a book. It has that classic story telling style, light on the emotional detail we take for granted in mnodern writing, heavier on who smited whom, and with what. The stories come thick and fast - if you get on with that sort of style - heroic, fable type writing - you may enjoy it. I struggled.

There are some great stories in here - the one with Gawain and the Invisible Knight i...more

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Sep 06, 2009

Bettie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: britain-england, adventure, classic, companion-novel-write-back, amusing, fraudio, historical-fiction, medieval5c-16c, mythology, play-dramatisation, time-slip

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Woman's Hour Drama: The Quest 24-08-2009 - 28-08-2009

A surreal, humorous and moving allegorical retelling of Thomas Mallory's Morte d'Arthur, starring Mark Gatiss as Merlin and Julian Rhind-Tutt as Arthur.

The blurb - In a 15th-century Britain that resembles the Favellas of Rio, Arthur is Merlin's protégé; but the magician despairs – human frailty has defeated Utopia. Arthur's impregnation of his half sister Morgana haunts Camelot in the person of Mordred, who...more

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Jan 20, 2012

Holly rated it

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Shelves: classics, death-ghosts, historical-fiction, witches_magic

Took FOREVER to finish. Normally that's a bad thing, but I totally needed all that time to get through it. I think I plowed through 100 pages or slightly more today just to have it done. I desperately want to get started on something else.

After reading this, I can't see where any of the legends we know of as King Arthur come from. Yeah, most of us are familiar with either Spamalot or Monty Python and the Holy Grail. There are most definitely traces of those in here. I can see w...more

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Nov 29, 2008

Stephanie Ricker rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: class-medieval-lit, classics, favorites, mythology, arthurian-legend

I read Morte D'Arthur, or most of it anyway, a very long time ago. I remember not being all that enthused and a bit bored at the endless jousting. Really, there are only so many ways to make getting poked by a stick and falling of a horse sound good, guys.

However, reading it now for Medieval Lit, I was surprised to find that I enjoyed it very much. The jousting was still boring (sorry, Malory), but the characterization was fascinating. Arthur is so painfully young at the beginn...more

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May 07, 2011

J.P. rated it

· review of another edition

First: At only around 4 hours this is an abridged translation. That being said, all the words are Malory's. (Even thus abridged, it starts to get somewhat repetitive) And besides that, it is amazingly well read by Shakespearean trained Philip Madoc. Because of the language alone I might have given up if I had been reading instead of listening, but Madoc's presentation is so well informed yet subtly performed that it was extremely enjoyable. I found I was pleasantly reminded of most on my Arthuri...more

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Jan 09, 2012

Alan rated it

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I think I read this over and over when I was a child, and when I came back to it as an adult, I still loved it. These tales are an ingrained part of western culture and are still a weather value for the rough winds of our morality.

Of course Mallory's tales of Arthur are a fifteenth century re-modelling but what glorious new dressing has been added. Each tale is a short story in its own right, and each combines effortlessly to create the picture of heroes and a kingdom in which people...more

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Jan 08, 2012

Linda rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2nd-time-reading, school-stuff

2nd reading : The Noble Tale of the Sankgreal; I had to read this for a seminar essay, and I don't think it is among the best tales about the Knights. This is where they all need to show their virtues, and the knights who have not yet been sexually active are the ones deemed the most virtuous. Less humourous than other tales, and quite slow to read, however, it is all still very interesting to me, as the legends of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table are part of the beginning of lit...more

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Feb 16, 2009

Jessica rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: library-book

Le Morte D'Arthur is the classic written compilation of the stories of King Arthur. It was written by Sir Thomas Malory in the early 1400's and printed by William Caxton in 1485, after Malory's death. Malory himself wrote the stories that were already known in various other French and English translations. He brought them all together in written form. It is titled Le Morte D'Arthur because Caxton made a mistake in thinking that the title for the last part of the book was meant to be for the whol...moreLe Morte D'Arthur is the classic written compilation of the stories of King Arthur. It was written by Sir Thomas Malory in the early 1400's and printed by William Caxton in 1485, after Malory's death. Malory himself wrote the stories that were already known in various other French and English translations. He brought them all together in written form. It is titled Le Morte D'Arthur because Caxton made a mistake in thinking that the title for the last part of the book was meant to be for the whole. The story is divided into twenty-one books, each one further divided into chapters which are then summarized by Caxton.
This book was almost impossible for me to finish, for a variety of reasons. First, it is over 900 pages long. Secondly, it is written in Old/Middle English, which is not easy to read quickly. I would have given up on it, except for the fact that I really did want to read the book in its entirety - I really wanted to know the original stories that are the basis for so much modern (and past) fantasy, in books and movies. I was unprepared for the repetitiveness of the story. There are endless listings of knights, jousts, tourneys, and a flock of nameless damosels, maidens, and gentlewomen. (The only women that need names, it seems, are those who stick around for more than a chapter or two, or those who are exceptionally good or evil; knights on the other hand get to have multiple names no matter how unimportant.) It is interesting to see how the stories are used as moral examples for their times - especially in the Holy Grail chapters, only the knights that are the most pure and holy have a chance of finding what they seek, and then they get the honor of dying and going straight to heaven when their quest is done.
All in all, I am honestly glad to say that I have read this book, but I would not necessarily recommend it to anyone. If there is a good modern version out there, one that doesn't alter the story in any way, but just makes it easier to read, that may be the way to go.(less)

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Feb 10, 2009

Marian Murphy rated it

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It is simply a classic and while it can be repetitive at times, it is inarguably the blueprint for centuries and centuries of legends and stories. This is the original sourcebook as it were. What is particularly fascinating is the manner in which the conventions of Romance transmute by the end into tragedy and takes on a psychological complexity and multi dimensionality that is absent from traditional Romance. It does not end happily as the Romance world usually does but in tragedy. The Tale of ...more

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Jun 25, 2009

Kay rated it

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Written in Middle English by Sir Thomas Malory in the 1400s. I really enjoyed it, as I've long been curious about the larger picture of King Arthur. This is the original version, finally committed to paper after surviving 500 years of the oral tradition. I listened to it on tape, and the language was interesting and relatively easy to follow. I confess I'd never have made myself slog through the written version, but this unabridged audio version was perfect for car listening. The language i...more

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Mar 29, 2010

Angelia rated it

· review of another edition

A bookshelf staple of any fan of Arthurian legend. The virtues and flaws of Arthur's court are in full display in Malory's work; there's no romanticizing of the knights. Their cruelties, rivalries, and petty disagreements are laid bare. We can blame the Romantic period for turning the Arthurian legend into something spotless and pure; the earlier tales reveal something far different. That's not to say that the ideal of Arthur's court is not a goal to strive for; one merely has to take into accou...more

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Aug 06, 2011

Akayume added it · review of another edition

While I absolutely love Malory's finely woven tale, I felt as if there were A) way too many knights to keep up with (in name mentioning, not neccessarily plot-central knights) and B) not enough details (Why is Gwynevere such a hoe? Why does Launcelot only care for worldly fame? Why is King Arthur such a tool?) But, alas, twas not the style of writing at that time.

On the onther hand, this book was an abosultely fantastic read. An excellent tale (correction, excellent tales) of King Arthur and his...more

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Sep 18, 2008

Valerie rated it

· review of another edition

Abridged, but the Rackham illustrations make up for that.

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Jun 24, 2009

Amanda rated it

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This is the original Arthurian legend. Some of the stories are interesting and others are rather mundane. I had to fast forward through some of the battle descriptions because they aren't very interesting. Basically, Sir So-and-So, son of Some Guy I Have Never Heard Of, sees his friend, Sir What's-His-Face de-horsed, so Sir So-and-So smites one of his enemies so Sir What's-His-Face can have a horse, etc.

Don't try to read the entire book straight. Take it in steps. After reading...more

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Nov 23, 2010

Mike Polizzi rated it

· review of another edition

As far from what I imagined as possible. The stories are all familiar, but the details Malory captures bring a whole different dimension to the Arthurian legend. Malory's chronicle is direct yet strange-- filled with frailty and the fruits of human folly. The world is over before it begins but the fun is in the odd encounters on the way-- the thousands of knights with thousands different odd errands, the beasts and the magic-- an odd ineffable sort of magic-- not so much hocus pocus as tricks, ...more

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May 22, 2011

Chris rated it

· review of another edition

Very little is known of the Thomas Malory who is the author of this monumental work, but it is readily apparent that his skill rested more in his ability to aggregate material, rather than any true literary craftmanship. The version I read topped 900 pages, and much of it consisted of two knights jousting each other for no other reason than they happened to see each other. Countless knights are mentioned, many just briefly such as one Sir Griflet, the Son of God, or King Arthur's other bastard s...moreVery little is known of the Thomas Malory who is the author of this monumental work, but it is readily apparent that his skill rested more in his ability to aggregate material, rather than any true literary craftmanship. The version I read topped 900 pages, and much of it consisted of two knights jousting each other for no other reason than they happened to see each other. Countless knights are mentioned, many just briefly such as one Sir Griflet, the Son of God, or King Arthur's other bastard son, Sir Borre le Cure Hardy. The main storyline follows King Arthur and his beloved Guenevere, Tristram and his beloved Isolde, and Lancelot and his beloved, also Guenevere. Others who have major roles are Balan, Lamorak, and Palomides the Saracen. It is these lesser known knights that I was most intrigued by.

The general tendency was for a knight to go on a series of adventures on behalf of his love or to save his love from some dastardly fate. Though there were minor variations, many times it felt repetitive. There are only so many results in a jousting match, and jousting is what every knight did. The men were either heroic (the aforementioned knights) or scheming cowards, such as Tristram's nemesis King Mark or the mysterious Breuse Saunce Pitie (or as I would put it in modern English, Bruce Without Pity) who pops up every now then to prove a nuisance to goodnatured knights. On the surface, the women in the narrative were either powerless pawns, or powerful sorceress. Curiously, despite whatever situation female characters found themselves in, they were able to arrange the situation to have paramours of their choice. Sorry about the complete lack of being able to choose how you want to live your life, but why don't you pick whatever studly dude you want to be your paramour to pass the time? The most interesting in my mind was Nimue, the second Lady of the Lake, a young lady whom Merlin falls in love with.

In fact, Merlin loves her so much, he becomes a nuisance to her. She learns all the magic she can from him and eventually buries him alive and he dies. Merlin, for being such an integral part of the Arthurian mythos, dies only 100 pages in, with 800 pages of jousting to follow.

This is a sample of one of the two things I found most interesting about Le Morte D'Arthur, which was the unexpected aspects of the tales. After all the retellings, you think you're familiar with the characters. As it turns out, there are a few stunning surprises, such as there are in fact three women referred to as "The Lady of the Lake." Also, the moment the Knights of the Round Table take an oath to search for the Holy Grail, King Arthur begs them not to go because he realizes the years of jousting, feasting, and rabble rousing are coming to end. It's like the end of the greatest keg party ever, and he's the only one who can see it. Ironically, he is the only on who doesn't realize his beloved is cheating on him with his #1 knight. Everyone knows except for him. It's kind of sad really.

And that's the other thing. Before Merlin dies, he issues a few prophesies which outline the remaining aforementioned 800 pages in such a way that you kind of know what the final result will be, but you're not quite sure how you're going to get there, and that is what kept me reading.

On the other hand, the most disappointing aspect is how hundreds of pages are used to relate in excruciating detail random adventures of the knights of the Round Table but only a handful of paragraphs are set aside to relate the dramatic betrayals and deaths of the two most powerful knights of the round table in a second hand manner. All this time and effort is used to build up to the dramatic climax, then the climax is skipped over, and and some other minor knights say "Oh by the way, did you hear about the crappy thing that just happened?"

Overall, this felt like a loosely related collection of tales told over many, many campfires. Some are more interesting than others, some are tedious, but overall, the effect is epic and melancholic in nature.
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About Thomas Malory

Sir Thomas Malory was a knight in the fifteenth century, who while imprisoned wrote the collection of tales we know as Le Morte D'Arthur, translating them from the French tales such as the Vulgate Cycle, and adapting them to be more British -- in effect, reclaiming King Arthur.

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King Arthur and His Knights: Selected Tales

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