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Thomas Malory and Le Morte D'Arthur

Sir Thomas Malory wrote Le Morte D'Arthur in prison in the 15th century. He drew from existing Arthurian legends that portrayed King Arthur as bringing order and chivalry to Britain during a chaotic time. Malory's work was published after his death and became influential in shaping modern ideas about the legendary King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

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23 views6 pages

Thomas Malory and Le Morte D'Arthur

Sir Thomas Malory wrote Le Morte D'Arthur in prison in the 15th century. He drew from existing Arthurian legends that portrayed King Arthur as bringing order and chivalry to Britain during a chaotic time. Malory's work was published after his death and became influential in shaping modern ideas about the legendary King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Uploaded by

Anivid Parayno
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Le Morte D’Arthur

Sir Thomas Malory


Who was Malory?
• Thomas Malory of Hatton in Yorkshire
• Thomas Malory of Newbold Revel,
Warwickshire
– Born about 1415; died in 1470
– 1450: crime spree (murder, theft, extortion, rape)
– 1460: released from prison; active in civil war
– 1467: back in prison for being on the losing side
– Wrote Le Morte D’Arthur in prison, and it was
published by William Caxton in 1485
15 th Century England
• Wars of the Roses (1399-1485)
– Lancastrians vs. Yorkists
– Decades of civil war
• Changes in battle technology
– Longbow
– Man in armor on horse no longer defensible
– Kings would no longer lead followers into battle
after Richard’s defeat
Who was King Arthur?
• Celtic origins:
– Arthwyr as general term for a prince
– Name may also derive from the Celtic word “art,”
meaning bear (Arturus the Bear)
– Others argue that he was Octha, son of Hengest, who
moved south and united much of the area
– Earliest stories represent him as a god-like creature
interacting with other deities in Welsh mythology
– Welsh claims also based on his birth at Tintagel and
burial at Glastonbury
• Alternately, High King of Britain with his origins
in Brittany (Geoffrey of Monmouth)
Why would Malory
choose King Arthur?
• Arthur brought order out of chaos
• Warfare as form of sport vs. warfare as
technology aimed at widespread devastation
• Men heroically die in single combat, but are
not slaughtered as they lie in the mud
• Imaginary past in which nobles had
absolute power over contented peasants
• Hero/King who will return to bring peace
Le Morte D’Arthur: Cultural Conflicts
• The stability of the society as a whole
– Government by contract between ruler and
community of nobles and commons
– Rule of law within class system
• The motivations of individuals
– Personal goals
– Courtly love
– The will to power

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