Le Morte D'Arthur, Volume I

Le Morte d'Arthur Volumes #1

by Thomas Malory, Alfred W. Pollard (Bibliographer), John Lawlor (Introduction)

Le Morte d'Arthur (originally spelled Le Morte Darthur, Middle French for "the death of Arthur"[1]) is a reworking of existing tales by Sir Thomas Malory about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin, and the Knights of the Round Table. Malory interprets existing French and English stories about these figures and adds original material (e.g., the Gareth story).

Le Morte d'Arthur was first published in 1485 by William Caxton, and is today one of the best-known works of Arthurian literature in English. Many modern Arthurian writers have used Malory as their principal source, including T. H. White in his popular The Once and Future King and Tennyson in The Idylls of the King.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Fantasy, Arthurian, Historical Fiction, Medieval, Mythology

489 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1485

About the author

From French sources, Sir Thomas Malory, English writer in floruit in 1470, adapted Le Morte d'Arthur , a collection of romances, which William Caxton published in 1485.

From original tales such as the Vulgate Cycle , Sir Thomas Malory, an imprisoned knight in the fifteenth century, meanwhile compiled and translated the tales, which we know as the legend of king.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_...

Reviews

[°°°·.°·..·°¯°·._.· ʜᴇʟᴇɴ Ροζουλί Εωσφόρος ·._.·°¯°·.·° .·°°° ★·.·´¯`·.·★ Ⓥⓔⓡⓝⓤⓢ Ⓟⓞⓡⓣⓘⓣⓞⓡ Ⓐⓡⓒⓐⓝⓤⓢ Ταμετούρο Αμ · Rating 5 out of 5]

«Το 1485 ο τυπογράφος Γουίλιαμ Κάξτον στην Αγγλία τύπωσε ένα ογκωδέστατο βιβλίο, το οποίο έμελλε αργότερα να θεωρηθεί το πρώτο αγγλικό μυθιστόρημα. Ηταν Ο θάνατος του Αρθούρου του Τόμας Μάλορι. Ο συγγραφέας ήταν ιππότης, με άλλα λόγια αξιωματικός, στην υπηρεσία του κόμη του Γουόργουικ. Πρέπει να έλαβε μέρος στον εμφύλιο Πόλεμο των Ρόδων, που καταταλαιπώρησε την Αγγλία της εποχής του. Η σκοτεινή αυτή προσωπικότητα μοίρασε τη ζωή της ανάμεσα στα πεδία των μαχών, την παρανομία και τις φυλακές, όπου και πέθανε. Ο θάνατος του Αρθούρου γράφτηκε στη φυλακή από τον Μάλορι, αφού ο βασιλιάς Εδουάρδος Δ’ αρνήθηκε να του δώσει χάρη τα τελευταία έντεκα χρόνια της ζωής του που τα πέρασε έγκλειστος. Τότε, λέγεται, συνέλαβε την ιδέα να μελετήσει τις πηγές και να συλλέξει τις αφηγήσεις που απαρτίζουν τον κύκλο του Αρθούρου και των Ιπποτών της Στρογγυλής Τραπέζης. Υπάρχει ωστόσο και μια διαφορετική εκδοχή: το βιβλίο δεν γράφτηκε από τον Μάλορι αλλά από έναν συγκρατούμενό του που είχε φυλακιστεί για επίθεση και βιασμό».

«Ο θάνατος του Αρθούρου» ανήκει στην ποιητική λογοτεχνία του θρυλικού κύκλου των αφηγήσεων μεσαιωνικής ιστορίας, λαϊκών μύθων, αναφορές ιστορικών προσώπων, άλυτων γρίφων,απόλυτων ιδανικών, μυστηρίου, θριάμβων, προκλήσεων και ατελείωτων δοκιμασιών, σε μια αιώνια προσπάθεια να γίνει το όνειρο πραγματικότητα.

Σε μία εποχή πέρα απο τον χρόνο, όπου η σκοτεινότερη ώρα είναι πριν την αυγή που φωτίζει τον μεσαίωνα
και οι ήρωες στοιχειώνουν συμβολικές απεικονίσεις, μαγικές στιγμές, παραμύθια και ταξίδια σε προϊστορικούς γαλαξίες.
Η μέθεξη γίνεται με συνειδητή μεταφορά του αναγνώστη σε έναν κόσμο βαθιά χαμένο, θαμμένο, πλυμμηρισμένο και αδυσώπητα μαγεμένο απο μεταφορές λατρείας, δοξασίες γεμάτες σύμβολα με άρωμα μεσαιωνικό,
γεύση αρχαϊκών πόθων και αισθήσεις απαράμιλλης ευγένειας, γοητείας, ρομαντισμού, πάθους, γενναιότητας και ιπποσύνης στον βωμό της αιώνιας αγάπης.

Αυτό το έργο είναι η επική προσπάθεια που θα καταλήξει στο νόημα της ζωής, που θα καταρρίψει με δόξα τους θρύλους, θα συγκεντρώσει ανυπέρβλητες μάχες με ορατές και αόρατες δυνάμεις, κυρίως αναμετρήσεις ψυχικής καθαίρεσης και δοκιμασίες πίστης και απιστίας.
Ίσως να αποτελεί σύμβολο στην διπλή προσωπικότητα κάθε ύπαρξης που μπήκε στους γυάλινους πύργους του Κάμελοτ και χάθηκε ανάμεσα στα κάστρα της ποίησης και της μυθολογίας για τη σωτηρία της
ψυχής.
Με αυτοσχέδια και ουσιώδη στοιχεία απο μνήμες αλλοτινές γνωρίζουμε τους κώδικες της ιπποσύνης, της τιμής και της ανδρείας και ψιθυρίζουμε το σύνθημα στην Κυρά της Λίμνης για να μας μεταφέρει στην μυθική Αγγλία που αφθονούσε η μαγεία.

Ο Αρθούρος έγινε βασιλιάς αφού τράβηξε το σπαθί Εξκάλιμπερ απο τον βράχο που το είχε βάλει ο πατέρας του, Ούθερ Πεντράγκον, λίγο πριν πεθάνει.
Άρχισε να συμβουλεύεται με πίστη και αφοσίωση τον μάγο Μέρλιν, έκανε βασίλισσα του την όμορφη και λάγνα Γκουίνεβιρ και έγινε λαμπρός δημιουργός και ηγέτης των ιπποτών της Στρογγυλής Τραπέζης.
Ο μοναδικός σερ Λάνσελοτ συμπεριλήφθηκε ανάμεσα στους πιο πιστούς και λατρεμένους ιππότες του και υπήρξε πρότυπο γενναιότητας και ανδρείας.

Η πρωτεύουσα στο βασίλειο του Αρθούρου ήταν το Κάμελοτ. Ένα παραμυθένιο τέμενος περιτριγυρισμένο απο αρχαία μνημεία γέννησης και θανάτου σαν καθρέφτες ενός παγιδευμένου σύμπαντος.

Και απο το ανομολόγητο και το ανεξερεύνητο της μεσαιωνικής Γαλλίας εξορμούν οι ιππότες του Αρθούρου και αναζητούν περιπέτειες. Πολεμούν με τέρατα, πληγώνονται απο τα νύχια σατανικών μάγων ή ποθούν νεράιδες που η αιθέρια ομορφιά τους αποδεικνύεται τοξική, θανατηφόρα.
Οι ιππότες με ψυχές που δεν φοβήθηκαν τα γεννήματα απο σκοτεινές συνουσίες μαγείας, αντιμετωπίζουν κάθε είδος φυσικού και υπερφυσικού κινδύνου.

Απώτερος σκοπός η καθολική αγάπη στην καρδιά μιας γυναίκας, σύμβολο της τάξης ο έρωτας και κέντρο του σύμπαντος τους τα ιδανικά, οι αξίες, η θρησκεία χριστιανικών και παγανιστικών δυνάμεων και η γέννηση του πολιτισμού μέσα στην αναρχία του χάους.

Πόσο υπέροχα και δημιουργικά στήνεται μπροστά στα μάτια μας μέσα απο αυτό το βιβλίο, ένας θρυλικός κόσμος μύθου και λατρείας.
Ένας προάγγελος των λογοτεχνικών εποχών που έπονται, δεν ήταν μια συλλογή ιστοριών, ούτε ένα γραπτό συνοπτικό μύθευμα της εθιμοτυπίας και της ηθικής, ήταν ακόμη ένα απο τα μεγάλα συγγραφικά επιτεύγματα του 15ου αιώνα, αμέτρητες γενιές συγγραφέων, ποιητών και καλλιτεχνών επηρεάστηκαν απο την ξεχωριστή δύναμη του.

Στην Αγγλία του εραστή της σκοτεινής πτώσης απο τη χώρα του υψηλού μυστηρίου, Λάνσελοτ,
του Αρθούρου, του Μέρλιν, ως θεού όρνιου που συνουσιάζεται με ψυχές στον αέρα,
της βασίλισσας Γκουίνεβιρ, με τα πάθη και τα λάθη και της Ωραίας Ιζόλδης,
του ιππότη της διάπυρης, αιώνιας μελωδίας Τρίστραμ, του βασιλιά Μπορς και του βασιλιά Μπαν, του σερ Πέρσιβαλ
και του σερ Παλόμιντες που πάντα θα λατρεύει το άπιαστο και θα κυνηγάει το άπιστο,
μονομάχων που πεθαίνουν πνιγμένοι στη λάσπη του αίματος στις γιόστρες των πρωτόγονων βασιλείων της ανθρωπότητας, γενναίων που μονομαχούν με άλλους γενναίους,
αλλά και με αδάμαστους δράκοντες, ιερά δαιμόνια και στοιχεία, ένας κόσμος καθαρός, πρωτόπλαστος και ανίερα φωτεινός, όπου όλα συμβαίνουν στη φύση και στα κάστρα των προσευχών
και όπου οι γυναίκες κοιμούνται με τους αγαπημένους τους γνωρίζοντας πως μέσα σε μια βραδιά οι μοριακές ουσίες ζωής που χύθηκαν μέσα τους έθρεψαν «τον ευγενέστερο ιππότη που θα δει ο κόσμος».

Αυτό το μυθιστόρημα έχει μία δική του ιδιαίτερη δομή, τεχνική αρχαϊκής γραφής και υψηλή αξία, που αποκτά μαγικές δυνάμεις αν ο αναγνώστης αρνηθεί τη σύγκρουση ανάμεσα στον μυστικισμό και την αντικειμενική επιστήμη της ιστορίας.

Σύμφωνα με τον βρετανικό μύθο ο βασιλιάς Αρθούρος ζει παρέα με μια νεράιδα στο Άβαλον και τις περισσότερες άχρονες ώρες κοιμάται και αναπαύεται.

Μολονότι, ίσως είναι νεκρός απο καιρό, περιμένει την στιγμή που θα τον χρειάζονται περισσότερο οι συμπατριώτες του οπότε και θα ξυπνήσει για να τους σώσει.
Το ίδιο πιστεύω κι εγώ...

♥️♥️♥️🏰⚔️🏰♥️♥️♥️

Καλή ανάγνωση.
Πολλούς ασπασμούς

[Phillip.c.lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read, if you like knights and stuff. The story is a metaphor for the shift in beliefs of many gods to the belief in the Christian god.

I learned that knights pretty much spend their time on quests and challenging each other at the drop of a hat. A typical example would be a conversation like this.

"I say, Sir Gallahad, the color red is above all the best color."

"I disagree, Sir Palomides, for I hold the color green to be the best."

"I challenge you then, let us joust to see once and for all which is the best of the two colors!"

"Yes, we shall see which is better! And you will rue the day you challenged the glory of the color green!"

Good stuff.

[Alexis Hall]

Okay, the Morte d'Arthur is ... weird as hell but I love it because it saved my life.

Well maybe not my life.

But some part of my life.

Basically there was this exam where you had to analyse a bit of Medieval poetry given to you from a set selection of texts. Everyone did Pearl because it was short and the other option were insane (one of them being THE ENTIRETY of the fucking Morte).

Anyway, I hate Pearl.

It all looks the same.

And that guy has some creepy ideas about his daughter, just sayin'.

So I open up the paper and there's a bit of Pearl. And of course it looks like every other bit of Pearl. Blah blah daughter blah blah Jesus.

So I'm like fuck.

So I start looking at the other crap and there's a bit for the Morte ... which is the bit that everybody knows. It's the scene where Lancelot is caught 'in the Queen's bed chamber' and there's a big fight and symbolic blood and he jumps out the window. So I did that.

And, lo, I lived happily ever after.

Honestly, what can you say about the Morte d'Arthur. I like to imagine Malory sitting in prison, grumpy as hell, quill in hand, scribbling away in a frenzy, muttering to himself about fucking peasants and fucking women.

Basically this is the story of Arthur you want to read if you're into war and you think kissing is for girls. And possibly also if you're annoyed.

"So, to pass upon this tale, Sir Launcelot went unto bed with the queen."

RACEY STUFF SIR THOM!

[Evripidis Gousiaris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Αν και στην αρχή με απογοήτευσε η έντονη επανάληψη γεγονότων, μια πιο προσεκτική ματιά σε κάθε κεφάλαιο και με τις διάφορες πληροφορίες/ερμηνείες που βρήκα στο διαδίκτυο κατανόησα και εντόπισα τον τεράστιο πλούτο του συγκεκριμένου βιβλίου.

Περισσότερα αφού ολοκληρωθεί και ο 2ος τόμος.

[Amanda Hupe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Le Morte d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory in college but I can’t have an Arthurian Legend list and not add this classic. Sir Thomas Malory lived during the Wars of the Roses, lived a life of crime, and even died in prison after at one point supporting both sides in the war. At least, that is what historians believe, there is a possibility that there are other identities. Anyway, these works consist of eight stories starting with the birth of King Arthur. In his works, we meet all the familiar characters such as Merlin, King Uther, Morgan Le Fay, Gwynevere, and many more.

I love the legends surrounding King Arthur and there is no doubt that these stories hold a significant place in history. However, it is not a complex read. It is very slow and repetitive. He said, she said, this happened, then this happened. It is literally telling what is happening. So it can be difficult to read. It is not a binge read. It will take some time. This time around I actually listened to the audiobook and that was a bigger mistake. The audiobook is narrated by Frederick Davidson. His narration is very dry and dull.

This is a tricky rating, but I give it 4 out of 5 stars because I love the content despite it being dreadfully slow.

[Alexander Theofanidis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Μπορεί να οφείλεται σε έλλειψη καλλιέργειας και βάθους από πλευράς μου, αλλά μου ήταν δύσκολο να συμπαθήσω ένα κλασικό έργο στο οποίο κάθε δεύτερη το πολύ σελίδα κάποιος πέφτει από το άλογο.
Πάνε 25 χρόνια που διάβασα αυτό το βιβλίο και θυμάμαι ότι συνεχώς "ο σερ τάδε όρμησε στον σερ δείνα και τον έριξε από το άλογο" μετά "ο σερ πήξαι ανέβηκε στο άλογο και όρμησε στον σερ δήξαι, αλλά ο σερ δήξαι τον έριξε από το άλογο".
Σοβαρά τώρα, μετρήστε πόσες φορές πέφτει κόσμος από άλογα και τι ποσοστό του βιβλίου αποτελούν οι πτώσεις ιπποτών από ιπποειδή...

Υ.Γ. Κάποια στιγμή σκέφτηκα το κλασικό ανέκδοτο με τα άλογα που αυτοκτονούν σε ένα γκρεμό και στο τέλος ακούγεται μια φωνή από κάτω: ΠΟΙΟΣ Μ@Λ@Κ@Σ ΠΕΤΑΕΙ ΑΛΟΓΑ;;;

[Matthew Ted]

In 1485, William Caxton published a prose reworking of the Arthurian legend that had been collated, reworked and rewritten by a “Knyght presoner” called “Thomas Malleorre”, or, as we know him today, Sir Thomas Malory. Though there are many theories about the true identity of writer-Malory, the most lasting is that he was indeed a prisoner, a thief, a rapist and a murderer. As the conclusion to Le Morte D’Arthur (at the end of vol. 2) states, by Malory’s hand:

I pray you all, gentlemen and gentlewomen that readeth this book of Arthur and his knights, from the beginning to the ending, pray for me while I am alive, that God send me good deliverance, and when I am dead, I pray you all pray for my soul. For this book was ended the ninth year of the reign of King Edward the fourth, by Sir Thomas Maleore, knight, as Jesu[s] help[ed] him for his great might, as he is the servant of Jesu[s] both day and night.

He, supposedly, wrote much of the book in prison*. Ironic that such a lengthy novel about knights, chivalry and honour was written by a man imprisoned for quite the opposite; but Malory’s vision of Arthurian legend has prevailed, for it is, to this day, the cornerstone text in English and perhaps in the world. Most modern interpretations use Malory’s novel as their bench mark.

I want to say right away that I ‘enjoyed’ the several months it has taken me to read this. It has primarily taken me so long because I have been using it for a research project. The other reason: it is insanely repetitive. Sadly, I am not exaggerating when I say nearly all 500 pages of this volume go like this: a knight (Gawain, Tristram, Arthur, Launcelot, whoever) is riding along. He comes across another knight. They joust. One unseats the other. Rinse and repeat for 500 pages. And not only that, but Malory does not bother to change the descriptions of these incessant happenings at all. Almost every instance is described in this fashion: ‘then they came riding together as it had been thunder’. A part of me wishes I had kept a tally. And as for the smiting of knights, one could not count. I mentioned it to a friend as a passing joke, only to discover that on the first third of a single paperback page, three ‘smotes’ had happened.

And yet there is something addictive about Malory’s way. There is something of Lilian Randall’s assertion that, ‘Malory’s prose style, though at times uneven, conveys a vivid sense of urgency and passion, bringing to life a world where ideals collide with harsh realities’; when in the right mood (whatever I mean by that – receptive, perhaps?), the torrent of Malory’s vision does, at times, seem genius. It is a deeply flawed and dated book; I can’t imagine anyone without an already invested interested in the Arthuriad to bother reading it to the end (and this is only the first volume!). So, a review to dissuade people, in a way. I think as a historical piece of writing from the 15th century, it is also fascinating, but Malory wastes no words on describing the physical world or the feelings of the characters. Oftentimes, when knights are travelling, they go ‘by adventure’ or ‘by fortune’, meaning, in other words, that the plot/fate gets them where they need to be. Fiction has evolved a lot since then. Malory’s version of The Lord of the Rings would be far shorter:

Frodo, by adventure, found Mt Doom and smote the ring in the fire.

*With this in mind, there is an interesting quote from Book IX that I have transcribed below. It is also one of the few instances where Malory writes something other than physical action. As C. S. Lewis once said, ‘Malory is not interested in states of consciousness. He records emotions not by analysing them but by describing their effects.’

So Sir Tristram endured there great pain, for sickness had undertake him, and that is the greatest pain a prisoner may have. For all the while a prisoner may have his health of body he may endure under the mercy of God and in hope of good deliverance; but when sickness toucheth a prisoner’s body, then may a prisoner say all wealth is him bereft, and then he hath cause to wail and to weep. Right so did Sir Tristram when sickness had undertake him, for he took such sorrow that he had almost slain himself.

[Dr. Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awful.

This is the tale of King Arthur. But for me it was the tale of 5,000 random knights killing each other and generally being assholes. There was no over-arching plot to this. Each book is basically a scene were one thing or another happens, but there is no series continuity. There is no character growth besides them growing physically older. Even when the characters realize their actions were wrong, it's too late because now they're dead since almost every duel was to the death.

Honestly, Arthur was a jerk. How do people even like him or his knights if this is how he acts all the time?? I am not looking forward to volume two.

[Marc Pastor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quina patacada.
Des d'adolescent que he llegit tanta literatura artúrica com he pogut (de John Steinbeck a Terence H. White, passant per Geoffrey de Montmouth), i sempre havia tingut l'espina clavada de "Le morte d'Arthur" de Malory. Quan per fi vaig poder aconseguir la "nova" edició doble de Siruela, sabia que havia arribat el moment.
Déu n'hi do el que va suar Boorman per adaptar-la a l'hora de rodar Excalibur. Ja va fer bé de quedar-se amb el bo i millor de la mitologia i descartar la palla. Perquè la palla hi és en dosis abundants.
Per començar, tota la història que coneixem de l'espasa a la pedra i de Merlí i la profecia, Malory se la ventila en un tres i no res. Merlí és que no és ni secundari: sembla un extra sense línia. La seva presència és anecdòtica. I el rei Artús... tres quarts del mateix. La primera part d'aquest volum ens els presenta i el seguim en el seu ascens al tron i com campa per Europa fins Roma per ser el puto amo. A partir d'aquí, es converteix en una figura de fons, una referència en boca de tothom però que pràcticament no apareix.
Tots els llibres d'aquest primer volum estan dedicats a diferents cavallers de la Taula Rodona. Gairebé totes les aventures són idèntiques: un cavaller va pel bosc i troba un castell on un rei té segrestada una donzella. El cavaller s'enfronta al rei i rescata la donzella. Hi ha alguna variant, però no se surt gaire d'aquí. Tota l'estona.
Tot i que costa diferenciar els cavallers perquè no tenen gaire personalitat, he de dir que les històries de Tristán són les més patètiques (literalment): només li passen desgràcies. Tot el dia el capturen i el fereixen i li treuen la nòvia. Una drama. I les de Sir Gareth són avorridotes.
No recordo quin cavaller era que em va fer gràcia que es va passar tot el llibre dedicat a ell amb una dama que li anava a la contra. No para de criticar-lo per tot i d'apunyar-lo per l'esquena. El té fregit.
Això sí: tots els cavallers es comporten com adolescents d'hormones alterades. Es discuteixen per tot, es reten a la mínima, lluiten per la raó més peregrina, no accepten que els portin la contrària, van pels llocs buscant brega... Que sí, que després tot ho arreglen amb l'honor i amb rendicions incondicionals, però sembla que només visquin per fotre's en embolics. Elles, les dames, no queden pas millor. La misogínia és evident. Són manipuladores, fleumes i no fan altra cosa que esperar que les rescatin o ficar mala maror entre cavallers.
Ara bé, una altra cosa que xoca és que en la història del rei Artús hi hagi com dos-cents o tres-cents reis més. A cada puta clariana d'un bosc hi ha un rei. No hi ha cosa més mainstream que ser rei al Gales medieval. Tothom rendeix tribut a Artús i torna a Camelot per Pentecostés, però a la mínima hi ha desenes de reietons conspirant-hi en contra.
Vaja, que tot i que he gaudit d'aquest primer volum, trigaré força en agafar el segon, perquè se m'ha fet força repetitiu. Sé que encara m'espera tota la part del Graal, però ara temo que només ocupi un parell de pàgines, vista com va la cosa.

[Joseph Leskey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just so we have no misunderstandings later, these guys [knights] are not always chivalrous. SSSSHHH, Joseph, lest they hear thee and do thee smite to gain worship.

Second, have things changed since those knightly times? Like back then, two knights battle for hours and wound each other nigh to the death. What do they do? I paraphrase, "I have never met me such a worshipful knight as thou, therefore let us fight no longer under oath to the end of our lives, and I love thee the better, even as mine own brother. *kiss* *weep*" Please note that somebody loving you as if you were their own brother was not of necessity a good thing. If (this condition being included in a set of a few others) they happen to get a foul sword and stupidly keep the thing, instead of, you know, chucking it in a volcano or something, they'll probably kill you by accident. MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WHAT YOUR SHIELD LOOKS LIKE AND DO NOT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT. AND DON'T REPLACE IT EITHER. 'Nuff said.

Also, when will people ever learn not to say, "Whatsoever it is that thou ask of me, that thing is yours." Dummies. (It's not like I just called King Arthur a dummy or anything. Haven't you ever heard of generalization?)

The writing and plot is pretty good, since you mentioned it. (DISCLAIMER: You may not have mentioned it.)

So what did these knights do all day? Well, let me help you understand this. After I do, I'm sure you'll want to read the book forever (be warned, though: it doesn't last forever). Anyway, knightly schedule (THIS COUNTS AS REVIEWING):
1: Wake up in the castle that you were captured in.
2: Hear a mass.
3: Break your fast.
4: Get leave of Sir Whatshisname to depart his dungeons. After you tell your name under oath.
5: Go for a merry tromp.
6: Find a knight. Joust with him. Smite him from his horse. Lightly void your horse. Fight for two hours. Wound him wondrously sore. Worship achieved. Go your merry way.
7: Repeat 6 indefinitely.
8: Find a damsel. Go on her quest. Bear her incessant rebukes. She'll say she's sorry later.
9: Repeat 8 indefinitely. Prepare to do anything listed on this schedule during aforementioned quest.
10: Fight your brother by accident. Kill him. Get killed. Tell him that you killed him and he you. Make great dole. Maidens will come and pity you. And you'll get buried with a fancy tombstone, so yay.
11: Go after some knight who stole someone's wife. Or (unfortunately) be the knight that stole someone's wife. In the case of the former, prepare for everything to work out "well," unless if somebody dies. In the case of the latter, you never know what might happen. But your uncle will probably hate you.
12: Joust. Get worship. Smite people heavily.
13: Fight the random giant.
13: Repeat all the aforesaid.
14: Fall in love. This entails every bit of the above.
15: (Unfortunately) repeat 14 a couple times if you feel like it.

There is the average knight's schedule. And that's the book. Now, in order to honor these chivalrous and full noble knights, I may have made a couple grammatical or typographical errors. They would have too.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have I read enough medieval romance to be able to judge this work with its contemporaries? I'm gonna go on a limb and say "Sorta."

There were a few frustrations with this work. First that the preface said that there is an earlier manuscript of it that they didn't use, so I'm all "Wait, why give us the later if there's an earlier? Why tell us about it just to tease us?" The translator's notes tended to be next to useless, leaving confusing words undefined and telling me for the fifth time that gules means red, which, dude, I know. Also don't need a definition for "Seneschal", kthnx.

Secondly, it reads like a summary. Malory was obviously summarizing several sources and trying to make them sort of fit together, which they don't. So there are lots of confusing bits - just how many sisters does Arthur have, for example. Many passages read like a sporting page for Jousts. Who was there, wins, losses, final results. YAWN!

And when he says "Richly arrayed, as they were in those days." you just know he's omitting a nice five-stanza passage of costume description!

Still, it's a lot of Arthurian backstory filled in, and I'm glad to have read it, and I'll read part two, just to complete my understanding of the Arthurian Legends as they stand.

[Carolina Casas · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great joy to read this again. Revisiting the medieval and renaissance eras are my favorite things to do. As a tutor I get to do it constantly. Re-reading this reminded me how important it is to remember our history, to go back to the past and see what inspired our favorite filmmakers and fantasy authors.
Since its inception, so many authors have tried to do the same; few have lived up to what Malory created. He was not the first to write about King Arthur and his knights of the round table. Several other English authors had done the same. What distinguishes Malory is that he did he melded all of the Arthurian romances into one epic story that not only transported his audience back to a time of magic and impossibilities, but gave them something that resonated with them.
At the time, the wars of the roses was going on. The country was torn between red and white -at least that is how the Tudors wanted it to be remembered. The truth is far more complicated. Nonetheless, these were the two major factions leading the conflict and initially a Yorkist, Malory like so many of his comrades became disillusioned with the current regime and cast his lot with Warwick (Edward IV, the Yorkist King, ambitious cousin) and the King's treacherous younger brother. When that didn't work, he patiently waited for his opportunity to come and when it came, he cast his lot once again with Edward's enemies. This time with the Lancastrian queen and her son, the Prince of Wales, across the narrow sea.
The Lancastrian Readeption was a horrid and pathetic attempt to restore Henry VI to the throne. Henry VI was a miserable wretch at this point. The indecisive, easily-manipulated king was replaced by a witless king who had no idea what was going on. His wife and Warwick were the ones calling the shots.
Seeing the bloodshed that the two houses were shedding for the sake of the crown, Malory abandoned all hope for a better tomorrow.
This edition just covers the first volume. Those of you who have read all four volumes will see that in spite of his personal beliefs, Malory reserved the right to disappoint his readers by giving them a gloomy ending. Instead, the ending is bittersweet, ending with the promise of a brighter future -where Arthur would rise up from the grave to restore law and order to his sacred homeland.

History is cyclical. To loosely quote what 19th century author and socialist icon, Karl Marx, said, history repeats itself, first as a tragedy and then as a farce. History certainly repeated itself in The Death of King Arthur. Arthur is seen as the chosen one by his peers; Merlin believes in him. But along the way he is met with various obstacles that hinder him from becoming the greatest king that ever lived. Although he becomes a legend, everyone around him -including him- knows that it is nothing more than illusion.
This is also the first Arthurian myth that weaves all the other individual tales together, paying close attention to detail (ie, the characters' appearance, personality, and their environment). Camelot is no more violent than the promised land that both Yorkists and Lancastrians promised their countrymen they'd turn England into. The knights who vie for power, fight to protect their king or seek personal glory, are just as flawed as their king. And that is the big tragedy here, that our heroes are victims of their own hubris.

[Arden Powell]

I'M FINISHED. It took me 15 months and probably 40 other books interspersed throughout, but I finished the goddamn Arthur book. I actually came to enjoy it by the last 100 pages or so, during which I picked up my reading pace and kept to a more-or-less nightly schedule of about 15 pages at a time—immersion seems key—but I can't say whether I benefitted from the experience in any way. I already have the second volume, so I think I'm just going to keep going. I don't know how to feel about this decision, except that to lose momentum is to cede the battle, and like so many knights before me I intend to win worship here and it would be shameful to be defeated now.

[Louis · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion, the definitive version of the Arthurian legend.I have read 6 different ones and I always come back to this one.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Lisa (Harmonybites) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first volume of Le Morte d'Arthur and shouldn't be seen as the first book of a trilogy, just the first half, and not meant to be read alone. I agree with the reviewer who said this is not for the faint of heart, and few general readers are going to find this a great read. If you're looking for an absorbing, entertaining read with characters you can relate to and root for, you're absolutely, positively in the wrong place. Read instead Arthurian novels such as T.H. White's The Once and Future King or Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy. There are countless other such novels inspired by this material worth reading, and I've read a lot of them.

But I did find it interesting at times going through this, one of the ur-texts as it were of Arthurian legend. There are other, earlier works of Arthurian literature: Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain (1136), Chrétien de Troyes's Arthurian Romances in the 12th century and Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival in the 13th century are among the most notable. But Malory drew from several sources, so much so he's often described more as the "compiler" than the author of the work. I own a edition in two volumes that comes close to 1,000 pages. So this is an exhaustive resource of all sorts of facets of the legend. The story of Tristram and Iseult is here, for instance.

And this is a medieval work, so it's imbued with its assumptions and attitudes. Obviously a source of outrage to some reviewers, and even by the standards of the time, comparing this to how women are treated in say Boccaccio's Decameron and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales--well, women don't come off well here. Misogyny abounds. And knights are held up as paragons who commit a lot of heinous acts and just plain WTF. A lot is repetitive and a slog--as one reviewer put it too much is "joust, joust, joust." And this was written about half-way between Chaucer and Shakespeare. With the spelling regularized it's quite readable, much more so than unmodernized Chaucer. But with those that choose to preserve the archaic words, that means wading through words such as "hight" (is called) and "mickle" (much). And there's just so much that can be excused by, well, "it's the times"--I found plenty of medieval writers who were wonderful reads, and just plain more humane: Dante, Boccaccio, Chaucer. I can't see Malory as their equal--not remotely. But as a fan of Arthurian literature and someone fascinated by the Middle Ages, this did from time to time have its fascinations.

[Miriam Cihodariu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was familiar with the Arthurian legends only from more recent-day sources and retellings. In anticipation of my extended trip through Scotland, I wanted to go closer to the sources and read an older collection of narratives regarding these characters.

Sir Malory's stories did not let me down. While they are a bit harder to follow compared to modern English prose, the wealth of detail regarding the entire host of characters (and plenty of minor characters I hadn't heard of before) is fascinating.

[Joanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

SO INSANELY DULL and repetitive that it's curing my chronic insomnia. I'm not sure I can get through it, it's just making me so angry...as a genuine fan of King Arthur and his knights and adventures, I'm sorely disappointed in Malory. The earliest Arthurian literature is a thousand times more imaginative than this. I don't think I'll ever understand why it became an instant classic.

BLECH.

[Jen B]

I didn't finish. Perhaps some other time, but I found it extremely repetitive.

[Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

"‘Fair fellow’ said Sir Ector, ‘knowest thou in this county any adventures that be here nigh hand?’"

There's just something comfy and familiar about Le Morte d'Arthur. From the language, to the characters, to the stories, to the themes ... everything about it, even the bite-size length of the Caxton chapters, makes for cozy reading.

This two volume Penguin set is my favorite version. It's an unabridged copy of the Caxton text, retaining all the original archaic language and vocabulary, but with modernized spelling, punctuation, and paragraphing. For me, this is the ideal arrangement for leisurely pleasure reading.

[Augusto Alvarez Pasquel · Rating 5 out of 5]

El primer volumen de la Muerte de Arturo es una pieza interesante de la literatura. Mientras que creo que no puedo juzgar la obra hasta haber leído los tres volúmenes si puedo apreciar como Malory intenta darle sentido a la historia y leyenda de Arturo.

[laura]

2⭐️

I hate reading for school 😔

[Jenna Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started and finished during Fall break (we’ll ignore the fact that it was started during Fall break ‘24 and finished during Fall break ‘25).

[Sahel's · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had heard about him, but I never knew much except faint stories. I officially got to know the character when I had to read "Elements of Literature" as part of my undergrad course called "A Survey of British Literature". I realized there are tons of adaptations and works of literature out there pertained to revising these legends and stories. So, since 2009, I've been fascinated with the whole idea, but never found the time or access to physical copies to read them. Until this December!

King Arthur, his court, and I initiated a long journey this past December 2020. I'll be reading some of the most notable adaptations and revisions and I'll share my agenda with you after I finish, just in case someone needed a chronological reading Arthurian plan!

There is no need for me to write how much I enjoyed Malory's account. So, I'll briefly go over things I noticed:

Malory writes matter-of-factly. In other words, he does not try to elongate the scenes with long descriptions, stretches of emotions, or exaggeration. If a knight loses a limb, it does not turn into a tragedy, it becomes a a limb lost in battle and the knights already expected it, so the reader should too! To me, the pithiness of his language makes for more realistic, life-like and solidly emotional scenes.

This observation is one of the reasons I enjoy medieval literature so much. I encountered unexpected little details in the warp of these chivalrous stories and legends. My serious-saga- reader mentality does not allow me to imagine funny or real-life details in the heart of this serious story. However, Malory somehow changed my whole opinion about long legends. Little comments such as how love was much different back then and Malory didn't know what Launcelot and Guenevere were doing behind closed doors (Like kids, love our time wasn't like yours now, and this is what, still fifteenth century?).

Finally, I need to name my favorite chracters, because I feel I owe them. I've lived almost one month with them. Dame Elaine of Corbenic who is King's Pelles's daughter, Elaine of Astolat (Fair maiden of Astolat), and Sir Palomides. There is something really faithful, true, and unheroicly human about them. To me, they are the real characters; so belonging to this world and now, yet so piously in love and magnanimous.

[Agnieszka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although these stories are collected into a book, this is not a novel, and it's just Part 1. On the other hand the stories are stand alone, so I think I can review it a bit.

The first part is all about King Arthur's lineage and them him consolidating his kingdom. It's not that exciting because Merlin just tells King Arthur what to do and he does it and everything goes well. Everyone does "marvelous deeds of arms" and is a "passing good knight". I don't suggest skipping it because it gets you used to the style and rhythm of the story. I do suggest sticking with it even if you find the start a little boring.

After King Arthur's court is established things get more interesting. The various books choose particular knights or groups of knights to follow and we get their adventures. Like I said in an in-progress review, the book is old and written in a style that takes a while to get used to. But it's not so strange that you can't get used to. I found that when I had trouble following what was happening, reading out loud helped. There's a lot of repetition and formulaic phrasing which feels strange reading silently but as soon as I read it out loud makes sense. I think this stuff was meant to be read out loud and listened to.

People seem to get annoyed about various aspects of this book, such as the archaic morality, or the archaic writing style. I don't know what to say to that. The book is not the kind of book you're probably used to reading. I think as a modern reader of an old text, it's my duty to take the text as it is and understand it from its own point of view. I can also view it in a meta context, in that it tells you things about the writers that the writers may not have intended to tell you about them. I think that's fascinating. The stories are also good and often delightfully weird. And the archaic language has its own rule and rhythm that give their own kind of pleasure, too.

I've awarded the fist volume five stars because I enjoyed it and because I think it's an important and influential piece of writing that is also a historical document (not about King Arthur. About the people who told the stories about King Arthur).

[Britt Halliburton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am convinced that Malory wasn't a very good writer.

There is a lot of room for forgiveness, but I am certain that, even for the time, Malory isn't particularly good at relaying a story. There is the understanding that he is essentially compiling a lot of information and translating, rather than writing firsthand, but this reads like a child's imaginary game with action figures. The fights are repetitive with the same actions being taken over and over. I am certain I am not supposed to be laughing at this, but during one 'epic' battle early in the novel, several pages are taken up with a knight stealing the horse of another knight, who then steals another knights horse, who in turn steals another knights horse, etc. This goes on for pages. It's like the entire army swapped horses one after another. I almost facepalmed, it was so cringy.

And yet, it is crucial reading for any Arthurian fan. There's plenty of great stuff hidden behind the frustrating writing style with a lot of crazy stories and bizarre characters.

[Morganu · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on Arthurian literature, Thomas Malory gives us the sad ending, and by the other side the possible return of The once and the future King.

[Andreia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Esperando que os próximos sejam mais do que relatos de cavalaria...

[Patrick Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I begin this review, I recommend that anyone who is unsure about whether to read this book begin with the story of Lancelot's madness in book 12, near the start of volume 2. In my opinion, the quality of writing is much better from this point onward, and the material is more familiar, containing the grail quest, Lancelot's affair with Guinevere, and the war between Arthur and Sir Mordred. I found the supernatural adventures of Sirs Galahad, Percival, and Bors especially compelling.

Oh - and don't forget to check the glossary for unfamiliar words. I didn't find the glossary until I finished volume 1...

If you start from the beginning, prepare yourself for many, many tournaments, quests, jousting matches, and head-splittings of anonymous knights. Even behind these scenes, though, is the mind of an author who hopes to teach you something about the meaning of honor, chivalry, and self-control.

This book is like the parable of the treasure in the field: Just as the man found a treasure in a field and bought the whole field in order to obtain it, the reader of Le Morte d'Arthur will find powerul and amusing scenes within the formulaic tales of knights and damsels.

While the narrative style, a product of its time, is lacking in the style and imagery we have come to expect from modern action movies and novels, its stories come from centuries of Celtic and medieval folklore whose value in understanding the human experience far surpass such dramatic techniques. (What I mean to say is that it's up to you to imagine the scenery, the weather, facial expressions, and so on. The lack of imagery and detail is almost Biblical.)

Arthur's battle with the giant in Brittany, for example of a "treasure" scene, is as thrilling as it is an archetype of a noble and self-sacrificial sovereign. Just as he will in his (ludicrously ahistorical) conquest of the known world, Arthur struggles immensely in the fight with a stronger foe, but with the help of prayer, magical items, and immense courage, he kills the beast and prevents any more harm to his innocent victims.

Another story I enjoyed was the Scottish knight Sir Gareth's journey with a maiden who constantly belittles and mocks him despite the many times he has to rescue her from other knights. I thought of it as a man's struggle for acceptance.

Even the many, many tales of chivalry have a sort of therapeutic certainty. If a knight has been pure and courageous, fate will reward him with many victories; but as each knight is imperfect in some way, they will each struggle and have defeats: Gawaine is wrathful and short-sighted, Tristan runs from conflict, Palomides is jealous of Tristan, and of course Lancelot, though driven by a noble desire for chastity, is crippled by his lust for Queen Guinevere.

It is worthwhile to read old narratives like this one because in it you will find the ancient narratives that we continue to tell ourselves about love, courage, purity, and human frailty. This will be true above all for English-speaking Christians who will find Arthur's cruel turns of fate and Lancelot's struggle for virtue all too familiar.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

A challenging read:

“For I have promised to do the battle to the uttermost, by faith of my body, while me lasteth the life, and therefore I had liefer to die with honour than to live with shame ; and if it were possible for me to die an hundred times, I had liefer to die oft than yield me to thee; for though I lack weapon, I shall lack no worship, and if thou slay me weaponless that shall be thy shame.”
― sir thomas malory, le morte d'arthur

“And when matins and the first mass was done, there was seen in the churchyard, against the high altar, a great stone four square, like unto a marble stone; and in midst thereof was like an anvil of steel a foot on high, and therein stuck a fair sword naked by the point, and letters there were written in gold about the sword that said thus:—Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil, is rightwise king born of all England.”
― Thomas Mallory, Le Morte D'Arthur

“In the midst of the lake Arthur was ware of an arm clothed in white samite, that held a fair sword in that hand. ”
― Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur

“...and there encountered with him all at once Sir Bors, Sir Ector, and Sir Lionel, and they three smote him at once with their spears, and with force of themselves they smote Sir Lancelot's horse reverse to the earth. And by misfortune Sir Bors smote Sir Lancelot through the shield into the side...”
― Malory Thomas Sir, Morte D'Arthur