SIR THOMAS MALORY

LE MORTE D’ARTHUR

*INTRODUCTION
*SIR THOMAS MALORY
BIOGRAPHY
*BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE
TEXT
*THEMES
*CRITICAL OVERVIEW
*CHARACTER ANALYSIS
 INTRODUCTION
• Although Le Morte D’Arthur is thought to have been
written in 1469,the first known publication was in 1485,by
William Caxton.Caxton’s edition was divided into 21
books and 506 chapters.
• In 1934,another manuscript was discovered in the
Fellows Library of Winchester College.This second text
was published in 1947 as “The Works of Sir Thomas
Malory” and was divided into five books.
• Malory’s work;with the emphasis on courtly love,honor
and virtue,valor and devotion,magic and miracles,has
been an influential source for many writers,including
Edmund Spenser’s “The Faerie Queene” and Alfred
Tennyson’s “Idylls of the Kıng”.
 SIR THOMAS MALORY BIOGRAPHY
• The authorship of Le Morte d’Arthur has long been in
dispute. Traditionally,this text has been credited to
Thomas malory,a knight,who was born in about 1410 in
Warwickshire,England. In his twenties,after serving with
the Earl of Warwick in Calais ,he succeeded to his
father’s estate.After inheriting his father’s estate,Malory
led a quiet and affluent life.But for some reason, in
1450,Malory turned to crime.
His crimes include multiple rapes,robberies and attempted
murder.After a prison escape,Malory turned to robbing
churches and was again arrested.
When he was released,he returned to crime and as a
result,he was imprisoned again.
 Malory was evidently in prison once again when
Edward IV issued a pardon for prisoners that specifically
excluded Malory.
He died in 1471 and he was buried in Newgate, outside
London.
There is no way to assert with complete accuracy if
this Thomas Malory or any other Thomas Malory was
actually the author of this work.
Yet,Le Morte d’Arthur is filled with battles,chivalry,
jealousy and lust which are all ideas that Malory,the knight
who turned criminal,would know about and be familiar with.
The Death Of Arthur
Summary
Volume I
 The Tale of King Arthur
• The birth of Arthur results from King Uther’s deceptive
bedding of Arthur’s mother,Igrayne.
• When Arthur has himself crowned king of Wales,the husbands
of Uther’s three daughters,who are themselves kings,arrive for
the coronation not to celebrate but to make war with Arthur.
• After his victory over his enemies,Arthur meets and falls in
love with Guinevere.Arthur also creates a child,Mordred,with
Lot’s wife,whom he doesn’t realize is his sister.
• Merlin arrives in disguise and tells him that he has lain with
his sister and created a child who will destroy him.
• Arthur orders the death of all highborn children born on May
Day but Mordred survives.
 The story shifts to an emphasis on revenge as a magical
sword is used by a newly released prisoner,Sir Balyn.
Soon,another battle with King Lot ensues and Arthur
manages a great victory over his enemies.Merlin warns Arthur that
he must guard his scabbard and that it would be stolen by the
woman to whom Arthur would give it.
Arthur gives it to her sister Morgan Le Fay who,later,gives
it to her lover.After many battles,Balyn dies in an accidental battle
with his brother and Merlin fixes Balyn’s sword so that no man can
use it except for Lancelot or Galahad.
Against Merlin’s advice,Arthur marries Guinevere.Her
dowry is the Round Table,the seats of which have been filled with
as many knights as Merlin could find.
Arthur establishes the new code which demands that the
knights be merciful,righteous in their battles,and honorable toward
The Tale of King Arthur and King Lucius
• Lucius has demanded tributes from Arthur,who,in return,
promises war and is supported by his knights.
• He leaves for Normandy and Arthur’s forces destroy the
enemy with Gawain emerging as a heroic figure.
• Arthur next sends Launcelot and Cador to deliver the
Roman prisoners to Paris but Roman forces ambush
them.Launcelot proves himself a hero and defeats the
Romans.
• Arthur is crowned king of Rome and soon,he returns to
England with his men.
 The Tale of Sir Lancelot
• After his victory in Rome,Launcelot returns to England.
This part of the book consists mainly of Launcelot’s
adventures,which embody the ideal heroic knight and the
code of the Round Table.
• He promises to help Sir Bagdemagus in a tournament and
after he wins it,he is guided to Tarquin,who had earlier
captured Launcelot’s nephew.
• First he kills Tarquin,then he kills a thief and a rapist who
had been attacking women and he also kills a giant which
attacked women.
• Launcelot willingly risks his life to help a maiden seeking
help and even agrees to help a lady who deceptively
attempts to have him killed.
• Soon,everyone knows of Launcelot’s heroic deeds.
 The Tale of Sir Gareth
• Gareth is another of Lot’s son and the brother of Gawain.
He is the perfect knight,more humble and pure than all the
other knights.
• He is in fact a kitchen boy who has been made a knight,
which makes Sir Kay angry.
• After several adventures and the defeat of many criminal
types,Gareth proves his worthiness to be a knight of the
Round Table.
The Death of King Arthur

Volume II
 The book of Sir Tristram de Lyones

• The book recounts the adventures of Sir Tristram

• At the age of eighteen,Sir Tristram meets Isolde and falls
in love with her.Unfortunately,he delivers Isolde to King
Mark,whom he serves.
• The love potent which was prepared for Isolde and King
Mark is instead consumed by Tristram and Isolde.
• Isolde marries King Mark but she and Tristram will
remain lovers.
• King Mark eventually realizes what Tristram and Isolde
are doing and the two lovers flee the castle.
• King Mark captures Isolde and Tristram leaves Cornwall
wounded.
 In Britain,Tristram meets and marries another
woman,Isolde le Blaunche Maynes,but he will not
consummate the union.
Lancelot condemns Tristram’s betrayal of his lady.
After he again returns to Cornwall,Tristram is exiled
by King Mark.
Soon,Tristram encounters Arthur’s knights,assists
Lancelot and enters a tournament.
Tristram nearly wins the tournament and Lancelot
declares Tristram the rightful winner.However,Tristram is
wounded and he flees to the forest.
After a series of adventures,not knowing each other,
Tristram and Lancelot fight one another.
 Soon,the two men arrive in Camelot and Sir Tristram
is made a knight of the Round Table.
King Mark is more jealous than ever because of
Tristram’s success.
Though King Mark desires to have Tristram killed, he
fails at this as he is forced to ask for help from Tristram
when his kingdom is at risk.
Once the kingdom has been saved,King Mark writes
to Arthur accusing Guinevere of faithlessness.
The rest of the book’s this part is designed to reveal
the valour and strength of Launcelot,Tristram and various
other knights’ engagement in tournaments and adventures.
 The Tale of the Holy Grail

• Previously,Launcelot had been tricked into an affair with

Elaine,the daughter of King Pelles.
• The child of that affair is Galahad.
• At the beginning of this part,there is a report that a sword
has been found in a floating stone.The sword is engraved
with a legend that only the best knight in the world can
pull it out and those who fail will be cursed.
• Gawain tries as Arthur has ordered and fails.So does
Percival.But Galahad arrives and easily pulls it out.
• Soon,all of Arthur’s knights vow to go on the Grail Quest.
• Galahad soon wins a white shield marked with a red cross.
 The story behind the white shield claims that it has
healing powers.
Galahad goes under many tests,proves his virtue,
humility,generosity and worthiness.
Galahad is the Christ-figure,who refusues to kill his
enemies.
Meanwhile,Launcelot is undergoing his own tests
and as a result,he learns that he has been motivated in his
successes,not by love of God,but by love of Guinevere.
Launcelot regrets his sins and vows to become a
better man.
Percival,Launcelot,Gawain and Bors each continue
their seperate search for the Grail Quest.
 Each man has visions which reveals his sins while
they are sleeping.Like other knights,these three knights
have no luck because they are too sinful to succeed.
Each man understands that he is too filled with
pride and lacks the humility and devotion to God that is
required to succeed.
Launcelot tries the enter the Grail chamber but is
struck down just when he catches a glimpse of it.
He lies in coma for twenty-four days before
recovering.
Galahad,accompanied by Percival and Bors,finds
the Grail and he is granted his wish of choosing his time of
death after his prayer.He performs many miracles after
this event.
 The Book of Sir Launcelot and Queen
Guinevere
• After the Grail Quest,the book reverts to Launcelot’s more
human qualities and to a life less perfect than Galahad’s.
• Launcelot has forgotten all the promises he had made
during the quest and has turned to his love for Guinevere.
• Launcelot must rescue the queen after Meliagrance
captures her and his loyalty and love for the queen
increases.
• Launcelot is forced to choose between Queen Guinevere
and King Arthur,and he chooses the queen.
 The Death of King Arthur 
• It is clear to everyone that the queen and Launcelot are
involved in an adulterous love affair.
• Arthur has ignored this for some time but he no longer can
ignore what has become knowledge and as a result,he
orders Guinevere’s death.
• As Guinever is about to be burned,Launcelot arrives,kills
eveyone there including Gawain’s brothers.
• The pope intervenes and Launcelot returns Guinevere to
the king and is banished.
• Gawain insists that he and Arthur attack Launcelot.
• Gawain and Launcelot fight,Launcelot wins but he refuses
to kill Gawain.
 While Arthur and Gawain have been pursuing
Launcelot;Arthur’s incestuos son Mordred seizes the throne
and the queen.
They return to fight Mordred and Gawain dies.
Arthur kills Mordred but he also receives a fatal
wound.
He orders Excalibur to be thrown into the lake and his
body is placed on a barge.
Guinevere and Launcelot each turn to God in their
grief and each soon dies.
Sir Constantine becomes the king;the Round Table
disperses and the knights wander off into other directions.
 THEMES
► Courtly love
► Honor
► Fate and Destiny
THEMES
► Obedience
► Revenge
 Courtly Love
► There are many examples of courtly love in Le Morte
d’Arthur,including the story of Sir Gareth and his winning of
the Lady Lyonesse as his wife.
► The story of romantic love and chivalry that most often
comes to mind while talking about adulterous love is that of
Launcelot and Queen Guinevere.It is clear that many of
Launcelot’s actions are designed to please the Queen.
► Launcelot fights to please and honor Guinevere,not the God.
So,he is excluded from the quest for the Holy Grail.
► According to a romantic tradition,a knight entering a
tournament might also wear a lady’s token to express his
love.
 Sir Launcelot wears the token of Elayne of Astalot but
only to enhance his disguise.Later,he wears the queen’s token
and thus he makes public his love for her.
Sir Launcelot rescues her lady several times,causes
Guinevere’s being sentenced to be burned.
Sir Launcelot’s actions sets into motion events which
lead to the destruction of Arthur and of the Round Table.
Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere’s courtly love was
far more than a harmless romantic interlude.
 HONOR

► One important element is honor when King Arthur

establishes the code for the knights of his Round Table.
► Arthur’s knights owe him honor but more importantly,they
owe honor to God.
► Unfortunately,for nearly all the knights,their adventures,
battles and tournaments,are fought to honor their king or
more immediately,themselves.
► Gawain fights for personal and family honor,Launcelot for
the honor of the queen.
► Because of this,almost all the knights fail in the quest for the
Holy Grail.
 FATE AND DESTINY

► Many times,the readers are told a prophecy that includes

death and destruction thanks to Merlin’s prophecies and
magic.Characters are fated to meet one another in the
battlefield or tournaments and to die or win based on an
action that occurred much earlier and for which they had no
responsibility.
► This fate is not attributed to God or spiritual matters but
instead to the characters present in the text.
► Both Merlin and the Lady of the Lake act as the
representatives of fate,manipulating the characters and their
actions to create a fate they predict.
 OBEDIENCE

► Obedience is an element of the duty and responsibility which

all knights owe to their king and God.
► When Arthur commands the knights to try to pull out the
sword in the floating stone and the knights are forced to face
the risk of being cursed,Launcelot refuses Arthur’s order to
try but Gawain willingly obeys his king.
► Later,Gawain refuses to obey the king’s order that the queen
be put to death.
► Disobedience gradually leads to destruction.
 REVENGE

► Much of the action in this epic revolves around revenge.

► The “eye for an eye” motif runs through the individual’s
stories.For example,Sir Pellenor kills Lot,and Lot’s son
Gawain will later kill Pellenor to avenge his father.
► Had Gawain been able to pass on the need for blood revenge,
the battle in which he and Arthur were destroyed wouldn’t
have happened.
► Ultimately,the theme of revenge,particularly familial blood
revenge,runs through the epic and leads to the destruction of
all that Arthur has created.
 CRITICAL OVERVIEW
► With this work,Malory functions as a compiler,compiling all
the stories associated with the Arthurian legends and
assembling them in one book.
► Malory’s text suggests that the English were in need of the
many important morals emphasized by Morte d’Arthur.
Arthur’s establishment of the Round Table indicates a need
for a code of conduct that will govern the land.
► There is an implivation that only the purest of the knights
who do not use their strength or talent with a sword in an
unjust or murderous manner or who are not involved in
adulterous affairs will be rewarded with God’s blessing.
CHARACTERS
 KING ARTHUR
► He forms the Round Table and establishes a code of
behaviour,demnading his knights to be honorable.
► Arthur loves his knights so much that he ignores the love
between Guinevere and Launcelot,until forced to act.
► He is wise and strong;his men demonstrate a great loyalty to
him and he sets peace and tranquillity.
► With Arthur’s death,the Round Table dissolves.
 MERLIN
► Merlin is a master manipulator and directs much of the
action.
► As a great sorcerer,he is responsible for the creation of the
Round Table.
► Merlin is both prophet and magician.
► Although it initially seems that Merlin represents God,he
does not.According to the medieval world,he represents the
devil.
► He meets his dawnfall by falling in love with Nineve,who just
desires to learn his magic,and in the end,he is sealed alive in a
cave where only Nineve can set her free.
 GALAHAD
► Galahad is the son of Launcelot.He is the best of the knights,
the only one capable of succeding in the quest for the Holy
Grail.
► He represents a Christ-like figure.
► He rejects pride and greed and refutes all the seven deadly
sins.
► He is motivated only by the love of God;is able to perform
many miracles and protected from all dangers by God and
faith.
 KING MARK
► Mark is the king of Cornwallwho is in jealousy of Tristram.
► He marries Isolde,the woman whom Tristram loves.
► An inept ruler,King Mark needs the man he hates most-
Tristram- to defend his kingdom.
► Mark is jealous of anyone who achieves success.
► He eventually murders his brother because of jealousy.
 TRISTRAM
► Like Arthur,Tristram is born after his father’s death and is
raised by a foster parent.
► Like Launcelot,Tristram also loves the wife of his king.
► In spite of the poor treatment afforded Tristram by his king,
he continues to be loyal to King Mark,returning to defend
him and save his kingdom.
► His love for Isolde is unabated and although he marries
another woman,he refuses to betray the woman he loves.
► He successfully proves his strength and valor as a knight.
► His name means “sorrowful-born” and he is also known as
“The Knight with the Black Shield”.
 READY FOR A FEW QUESTIONS ?

► With Merlin’s help,how does Uther Pendragon persuade

Igrayne to have an affair with him?
A-He transforms into the image of his husband.
B-He seduces her with wealth and power.
C-He threatens to wage war against the Duke of Cornwall
D-He uses powerful herbs to confuse her.
► Why does merlin tell King Arthur to kill all children born on
May Day?
A-Because they were all born under an evil spell
B-Because they will all die a shameful death
C-Because the boy who will destroy Arthur is among them
D-Because a new magician more powerful than Merlin was
born that day.
>Why does Tristram go mad?
A-He is tortured in prison
B-He discovers that Isolde is having an affair
C-He is shipwrecked on an island
D-He will not consummate his marriage
>Why does Launcelot lie with Elaine?
A-He is tricked
B-He wants a son
C-He loves her
D-He is tired of being alone.
>Why does Launcelot refuse to draw the sword from the floating stone?
A-He knows that he is not the best knight in the world
B-He wants Galahad to have the honor of drawing the sword
C-He doesn’t want to fall under the sword’s curse
D-He knows he will not be able to remove the sword
>How does Melliagaunce know that Launcelot and Guinevere are lovers?
A-He sees the two lovers in a dream and asks a hermit to explain what he
saw
B-He oversees a conversation between launcelot and Guinevere
C-He sees blood from launcelot’s wounded hand on Guinevere’s bed sheet
D-He explains his love for Guinevere and she tells him she is in love with
Launcelot
>How does King Arthur die?
A-He is mortally wounded by Mordred
B-He is mortally wounded by Launcelot
C-He is heartbroken over Guinevere’s betrayal
D-He is killed by robbers who overtake the battlefield.