Before Reading Meet Sir Thomas Mallory (early 1400s-1471)

The legend of King Arthur is one of the most popular and enduring legends in Western culture. Most English-speaking readers have been introduced to the Arthurian legend through Le Morte d’Arthur, a work consisting of a number ofinterwoven tales that chronicle the rise andfall of King Arthur and his court.

Adventurous LifeAlthough his identity is not certain, most scholars believe that the author of Le Morte d’Arthur was born into a fairly prosperous family in Warwickshire, England. As a young man, Thomas Malory fought in the Hundred Years’ War. He was knighted in about 1442 and was later elected to Parliament. Malory then became embroiled in the violent political conflicts that preceded the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses.

Writing from Behind BarsMalory wrote Le Morte d’Arthur while serving a series of prison terms that began in 1451. He finished the work in prison in 1469. At the end of the book, he asks that readers “pray ... that God send me good deliverance. And when I am dead, I pray you all pray for my soul.”

The Arthurian LegendsThe first edition of Le Morte d’Arthur was published in 1485, fourteen years after Malory’s death. Le Morte d’Arthur remains the most complete English version of the Arthurian legends, which are believed to have existed since the sixth century as part of the oral tradition in France and England. Some historians believe that the fictional Arthur was modeled on a real 5^th- or 6^th century Celtic military leader, although the historical Arthur was undoubtedly very different from Malory’s Arthur, who ruled an idealized world of romance, chivalry, and magic.

As the first prose epic written in English, Le Morte d’Arthur is an important milestone in English literature. It has proved to be an astonishingly popular work, having not once gone out of print since it was first published in 1485—a testament to Malory’s singular talent as a writer.

While Reading

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 1194