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I read Le Morte D’Arthur for LMRC, Medieval period. I am
glad that I managed to read Le Morte D’Arthur, a dense and heavy book. If not
for LMRC, I confess I wouldn’t have read it in a months' time. Thankyou Fanda!
Medieval Literature
Medieval literature spans over a 1000 years, beginning with
the fall of Roman Empire (450 CE) and ending with the invention of printing
press in the 15th century. Much of the first half of this period,
prior to the 7th century was oral literature. Most of the writings
were religious in nature. Caedmon’s Hymn is the earliest recorded poem in old
English. Beowulf, the works of Cynewulf and the works of period poets are some
important works of Old English Literature (450-1066). As with the Old English
period, much of the Middle English writings were religious in nature. However secular
literature begin to rise from the 14th century. There came a huge
transition in the language, culture and lifestyle of England in the Middle
English Period (1066-1500). Some of the notable works of this period are the
Pearl Poet’s Pearl, patience, cleanness and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,
Langland’s political and religious allegory Piers Plowman, John Gower’s
Confessio Amantis, Thomas Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur and the works of Geoffrey
Chaucer. Geoffrey Chaucer is the most highly regarded English poet of the
Middle Ages. He was seen by his contemporaries as an English successor to the
great tradition of Virgil and Dante.
Le Morte D’Arthur
Thomas Malory wrote it while he was in prison between 1468
and 1470, but it was printed in 1485 by William Caxton. The stories about King
Arthur were there for a long time. Malory collected them all and retold them
with an epic unity, creating the Romantic Age of Chivalry. Le Morte D’Arthur is
the first true novel written in English. Malory originally wrote Le Morte
D’Arthur as eight books or tales. William Caxton divided it into 21 books and
then printed it.
It centers on King Arthur and the knights of his round
table. It tells the story of the birth of King Arthur to Igraine and Uther
Pendragon by the sorcery of Merlin and how Arthur was brought up by Sir Ector,
how Arthur was made the King of Britain after the death of Uther Pendragon by
Merlin, Arthur’s wedding with Guenever and how he got roundtable as his wedding
gift, how knights of the roundtable were ordained and their sieges blessed by
the Bishop of Canterbury and numerous other adventures by the round table
knights including the quest of the Sangreal, lovetale of Lancelot and Queen Guinevere and Tristan and Isolde and finally the death of King
Arthur. It took a long time for me to read volume I and I thought it wouldn't be possible for me to complete it, but Volume II moved at a faster
pace. I enjoyed reading all the tales of King Arthur and his knights' chivalry, peppered with mythology, medieval romance and the knights' numerous adventures including their quest of the Sangreal.
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| King Arthur Weds Guinevere |
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| Tristan and Isolde |
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| Sir Launcelot in pursuit of Sir Melliagrance |
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| Death of King Arthur |
