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Sir Thomas Malory

Sir Thomas Malory. The Morte Darthur. 15th-/16th-Century Historical Overview. Skeleton History, p. 3 Major English Political Events: 100 Years War (again), Battle of Agincourt Wars of the Roses English Reformation Literary Events: (Julian of Norwich, Revelations , long version)

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Sir Thomas Malory

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  1. Sir Thomas Malory The Morte Darthur

  2. 15th-/16th-Century Historical Overview • Skeleton History, p. 3 • Major English Political Events: • 100 Years War (again), Battle of Agincourt • Wars of the Roses • English Reformation • Literary Events: • (Julian of Norwich, Revelations, long version) • Book of Margery Kempe

  3. 15th-/16th-Century Overview, cont’d. • completion of Morte Darthur (MdA) • Caxton’s press • printing of MdA • conventional end of ME period, start of MnE • Europe: • humanism, Renaissance • Gutenberg’s movable type • Columbus’s first voyage • Luther: 95 Theses, Protestant Reformation

  4. MdA: Life and Lit in 15th C. • General trends: • religious/social changes, restraints, pressures • rising bourgeoisie, growing money economy • political turmoil, “instability” • Wars of Roses, modernizing war technology • “guns” ( = cannon) • MdA as social comment and warning • typical of Arthurian lit: nostalgic social critique

  5. MdA: Form and Purposes • Arthurian tales as history and behavioral models -- cf. Caxton’s Preface • “Mirror for Princes/Nobles/Gentry” • Genre: Romance (with some social/national relevance)

  6. MdA: Structural Overview • Bks. I-II: Arthur’s Rise • Bks. III-IV-V: “When Knighthood Was In Flower” (adventures of various knights) • Bk. VI: Quest for the Holy Grail (sign of highest heavenly love) • Bk. VII: Guenevere and Lancelot (highest earthly love) • Bk. VIII: Fall of the Round Table -- “the unhappy day”

  7. MdA, Book VIIAn Anatomy of L & G’s Love • Poisoned Apple Episode • Elaine • Great Tourney • Meliagaunt • Lancelot’s Miracle (Healing of Sir Urry)

  8. MdA, Book VIII: The Unhappy Day • Sources of the Tragedy? • Evil + Fate + Conflicting Goods • good will and reason insufficient • character of fate or fate of character? • reactions/judgments? ours? Malory’s? • “here in this world, he changed his life” • Rex Quondam Rexque Futurus: • “King Once and King to Come” • “The Once and Future King”

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