This English version of the stories of King Arthur, "Le Morte D'Arthur" was completed in 1469-70 by Sir Thomas Malory. Malory charts the tragic disintegration of the fellowship of the Round Table, destroyed from within by warring factions.

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Presents the author's reinterpretation of tales from Malory's Morte d'Arthur.

First published in 1485 by William Caxton, Le Morte d'Arthur is today perhaps the best-known work 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.

Le Morte d'Arthur is Sir Thomas Malory's compilation of some French and English Arthurian romances. The book contains some of Malory's own original material (the Gareth story) and retells the older stories in light of Malory's own views and interpretations. First published in 1485 by William Caxton, Le Morte d'Arthur is perhaps the best-known work of English-language Arthurian literature today.

Foreword by Neil Gaiman The world’s leading Arthurian authority reimagines one of the most beloved and influential legends—the story of King Arthur and his Knights—for a new century in this gorgeous keepsake edition, illustrated with luminous full-color paintings and drawings by internationally acclaimed Tolkien artist John Howe. The stories of King Arthur and Merlin, Lancelot and Guinevere, Galahad, Gawain, Tristan and the rest of the Knights of the Roundtable, and the search for the Holy Grail have been beloved for centuries and are the inspiration of many modern fantasy novels, films, and shows. These legends began when an obscure Celtic hero named Arthur stepped on to the stage of history sometime in the sixth century, generating a host of oral tales that would be inscribed some 900 years later by Thomas Malory in his classic Morte D’Arthur (The Death of Arthur). The Great Book of King Arthur brings these legends into the modern age, using accessible prose for contemporary readers for the first time. In addition to the stories in Morte D’Arthur, John Matthews includes many tales of Arthur and his knights either unknown to Malory or written in other languages, such as the story of Avenable, the girl brought up as a boy who becomes a famous knight; Morien, whose adventures are as fantastic and exciting as any found in Malory’s work; and a retelling of the life of Round Table favorite Gawain, from his strange birth to his upbringing among the poor to his ascension to the highest position—Emperor of Rome. In addition, there are some of the earliest tales of Arthur, deriving from the tradition of Celtic storytelling. The epic hero is represented in such powerful stories as “The Adventures of Eagle-boy” and “The Coming of Merlin,” which is based on the early medieval text Vita Merlini and tells a completely new version of the great enchanter’s story. The Great Book of King Arthur includes 15 full-color paintings and 25 pencil drawings.

Dorsey Armstrong provides a new, Modern English translation of the MORTE DARTHUR that portrays the holistic and comprehensive unity of the text as a whole, as suggested by the structure of Caxton’s print, but that is based primarily on the Winchester Manuscript, which offers the most complete and accurate version of Malory’s narrative. This translation makes one of the most compelling and important texts in the Arthurian tradition easily accessible to everyone—from high school students to Arthurian scholars. In addition to the complete text, Armstrong includes an introduction that discusses Malory’s sources and the long-running debate surrounding the manuscript and print versions of the narrative. For ease of use, the text is keyed to both William Caxton’s print version and the manuscript version edited by Eugène Vinaver. A detailed index is also included.

This vintage book contains Sir Thomas Malory's 1485 reworking of the King Arthur legend, "Le Morte Darthur". It is the most famous work of Arthurian literature in the English language and constitutes a must-read for those with an interest in the legendary tale. Contents include: "From the Marriage of King Uther unto King Arthur that Reigned After Him and Did Many Battles", "The Noble Tale Between King Arthur and Lucius the Emperor of Rome", "The Noble Tale of Sir Launcelot Du Lac", "The Tale of Sir Gareth of Orkney", et cetera. Sir Thomas Malory (c. 1415-18 - 1471) was an English writer. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction.

Le Morte d'Arthur is Sir Thomas Malory's compilation of some French and English Arthurian romances. The book contains some of Malory's own original material (the Gareth story) and retells the older stories in light of Malory's own views and interpretations. First published in 1485 by William Caxton, Le Morte d'Arthur is perhaps the best-known work of English-language Arthurian literature today.