English Literature / Unit 5 ENL 0407 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur
Captions available
The idea
Sir Thomas Malory, probably writing in prison, compiled the Arthurian stories into one narrative, printed by Caxton in fourteen eighty-five. The anchor reads it as nostalgic and cynical about knighthood, ending with Lancelot's death, his adultery with Guinevere bringing the kingdom down.
In practice
The whole legend, gathered in prison.
Where people slip
Lancelot, not Arthur, is the tragic centre.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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