Other editions of book Le Morte D'Arthur, Volume I

Le Morte d'Arthur (originally spelled Le Morte Darthur, Middle French for "the death of Arthur") is a compilation by Sir Thomas Malory of Romance tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table. The book interprets existing French and English stories about these figures, with some of Malory's own original material.

Le Morte d'Arthur (originally spelled Le Morte Darthur, Middle French for "the death of Arthur") is a compilation by Sir Thomas Malory of Romance tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table. The book interprets existing French and English stories about these figures, with some of Malory's own original material.

The legend of King Arthur can be found in English stories and folktales as early as the sixth century. The greatest and most complete version, however, did not appear until the fifteenth century (1485), with Sir Thomas Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur". To create the epic tale, Malory drew from many sources, most notably thirteenth-century French prose romances. He supplemented these French sources with English Arthurian materials.Malory's sources, dating from 1225-1230, are largely a selection of courtly romances about Launcelot. These stories purport to be historical accounts of King Arthur and his knights and of their quest for the Holy Grail. In addition to the French sources, Malory added material from a fourteenth century English alliterative poem, the Morte Arthur. Although it is probable that a real Arthur did exist (it is a common name), there is little actual historical basis for the stories, which are largely legend and folklore. Many scholars have attempted to prove the veracity of the work, but the attraction of Malory's work has always been the text itself, with its emphasis on courtly love, honour, virtue and devotion, magic and miracles. "Le Morte d'Arthur" was immediately popular with readers and critics and has remained so.The authorship of "Le Morte d’ Arthur" is controversial, because more than one “Thomas Malory” exists who could have written the work. Many believe the author was most probably the unusual Sir Thomas Malory of Newbold Revel. It was during his imprisonment that Malory composed, translated, and adapted his great rendering of the Arthurian material. "Le Morte d’Arthur" tells the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The tale begins with Arthur’s birth, his education, and his rise to the throne. It also recounts the tragic love story of Sir Lancelot and Guinevere, the destruction of the Round Table and Arthur’s mysterious disappearance or death.

THE Morte D'Arthur was finished; as the epilogue tells us; in the ninth year of Edward IV.; i.e. between March 4; 1469 and the same date in 1470. It is thus; fitly enough; the last important English book written before the introduction of printing into this country; and since no manuscript of it has come down to us it is also the first English classic for our knowledge of which we are entirely dependent on a printed text. Caxton's story of how the book was brought to him and he was induced to print it may be read farther on in his own preface. From this we learn also that he was not only the printer of the book; but to some extent its editor also; dividing Malory's work into twenty-one books; splitting up the books into chapters; by no means skilfully; and supplying the "Rubrish" or chapter-headings. It may be added that Caxton's preface contains; moreover; a brief criticism which; on the points on which it touches; is still the soundest and most sympathetic that has been written.

THE Morte D'Arthur was finished; as the epilogue tells us; in the ninth year of Edward IV.; i.e. between March 4; 1469 and the same date in 1470. It is thus; fitly enough; the last important English book written before the introduction of printing into this country; and since no manuscript of it has come down to us it is also the first English classic for our knowledge of which we are entirely dependent on a printed text. Caxton's story of how the book was brought to him and he was induced to print it may be read farther on in his own preface. From this we learn also that he was not only the printer of the book; but to some extent its editor also; dividing Malory's work into twenty-one books; splitting up the books into chapters; by no means skilfully; and supplying the "Rubrish" or chapter-headings. It may be added that Caxton's preface contains; moreover; a brief criticism which; on the points on which it touches; is still the soundest and most sympathetic that has been written.

THE Morte D'Arthur was finished; as the epilogue tells us; in the ninth year of Edward IV.; i.e. between March 4; 1469 and the same date in 1470. It is thus; fitly enough; the last important English book written before the introduction of printing into this country; and since no manuscript of it has come down to us it is also the first English classic for our knowledge of which we are entirely dependent on a printed text. Caxton's story of how the book was brought to him and he was induced to print it may be read farther on in his own preface. From this we learn also that he was not only the printer of the book; but to some extent its editor also; dividing Malory's work into twenty-one books; splitting up the books into chapters; by no means skilfully; and supplying the "Rubrish" or chapter-headings. It may be added that Caxton's preface contains; moreover; a brief criticism which; on the points on which it touches; is still the soundest and most sympathetic that has been written.

THE Morte D'Arthur was finished; as the epilogue tells us; in the ninth year of Edward IV.; i.e. between March 4; 1469 and the same date in 1470. It is thus; fitly enough; the last important English book written before the introduction of printing into this country; and since no manuscript of it has come down to us it is also the first English classic for our knowledge of which we are entirely dependent on a printed text. Caxton's story of how the book was brought to him and he was induced to print it may be read farther on in his own preface. From this we learn also that he was not only the printer of the book; but to some extent its editor also; dividing Malory's work into twenty-one books; splitting up the books into chapters; by no means skilfully; and supplying the "Rubrish" or chapter-headings. It may be added that Caxton's preface contains; moreover; a brief criticism which; on the points on which it touches; is still the soundest and most sympathetic that has been written.

THE Morte D'Arthur was finished; as the epilogue tells us; in the ninth year of Edward IV.; i.e. between March 4; 1469 and the same date in 1470. It is thus; fitly enough; the last important English book written before the introduction of printing into this country; and since no manuscript of it has come down to us it is also the first English classic for our knowledge of which we are entirely dependent on a printed text. Caxton's story of how the book was brought to him and he was induced to print it may be read farther on in his own preface. From this we learn also that he was not only the printer of the book; but to some extent its editor also; dividing Malory's work into twenty-one books; splitting up the books into chapters; by no means skilfully; and supplying the "Rubrish" or chapter-headings. It may be added that Caxton's preface contains; moreover; a brief criticism which; on the points on which it touches; is still the soundest and most sympathetic that has been written.

THE Morte D'Arthur was finished; as the epilogue tells us; in the ninth year of Edward IV.; i.e. between March 4; 1469 and the same date in 1470. It is thus; fitly enough; the last important English book written before the introduction of printing into this country; and since no manuscript of it has come down to us it is also the first English classic for our knowledge of which we are entirely dependent on a printed text. Caxton's story of how the book was brought to him and he was induced to print it may be read farther on in his own preface. From this we learn also that he was not only the printer of the book; but to some extent its editor also; dividing Malory's work into twenty-one books; splitting up the books into chapters; by no means skilfully; and supplying the "Rubrish" or chapter-headings. It may be added that Caxton's preface contains; moreover; a brief criticism which; on the points on which it touches; is still the soundest and most sympathetic that has been written.

THE Morte D'Arthur was finished; as the epilogue tells us; in the ninth year of Edward IV.; i.e. between March 4; 1469 and the same date in 1470. It is thus; fitly enough; the last important English book written before the introduction of printing into this country; and since no manuscript of it has come down to us it is also the first English classic for our knowledge of which we are entirely dependent on a printed text. Caxton's story of how the book was brought to him and he was induced to print it may be read farther on in his own preface. From this we learn also that he was not only the printer of the book; but to some extent its editor also; dividing Malory's work into twenty-one books; splitting up the books into chapters; by no means skilfully; and supplying the "Rubrish" or chapter-headings. It may be added that Caxton's preface contains; moreover; a brief criticism which; on the points on which it touches; is still the soundest and most sympathetic that has been written.

THE Morte D'Arthur was finished; as the epilogue tells us; in the ninth year of Edward IV.; i.e. between March 4; 1469 and the same date in 1470. It is thus; fitly enough; the last important English book written before the introduction of printing into this country; and since no manuscript of it has come down to us it is also the first English classic for our knowledge of which we are entirely dependent on a printed text. Caxton's story of how the book was brought to him and he was induced to print it may be read farther on in his own preface. From this we learn also that he was not only the printer of the book; but to some extent its editor also; dividing Malory's work into twenty-one books; splitting up the books into chapters; by no means skilfully; and supplying the "Rubrish" or chapter-headings. It may be added that Caxton's preface contains; moreover; a brief criticism which; on the points on which it touches; is still the soundest and most sympathetic that has been written.

THE Morte D'Arthur was finished; as the epilogue tells us; in the ninth year of Edward IV.; i.e. between March 4; 1469 and the same date in 1470. It is thus; fitly enough; the last important English book written before the introduction of printing into this country; and since no manuscript of it has come down to us it is also the first English classic for our knowledge of which we are entirely dependent on a printed text. Caxton's story of how the book was brought to him and he was induced to print it may be read farther on in his own preface. From this we learn also that he was not only the printer of the book; but to some extent its editor also; dividing Malory's work into twenty-one books; splitting up the books into chapters; by no means skilfully; and supplying the "Rubrish" or chapter-headings. It may be added that Caxton's preface contains; moreover; a brief criticism which; on the points on which it touches; is still the soundest and most sympathetic that has been written.