Happy anniversary to John Boorman’s film, ‘Excalibur’. Released in theaters this week in 1981. #excalibur #johnboorman #kingarthur #knightsoftheroundtable #merlin #lemortedarthur #thomasmalory

I have been slow finishing the last part of the Once and Future King. The third part I read quickly, it was interesting to see his take on Lancelot. More than that, it was still fun.

But Mordred and the death of Arthur isn’t fun. It’s an inevitable conclusion to the tragedy, but it isn’t fun.

I definitely prefer the earlier parts of Arthurian legend. The parts that are primarily pagan myths hidden in Christian legends.

#Arthuriana #OnceAndFutureKing #LeMorteDArthur #EnglishLit #Literature

I’m quite pleased at finishing Le Morte D’Arthur before returning to The Once and Future King. So much of it really is expanded and in between Mallory’s text. She in the following quote is Nimue.

‘Than she and Merlyon wente over the see unto the londe of Benwyke there as Kyng Ban was kyng, that had grete warre ayenste Kyng Claudas.
1/4
#Arthuriana #LeMorteDArthur #MiddleEnglish #Lancelot #Merlin #THWhite #TheOnceAndFutureKing #MiddleEnglish #Literature

At long last I have finished reading Le Morte D’Arthur. I’m certain I will have more thoughts later, but I highly recommend the Norton Critical Edition or any other version you can find that preserves the original Middle English and is based on the Winchester manuscript.

While the language was more challenging, I felt it flowed more naturally.

Next up, The Once and Future King.

#Arthuriana #MiddleEnglish #Literature #LeMorteDArthur #OnceAndFutureKing #Medieval

For tyme hath bene, my lorde Arthur, that ye were gretly pleased with me whan I ded batayle for my lady, youre Quene: and full well ye know, my moste noble Kynge, that she hathe be put to grete wronge or thys tyme. And sytthyn hyt pleased you at many tymys that I shulde feyght for her, therefore mesemyth, my good lorde, I had more cause to rescow her from the fyer whan she sholde have ben brente for my sake.”

Lancelot is the patron Saint of Gaslighting.

#Arthuriana #LeMorteDArthur #Lancelot

“A, myne uncle Kynge Arthur, my good brothir Sir Gareth ys slayne, and so ys my brothir Sir Gaherys, whych were two noble knyghtes.” [seyde Sir Gawayne]

Apparently while both his brothers are noble, he definitely loved Gareth best. There are three lines that emphasize how much this is so.

Getting into the end game, Lancelot has killed forty knights in two days.

#Arthuriana #LeMorteDArthur #MiddleEnglish #Literature #Gawain #Lancelot #JustKnightlyThings

However, Lady Elaine arranges her funeral barge to be sent to London so all court will know her death was due to Lancelot’s refusal. Not that he owed her anything, but so it goes with knightly love.

Second tourney Lancelot bears the Queen’s favor, but this time pretends to be a Saracen. He really likes beating up his fellow around Table Knights.

2/2
#Arthuriana #Lancelot #LeMorteDArthur #MiddleEnglish #Literature #JustKnightlyThings

I finished Book 18 of Le Morte D’Arthur. I’m on track to complete it by the end of the year. This last book highlights two tournaments Sir Lancelot participated in. Both times disguised. The first he bears the token of Lady Elaine of Astolot, much to the jealous ire of Queen Guinevere.

While he recovers from wounds Elaine is at his side every day. But after he’s better she asks him to marry her and he says sod off. So she refuses to eat and dies.

1/2
#Arthuriana #Lancelot #LeMorteDArthur

“But at his [Sir Lanç’s] arrival* the joy of Queen Zinerva, the King’s wife, was a thousand-fold greater than all the others.” —King Artus, Anonymous (1279)

*There is a double entendre in Hebrew. Bi’ah can also mean the sexual act. See B. T. Yoma 86 b, and Mishna Kedushin 1:1. —Curt Leviant

#Arthuriana #Hebrew #HebrewManuscripts #Medieval #Literature #LeMorteDArthur #JustKnightlyThings

After learning that there is only one Arthurian romance in Hebrew, I was curious enough to pick up a copy. It’s not long, there is more commentary than text. And it’s also unfinished.

The bulk of the story comes from the French Merlin and Mort Artu, although by way of an Italian translation. But it also adds some distinctly Jewish perspectives, or so I’m told.

I look forward to reading it and comparing to Malory.

#Arthuriana #Hebrew #Literature #MiddleAges #LeMorteDArthur

“And often they aryved in yles ferre from folke, where there repayred none but wylde beestes, and ther they founde many straunge adventures and peryllous whiche they brought to an end; but for tho adventures were with wylde beestes, and nat in the quest of the Sanegreal, therfor the tale makith here no mencion therof, for it wolde be long to telle of alle tho adventures that befell them.”

Why does Malory have to cut out the good stuff?

#LeMorteDArthur #Lancelot #Galahad #MiddleEnglish

I was going to make a joke about Galahad being a Mary Sue, which is kinda true. These pagan myths don’t have enough Jesus in them, so let’s add Jesus 2: the Avenging Sword of God.

But then I also realized Star Wars is just the Grail quest in space. Luke Skywalker is Galahad, and Darth Vader is Launcelot. Okay, it’s not a perfect fit, but I can’t see either story the same again.

#LeMorteDArthur #StarWars #Galahad #Lancelot

So while the holy knights on the grail quest must be virgins*, killing a dozen people is fine, as long as they aren’t good Christians.

Also, Malory doesn’t even bother to name Percivale’s sister, although other sources name her Lady Dindrane or Amide.

She sacrifices herself to heal a sick lady, even though she hardly seems worthy having killed sixty damsels before this.

I definitely prefer the more pagan parts of Arthurian legends.

*except Bors

#LeMorteDArthur #MiddleEnglish #Literature

Than first spake Sir Gawaine and seyde, “Sir Ector, have ye herde thes wordys?” ”Ye, truly,” seyde Sir Ector, “I herde all. Now go we,” seyde Sir Ector, ”unto som ermyte that woll telle us of oure avision, for hit semyth me we laboure all in waste.”

I like how any hermit will do for interpreting visions.

Of course you are wasting your time, if you aren’t Galahad, Launcelot, Percivale, or Bors you aren’t going to even get tested for the grail quest.

#LeMorteDArthur #Grail #Quest #Gawain

“A, good knight,” seyde he, “thou arte a foole; for that jantillewoman was the mayster fyende of helle, which hath pousté over all other devyllis—and that was the olde lady that thou saw in thyne avision rydyng on the serpente!”

Good thing he crossed himself before sexing. That could have gone poorly.

#LeMorteDArthur #Percival #JustKnightlyThings

“Yes,” he seyde, “I shall promyse you to fullfylle youre desyre.” —Le Morte D’Arthur, Book XIV

That’s the second time Sir Percivale has promised a strange damesell an unspecified favor in less than a week. The last one gave him a demon steed that tried to kill him.

But if you can’t trust jantillewoman of grete beauté and clothed rychly, who can you tryst?

#LeMorteDArthur #MiddleEnglish #Literature #Percival #JustKnightlyThings

@matt
Got my copy of the Winchester Manuscript of Le Morte D’Arthur. This is so much better. Norton Critical Editions. Only complaint is the paper is a little thin, so you can see text shadows from the other side.

Not having Caxton’s chapter dividers every other page really makes the text flow. Great care was also taken to try to represent some of the visual details on the manuscript itself, plus notation about folio pages. 💕

#LeMorteDArthur #MiddleEnglish #Literature #WinchesterManuscript

“Alas, said Sir Launcelot, what have I done to fight with you that art a knight of the Round Table, that sometime was your fellow?”

Dude, you were ashamed of your deeds so you changed names and went to live in a distant castle. But then you got bored and charged a dwarf to tell passing knights that they should come challenge you. Did you not think some of those passing knights might be from Arthur’s Court? Half of all knights seem to be from the round table.

#LeMorteDArthur #JustKnightlyThings

Aglovale: Dude, where’s my squire?

Lord: I killed him.

Aglovale: Why?

Lord: Because you killed my son.

Aglovale: Oh right. Well, he deserved it. I guess I gotta kill you too now.

And by whacky I mean a lot of knights get whacked.

#Arthurian #Legend #MiddleEnglish #Literature #LeMorteDArthur #WhackyAdventures #JustKnightlyThings

I was excited at reaching the conception and birth of Galahad because I thought that might mean we were moving along in the plot. But no, Lancelot goes mad because Guinevere rebuked him for committing adultery inadvertently with someone not her.

So now all the knights of the round table are off having whacky adventures while trying to find the insane, wandering Lancelot.

#Arthurian #Legend #MiddleEnglish #Literature #LeMorteDArthur #WhackyAdventures #JustKnightlyThings