The Legend of a King: Le Morte d' Arthur by Thomas Malory

The Lineage of King Arthur

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Written in Chapter 5 of The History of the Kings of Britain, Arthur is the grandson of Emperor Constantine – “the king had afterwards three sons, Constans, Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon”.

Uther Pendragon's Unrequited Love

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This very old story begins with Uther, a great king. He was a good man and he was king in the south of Britain. Uther loved a beautiful woman, Igraine, and he wanted to marry her. But she did not love him, and he was very sad about that. Merlin was a very clever man and he knew a lot of magic. He could change into an animal or bird. Sometimes, when he used magic, nobody could see him. He also helped people with his magic, and one day he came to King Uther.

The Agreement between Uther Pendragon and Merlin

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"You can marry Igraine," Merlin said. "I will help you. But when you have a child, you will have to give the boy to me.". "I will give him to you." said the King. He married Igraine and later they had a baby son. They called him Arthur.

Arthur given away to Merlin

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When Arthur was three days old, a very old man arrived at the door of the King’s house. It was Merlin. King Uther took the child in his arms and gave him to Merlin. Merlin took the child away. He gave the boy, Arthur, to a good knight called Sir Ector. So, Arthur lived with Sir Ector and his son, Kay, and the two boys were brothers.

Uther Pendragon dies and the Fight for the Throne

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King Uther was very ill. He did not get better. He called for Merlin because he wanted to talk about the future of his country. Merlin came and listened to the King. King Uther told his people that his son, Arthur, will be king before he died. But a lot of people wanted to be king, so the knights and great men began to fight. There was no new king for a long time.

The Commotion in the Chapel

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On a Sunday morning in late November, the great cathedral of London was filled. As Mass was being said, a sudden murmur rippled through the crowd on the cathedral steps. Turning to see the cause of the commotion, the archbishop stopped in mid-prayer and walked toward the door. In the churchyard he discovered a block of white marble with an anvil sitting on top.

The Sword in the Stone

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Driven into the anvil, gleaming in the pale winter sun, was a sword. Its blade was of flawless blue-white steel, and the hilt was of highly wrought gold, inlaid with rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Engraved in the marble block were these words: WHOSE PULLETH OUT THIS SWORD FROM THIS STONE AND ANVIL IS RIGHTWISE KING BORN OF ENGLAND.

Arthur pulls out the Sword from the Stone

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The Archbishop decided to hold a contest open to men all over the land to see who could pull out the sword from the stone. Many came to attempt it, but to no avail. In the end, after many ups and downs, Arthur was the only one who can pull out the sword as if taking knife from butter and was proclaimed the rightful King of England.

King Arthur and His Adventures

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Arthur had many great battles to fight and many kings to conquer before he was acknowledged lord of them all, and often he would have failed if he didn’t listen to the wisdom of Merlin and had been helped by his sword Excalibur. (This sword was taken from one of King Arthur’s adventure from the Lady of the Lake and is different from the sword in the stone.)

King Arthur and King Leodegrance

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One day King Arthur visited his friend, King Leodegrance. He had a daughter and she was the most beautiful woman in England. The daughter’s name was Guinevere. When he went back to Camelot, Arthur could not stop thinking about her.

Merlin visits King Leodegrance

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Therefore, Merlin rode forth and made all the haste he could till he came to the Castle of Cameliard and told King Leodegrance who had sent him and why. "That is the best news I have ever had," replied Leodegrance, "for little did I think that so great and noble a King should seek to marry my daughter.".

The Round Table

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"As for lands to endow her with, I would give whatever he chose; but he has lands enough of his own, so I will give him instead something that will please him much more, the Round Table which Uther Pendragon gave me, where a hundred and fifty Knights can sit at one time. I myself can call to my side a hundred good Knights, but I lack fifty, for the wars have slain many, and some are absent!". And without more words, King Leodegrance gave his consent that his daughter should wed King Arthur.

Guinevere weds King Arthur

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Merlin returned with his Knights and esquires, journeying partly by water and partly by land, till they drew near to London. When King Arthur heard of the coming of Merlin and of the Knights with the Round Table he was filled with joy, and said to those that stood about him, "This news that Merlin has brought me is welcome indeed, for I have long loved this fair lady, and the Round Table is dearer to me than great riches.". Thus, this is the story of how Guinevere became the Queen of England.

Merlin Falls in Love

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Many of the other Knights went out also in search of adventures, and one of them, Sir Pellinore, brought a damsel of the lake to Arthur's Court, and when Merlin saw her he fell in love with her, so that he desired to be always in her company. The damsel laughed in secret at Merlin but made use of him to tell her all she would know, and the wizard had no strength to say her nay, though he knew what would come of it.

Merlin and Vivien

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They journeyed together to many places, both at home and across the seas, and the damsel was wearied of him, and sought by every means to be rid of him, but he would not be shaken off. At last, the two wandered back to Cornwall, and one day Merlin showed Vivien a rock under which he said great marvels were hidden.

The Death of Merlin

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Vivien put forth all her powers and told Merlin how she longed to see the wonders beneath the stone, and, despite all his wisdom, Merlin listened to her and crept under the rock to bring forth the strange things that lay there. And when he was under the stone she used the magic he had taught her, and the rock rolled over him, and buried him alive, as he had told King Arthur. But the damsel departed with joy and thought no more of him: now that she knew all the magic he could teach her.

Morgan Le Fay attempts to kill King Arthur

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A part of the timeline where King Arthur’s half-sister, Morgan Le Fay, attempted to kill him but failed in the end. Though, she managed to throw the scabbard of Excalibur into the lake, never to be found again. (The scabbard of the sword can protect its owner while the blade can only kill.) She attempted to kill him a second time with the use of a strange mantle but to no avail.

The Revelation and The Coming

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This is a part of a timeline that tells of the knights’ adventures like that of Sir Gareth and the Lady of Lyonesse, the Revelation of the Holy Grail at the Round table, how the King went on a pilgrimage and his squire was slain in a dream, and the Coming of the Holy Grail.

The Adventures of the Knights at the Round Table

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This is a part of the timeline wherein that tells of how Galahad became a member of the Round Table, a story about a vision that Sir Lancelot that made him repent of his sins, and the adventures of Sir Percival, Sir Lancelot, Sir Gawain, Sir Bors and Sir Galahad. (Too long and detailed to be mentioned.)

Sir Lancelot meets Sir Galahad and bids him farewell forever

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Galahad went to his father and kissed him, saying, "Fair sweet father, I know not if I shall see you more till I have beheld the Holy Grail." Then they heard a voice which said, "The one shall never see the other till the day of doom." "Now, Galahad," said Lancelot, "since we are to bid farewell for ever now, I pray to the great Father to preserve me and you both." "Sir," answered Galahad, I no prayer availeth so much as yours.".

The Depleted Numbers of King Arthur's Knights

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The next day Sir Lancelot made his way back to Camelot, where he found King Arthur and Guinevere; but many of the Knights of the Round Table were slain and more than half were destroyed. All the Court was passing glad to see Sir Lancelot, and the King asked many tidings of his son Sir Galahad.

The Finding of the Holy Grail

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This is part of the timeline where Sir Galahad found the Holy Grail and died of that finding. (Too long and detailed to be mentioned.)

Accusations against Queen Guinevere

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This is the part of the timeline that tells about the fight for the Queen between the Knights of the Round table. (Too long and detailed to be mentioned. Example of this is the how Sir Mador accused Queen Guinevere for poisoning the apples a knight accidentally ate, the battle between Sir Bors and Sir Mador, Queen Guinevere’s kissing Sir Lancelot, ect.)

Sir Lancelot and Elaine

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This is a flashback in the timeline that tells of the story of the fair maid of Astolat, Elaine and Sir Lancelot. (Too long and detai- I meant depressing to be mentioned. She died in the end anyway.)

Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot

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This is a part of the timeline that tells of how Queen Guinevere shows more favors and affection to Sir Lancelot than to her husband. This is a climax that would eventually end to the ‘title’. (Too long and depressing to be mentioned, all I can say is that everything went downhill that way.)

The False Knight

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When King Arthur left England to fight with Sir Lancelot, Sir Mordred (the son of Morgan Le Fay), this treacherous knight, was tasked to lead the kingdom. (Too long and depressing to be mentioned, I don't like how he could force his own uncle's wife to marry him. I’m just going to skip to the end.)

The Battle of Camlann

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The false knight, Sir Mordred was killed in battle while King Arthur was left heavily injured on the verge of death. He asked his most trusted knight, Sir Bedivere to throw Excalibur into the lake (which he disobeyed twice). Thus, the sword was returned to the mere. After that, King Arthur died and was carried into the river by boat accompanied by the ladies including Morgan Le Fay.

Queen Guinevere mourns King Arthur's Death

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Now when Queen Guinevere heard of the battle, and how that King Arthur was slain and Sir Mordred and all their Knights, she took five ladies with her, and rode to Amesbury; and there she put on clothes of black and white, and became a nun, and did great penance, and many alms deeds, and people marveled at her and at her godly life. And ever she wept and moaned over the years that were past, and for King Arthur.

The Death of Sir Lancelot

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The second to the last paragraph of the book depicts Sir Lancelot laying on his bed, stark dead and smiling.

The Words of Sir Ector

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This is the last paragraph in the book, the following was said by Sir Ector de Maris (the one who sought Sir Lancelot for seven years) in the middle of their prayer:
"Ah, Lancelot," he said, when he stood looking beside his dead body, "I thou wert head of all Christian Knights. Thou wert the courtliest Knight that ever drew sword, and the faithful friend that ever bestrode a horse. Thou wert the goodliest Knight that ever man has seen, and the truest lover that ever loved a woman.".

The First Essential Question

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Yes, heroic qualities are universal and timeless. People who have done heroic deeds in their life are bound to be remembered throughout history. Even those in literature who aren't even real have continued to move the hearts of people even in the current generation and for more generations to come. The stories of these heroes, fictional or not, are used as lessons and guide for the children of this generation to help them pave their way of life and live strongly to survive in this cruel world.

The Second Essential Question

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Love is manifested in English literature in the form of tragedy and impartiality. You'll never know how much a person truly loves you unless you go through obstacles. May it be storms, torrents, earthquakes, war, ect. When love is so great that one's life could be laid down. Just as noble as God becoming human and dying for those who resented him, as tragic as the story of star-crossed lovers who weren't able to be together and as painful as the yearning of Vega and Altair on the magpie bridge.

The Third Essential Question

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Literature is what influences our concept of what is heroic and timeless. Books, in my opinion, are the passages of time. It's something that would live forever. Who once said that time machines haven't been invented yet? No matter how far-off it is or how different cultures are because times are always changing, that is the one thing that won't change. (Besides the meaning of the word 'change')

The Fourth Essential Question

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Studying should be valued because it has all we need to survive in this world. Wisdom is a crown, it's a timeless treasure. If you don't want to be taken advantage of, then study. Learn. Because if you don't, your ignorance will become their power.