Sir Thomas Maloryand the merging of

the streams

What has happened since 1400?

• England has won and lost great amounts of territory in France

• War of the Roses has divided England politically, economically

• Rise of the middle classes• Increased literacy among the laity• Printing invented on the Continent (by

Laurens Koster!!!!)

Outline of Wars of the Roses

Henry VI of Lancaster a very weak king with a French wife; suffered from bouts of insanity; had difficulty ensuring succession. Ruled by his nobles

Richard Duke of York (better claim to throne but through female descent); assured military leader and politician; had heirs; eldest son becomes Edward IV

The Genealogical

Mess

Major Questions for Thinking People• What does it mean to be a king and leader?• What is the nature of loyalty?• What is the appropriate relationship between

a king and his nobles?• Can a knight serve God and his king?• What is the nature of a royal marriage?• What does it mean to be chivalric?• How has the world changed from Arthur’s

(perceived) time to the 15th century?

So who was Thomas Malory?• We’re just not sure!• What we know for certain is that he was a

knight, a prisoner, and that he finished his book between 3 March 1469 and 3 March 1470

• Best candidate is Sir Thomas Malory of Newbold Revel, Warwickshire

What do we know about him?• Probably born between 1405-1410• Starts showing up in local records in late

1430s• Probably served in Gascony in early 1440s• In 1445 elected M.P. for first time• Supporter of Earl of Warwick, who runs afoul

of Duke of Buckingham in late 1440s• M.P. again in 1449 during worst of Henry VI’s

Parliamentary struggles

This is where it gets complicated…• Accused of cattle theft by a supporter of

Buckingham’s in 1444• Organized an ambush against Duke of

Buckingham in 1450• Two separate charges of rape (of the same

woman) in mid-1450 (charges brought by Hugh Smith, supporter of Buckingham)

• Arrested and imprisoned in London in 1452 but no jurors appeared

• Through various machinations, gets out of jail in 1453

• October 1453—Henry VI’s son born while Henry is confined for insanity & York is regent

• 1454—Malory back in Tower of London but again, no jurors will appear against him

• 1455—Battle of St Albans—York takes over government; shortly thereafter, Malory released

• 1456—Henry VI briefly back in power. Malory re-imprisoned in Newgate for debts.

• When Yorkists finally win the throne & capture Henry VI in 1460, Malory released and cleared of all previous charges

• Ended back in prison when Warwick fell out with the Yorkists in mid-1460s; Malory specifically excluded from pardons issued by Edward IV for political prisoners

• Warwick goes over to Lancastrian side and Malory probably released from jail in 1470 during temporary Lancastrian return to power

• Listed as dying in 1471 and being buried in Greyfriars, London (most fashionable church in London)

Transmission of the StoryPrinted by William Caxton in 1485; two copies still survive

-John Rylands Library, Manchester (imperfect)-Pierpont Morgan Library, New York City (perfect)

Transmission of the StoryThe “Winchester Manuscript” discovered in 1934—very different layout, chapter divisions, etc.—edited by Eugene Vinaver

What did Malory do?• Tried to unify all the previous versions of the

story he could find, including French traditions which had pretty much been forgotten in England

• Advanced the moral stream into a reflection on loyalty and responsibilities of noblemen (“Mirror for Magistrates” tradition)

• Treated Arthur as a historical figure from a mythic English golden age

Impact?

• Single most important instance of the Arthurian tradition for literature and art

• Adds episodes (Gareth, Sir Urry) and interpretations

• Often cited as the beginning of English literary prose narrative