KING ARTHUR AND

THE KNIGHTS OF THE

ROUND TABLE
SIR THOMAS MALORY
“For it is better that we slay a coward, than
through a coward all we to be slain.”
― Thomas Malory, Le Mort d'Arthur, Volume 1
 SIR THOMAS MALORY
Details of Sir Thomas Malory's life are uncertain,
but evidence indicates that he came from Newbold
Revel in Warwickshire, England. While the exact
year of his birth is unknown—it was probably
sometime between 1405 and 1420–most sources
agree that he died in March of 1471. Although the
details of Malory's personal life are obscure, records
indicate that a Thomas Malory was knighted in 1441
and held various public offices until 1450. 3
SIR THOMAS MALORY
Sometime after 1450 Malory apparently turned to a
life of lawlessness. He was imprisoned for an
assortment of crimes ranging from extortion to
attempted assassination. Early in the text of Le
Morte d'Arthur the author refers to himself as a
knight prisoner, and one of the few certainties
regarding him is that he wrote the book while he was
in prison.
4
SIR THOMAS MALORY
Whatever the exact details of Malory's life, it is clear
that the politics of the time profoundly affected
the creation of his text. Malory lived during the
War of the Roses, a time of much political strife
between two royal houses fighting for control of
England. The personal rivalries and political
disintegration of Malory's era clearly influenced his
interpretation of Arthurian legend.
5
 LE MORTE DE
ARTHUR
It is about the tale of King Arthur. It
begins with the formation of the
Knights of the Round Table and
follows the rise of King Arthur
and his tragic fall.
6
LE MORTE DE ARTHUR
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, 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.

7
LE MORTE DE ARTHUR
Sir Thomas Mallory’s Le Morte d’Arthur is a collection of tales
originally in French which tell of the rise and fall of the
legendary King Arthur. It includes numerous tales of the
Knight of the Round Table and follows the struggles of these
knights to uphold a strict code of courtly honor and chivalry.
The story follows a known set of tales which had been in
circulation in one form or another for centuries. The story
describes the prophecy of the great King who will unify all
of England and his tragic fall and death. We are left with a
vague prophecy the King Arthur will one day return.
8
LE MORTE DE ARTHUR

Mallory crafted his translation form the French

original books so as to fit them to the audience of his
time. England in 1485 was struggling with a stable
monarchy, a struggle that would persist into the
modern era, and a stable sense of national identity.
Mallory succeeded in weaving these problems into
his text by giving 15th century readers a legendary
and heroic king. 9
LE MORTE DE ARTHUR

Malory's story was originally written in Middle

English, an early form of the English language, and
consisted of eight books, or tales.
The first tale concerns the conception, birth, and
coronation of King Arthur.
The second tale involves the invasion of France and
Rome.
10
LE MORTE DE ARTHUR

The third tale, which focuses mainly on the knight

Lancelot, was inspired by the French prose story
Lancelot.
Gareth, the brother of Sir Gawain—a brash knight of
Arthur's Round Table—is the subject of the fourth
tale.
The fifth tale centers on the story of Tristram and
Isolde. 11
LE MORTE DE ARTHUR
Malory's theme for the sixth tale is the quest for the Sangrail,
also known as the Holy Grail.
The romance of Lancelot and Guinevere is the topic of the
seventh tale.
Malory's eighth and final tale concentrates on the discovery of
Guinevere's affair, the battle between Mordred—another of
Gawain's brothers—and Arthur, and ultimately Arthur's
death. By collecting, combining, and abbreviating the stories
from various sources, Malory produced a single compilation of
Arthurian legends. 12
LE MORTE DE ARTHUR
Malory's theme for the sixth tale is the quest for the Sangrail,
also known as the Holy Grail.
The romance of Lancelot and Guinevere is the topic of the
seventh tale.
Malory's eighth and final tale concentrates on the discovery of
Guinevere's affair, the battle between Mordred—another of
Gawain's brothers—and Arthur, and ultimately Arthur's
death. By collecting, combining, and abbreviating the stories
from various sources, Malory produced a single compilation of
Arthurian legends. 13
LE MORTE DE ARTHUR
Malory's theme for the sixth tale is the quest for the Sangrail,
also known as the Holy Grail.
The romance of Lancelot and Guinevere is the topic of the
seventh tale.
Malory's eighth and final tale concentrates on the discovery of
Guinevere's affair, the battle between Mordred—another of
Gawain's brothers—and Arthur, and ultimately Arthur's
death. By collecting, combining, and abbreviating the stories
from various sources, Malory produced a single compilation of
Arthurian legends. 14
SUMMARY
LE MORTE DE ARTHUR - SUMMARY
The enchanter Merlin advises King Uther Pendragon to establish the
fellowship of the Round Table, which will be comprised of the 140
greatest knights in the kingdom. Merlin is to continue his role of
Uther’s counselor with Uther’s son, Arthur, who will maintain and
immortalize the tradition of the Round Table.
Arthur’s life begins as the result of an illicit affair between Igraine, the
duchess of Tintagel and the wife of Gorlois, and Uther Pendragon.
Merlin’s magic art had allowed Uther to visit Igraine in the likeness of
her husband, of whose death she is as yet unaware. Arthur is
conceived as a result of this deception. Ignorant of his true origin, he is
brought up from infancy by one of Uther’s knights. 16
LE MORTE DE ARTHUR - SUMMARY
In Arthur’s youth, the Lady of the Lake, Nimue, presents him
with the sign of his kingship: Excalibur, a great sword
encrusted with precious stones. Still ignorant of the identity of
his mother, Arthur has a brief love affair with Morgause, the
queen of Orkney and one of Igraine’s three daughters—and,
thus, Arthur’s half sister. The product of this incestuous liaison
is Mordred, who is both King Arthur’s nephew and his
illegitimate son. Sir Gawain, a knight intensely loyal to Arthur,
is the son of King Lot of Orkney and his queen, Morgause.
Gawain is, therefore, Arthur’s nephew.
17
LE MORTE DE ARTHUR - SUMMARY
Arthur takes Guinevere as his queen. Lancelot, a French knight
and warrior of almost superhuman capabilities, joins the Round
Table and becomes the courtly lover of Queen Guinevere. He is
practicing a medieval convention in which a knight chastely
loves and honors a lady without regard to her marital status.
This chaste love eventually becomes carnal, sowing the seeds
of destruction for Arthur’s kingdom.

18
 LE MORTE DE ARTHUR - SUMMARY
In Camelot, seat of Arthur’s court, Lancelot and Guinevere have begun a
love affair. Mordred and Sir Agravain—one of Gawain’s several
brothers, who dislikes Lancelot intensely—plot to capture Lancelot and
the queen in flagrante. The king goes hunting, allowing Mordred and
Agravain the opportunity to substantiate, if they can, their charges
against the lovers. Lancelot indeed visits the queen’s chamber. The two
conspirators and an additional twelve knights of the Round Table trap
Lancelot within the queen’s chamber and demand that he surrender
himself to them. When Lancelot finally emerges, he slays Agravain and
his twelve companions. Only Mordred, wounded, escapes. Lancelot
entreats Guinevere to go away with him but, grief-stricken at the
disastrous results of her adultery, she tells him she will stay. 19
 LE MORTE DE ARTHUR - SUMMARY
Guinevere is to be burned at the stake for her offense. Arthur bids
Gawain and his brothers, Gaheris and Gareth, to lead the queen to
the fire. Gawain respectfully declines, but his brothers reluctantly
obey; they refuse, however, to bear arms. Lancelot rides to the
queen’s rescue, slaying all who oppose him. Unfortunately, in the
crush of battle, he unwittingly kills the unarmed Gaheris and
Gareth. He takes Guinevere to Joyous Garde, his castle in
England. Gawain, formerly Lancelot’s dear friend, now becomes
his implacable enemy. After the pope arranges a truce between
the forces of Lancelot and the king, Lancelot returns Guinevere.
He and his kin leave England to become rulers of France. 20
 LE MORTE DE ARTHUR - SUMMARY
Arthur, encouraged by Gawain, invades France and renews the war. Mordred takes
advantage of Arthur’s absence and declares himself king. He attempts to marry
Guinevere, but she escapes. Upon learning of Mordred’s treachery, Arthur and his
army return to England. Gawain’s life is taken when a battle ensues on the landing
grounds. Before he dies, however, he repents for pressing Arthur to make war on
Lancelot. Arthur is urged in a dream to make a one-month truce with Mordred; the
usurper agrees, but both he and the king tell their men to attack if a sword is
brandished. Unluckily, a knight is bitten on the foot by an adder, and when he raises
his sword to kill the serpent, a general battle breaks out. One hundred thousand
participants are killed and, at the conclusion of the carnage, Arthur and Mordred meet
in single combat. Arthur runs his son through with his spear but simultaneously
receives a mortal wound to the head. Finally, only he and Sir Bedivere remain alive. 21
 LE MORTE DE ARTHUR - SUMMARY
The dying Arthur instructs Bedivere to cast Excalibur into the lake.
Bedivere, seduced by the richness of the sword, twice hides it and lies
to the king. The third time, however, Bedivere obeys. A hand reaches
up, grasps Excalibur, and draws it beneath the surface. Bedivere puts
the king on a barge containing three queens clad in mourning—his
sister, Queen Morgan la Fée; the queen of North Wales; and the queen
of the Waste Lands, all accompanied by Nimue, the Lady of the Lake.
As he is being rowed away, Arthur tells Bedivere he is going to Avilion
(a possible earthly paradise) either to die or to recover from his wound.
Bedivere later discovers a chapel where a hermit tells him of a number
of ladies who had visited at midnight with a corpse for him to bury.
22
 LE MORTE DE ARTHUR - SUMMARY

No one is certain that King Arthur is dead. The

inscription on his tomb refers to him as the once and
future king—he may come again if England needs
him. Guinevere becomes a nun and Lancelot a priest,
ever doing penance for their sins.

23
CHARACTERS
KING ARTHUR
The son of Uther and Igraine, and raised by Sir Ector, Arthur was
always destined to pull an enchanted sword (Excalibur) out of the stone
and prove his worthiness to be king. Arthur becomes one of the
kingdom’s youngest kings, though he quickly establishes himself in
military prowess and conquers many lands. Arthur considers loyalty a
virtue almost above all else, and is often willing to grant mercy to
knights who swear allegiance to him. Throughout the book, Arthur
often seems to be acting not entirely of his own will, but rather to be
following steps laid out for him long ago by fate or by the requirements
of his position. In the later books, he is even more of a passive
character, partly because his knights take turns in proving their own
honor and prowess, and partly because he is cuckolded by Launcelot 25
through his affair with Arthur’s wife, Queen Guenever.
QUEEN GUENEVER
Arthur’s wife and the lover of the knight Launcelot. Guenever seems to
love Arthur as well, remaining politically loyal to him throughout the
book, though until the downfall of the empire she refuses to give up her
affair with Launcelot even when it appears she might be burned at the
stake for treason. Guenever also enjoys the support and love of the
knights of the Round Table, for whom she serves as a symbol of the
feminine honor that they claim to fight for. In fact, it is only once some
of the knights definitively turn away from Guenever, no longer
worshipping her as their beloved queen because of their jealousy of
Launcelot, that the kingdom begins to unravel—suggesting that it was
Guenever who managed to hold competing interests together for so
long. 26
TRISTRAM (TRAMTRIST)
The son of a king from Liones, Tristram is destined to become
one of the kingdom’s greatest knights, matched only by
Launcelot. Tristram is initially not one of the knights of the
Round Table, though Arthur makes him one later on, and the
tales of his exploits—which seem to make up a massive
digression in the middle of the book—provide a counterpoint for
some of the book’s themes from an outsider’s perspective,
including honor, chivalry, the ambivalence of love, and revenge

27
ISOUD (LA BEALE ISOUD)
The daughter of King Anguish, and Tristram’s one great love.
Isoud is married off to King Mark, but she never forgets
Tristram, even forgiving him when he briefly forgets about her
and marries someone else (Isoud les Blanches Mains). Isoud is
subject to the desires of men, who are physically stronger and
politically more powerful than she is, but she is also clever
enough to find a way to fulfill her own wishes whenever she
can. Her love story with Tristram provides a parallel to that
between Launcelot and Guenever, and at one point these four
are referred to as the only true “lovers” in the kingdom.
28
SIR LAUNCELOT DU LAKE
By most accounts the knight of greatest prowess in the kingdom,
Launcelot is only matched by Tristram. Launcelot always adheres to
knights’ code of honor: defending ladies in distress, granting mercy to
knights whom he conquers, and never fleeing from a potential battle,
no matter how risky. However, the book is ultimately ambivalent
regarding Launcelot’s character, especially since due to his affair with
Guenever, he does not have the kind of spiritual purity required to
achieve the Holy Grail. Launcelot’s jousting glory may be unparalleled,
but he is also limited to earthly success, unlike, for instance, his son
Galahad.

29
MORGAN LE FAY
A sorceress and Arthur’s half-sister, who often attempts to trick the
knights of the Round Table. Morgan symbolizes all that is both alluring
and frightening about women for the men in this story. She is beautiful
and often is involved with one affair or another, but she is also bent on
getting what she wants, whether it is plotting to replace Arthur with her
own lover on the throne, or trapping Launcelot in a castle for her own
purposes. There is a near-constant slippage in the book between women
characterized as witches and women who just “use” witchy, magical
tools to gain their will—another way of describing the peculiar kind of
power to which women, barred from so many other elements of
knightly life, have access.
30
SIR MORDRED
Arthur’s illegitimate son by Margawse. Mordred is destined to
kill his father someday, and Arthur attempts to have him killed
as a child by sending all children born in the month of his birth
on a ship to be sunk, but Mordred alone survives. He
participates (along with his brothers) in the killing of Lamorak,
and finally turns against Arthur when Arthur is off fighting
Launcelot abroad. Mordred’s very existence is a testament to the
book’s fascination with royal lineage and destiny, especially
when tied to the omnipresent tendency to competition and
jealousy—seeming to make it inevitable that a son will rise up
against his father. 31
SIR GARETH (BEAUMAINS)
Also known as Beaumains, Gareth proves himself at court under
an unknown identity: he comes from noble blood, but would
rather be known for his actions than for his illustrious lineage.
He is the brother of Gawaine, Gaheris, and Agravaine, but he
refuses to participate in his brothers’ murder of Lamorak,
distancing himself from his family ties and instead aligning
himself with Launcelot. Launcelot nonetheless accidentally kills
him in battle, underlining just how much the court has gone
tragically awry by the end of the book.

32
SIR GAWAINE
A knight in Arthur’s court, and nephew of Arthur. Gawaine
often fails to live up to courtly ideals, such as when he refuses to
grant a knight mercy and then kills the knight’s lady by mistake.
But he seems to strive to be a good, worthy knight, and pledges
total loyalty to Launcelot, who serves as his idol for the kind of
knight he’d like to be. However, Gawaine’s temper and
obstinacy ultimately contribute to the downfall of the empire, as
he refuses to forgive Launcelot for mistakenly killing Gareth in
battle, and this leads to an intractable conflict between members
of Arthur’s court.
33
SIR GAWAINE
A knight in Arthur’s court, and nephew of Arthur. Gawaine
often fails to live up to courtly ideals, such as when he refuses to
grant a knight mercy and then kills the knight’s lady by mistake.
But he seems to strive to be a good, worthy knight, and pledges
total loyalty to Launcelot, who serves as his idol for the kind of
knight he’d like to be. However, Gawaine’s temper and
obstinacy ultimately contribute to the downfall of the empire, as
he refuses to forgive Launcelot for mistakenly killing Gareth in
battle, and this leads to an intractable conflict between members
of Arthur’s court.
34
THE KNIGHTS OF THE
ROUND TABLE
THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE
The Knights of the Round Table were characters in the
legends about King Arthur. They were the best knights in
King Arthur's kingdom, and lived in King Arthur's castle,
Camelot. They were called the Knights of the Round Table
because of a special table that was in Camelot, that was round
instead of rectangular. This meant that everyone who sat
around it was seen as trustworthy and equal.

36
THE CODE OF CHILVARY
In order to become a Knight of the Round Table, a knight had
to prove he was chivalrous (polite) enough. In the legend, the
knights swore a Code of Chivalry, which is much like an
oath is today. This meant that they promised to uphold the
rules given to them once they became a Knight of the Round
Table.

37
 THE CODE OF CHILVARY
◈ To never do outrage nor murder (not to assault or murder anybody)
◈ Always to flee treason (do not commit treason, a crime against your country or
king)
◈ To by no means be cruel but to give mercy unto him who asks for mercy (Do not
be mean. Grant mercy to those who ask, even in combat.)
◈ To always do ladies, gentlewomen and widows succor ('succor' is an old word for
help; this means that the knight must promise to help women if they need it.)
◈ To never force ladies, gentlewomen or widows (never 'harm' women.)
◈ Not to take up battles in wrongful quarrels for love or worldly goods (do not even
join in fights over anything less than God or country)
◈ To fear God and maintain His Church 38
 List of the Knights of the Round Table
In different stories, there are different numbers of knights, ranging from 12 to
more than 150. The Winchester Round Table shows 25 Knights. The most
commonly mentioned in literature include:

- Lancelot - Gawain - Geraint

- Percival - Bors the Younger - Lamorak
- Kay - Gareth - Bedivere
- Gaheris - Galahad - Tristan
- Palamedes
39
 List of the Knights of the Round Table
This is a list of other knights mentioned as being Knights of the Round Table:
- Sir Aban - Sir Abrioris - Sir Adragain - Sir Aglovale
- Sir Agravain - Sir Aqiff - King Bagdemagus - Sir Baudwin
- Sir Brastius - Sir Bredbeddle - Sir Breunor - Sir Caradoc
- Sir Calogrenant - Sir Constantine - Sir Dagonet, the court jester
- Sir Degore - Sir Daniel - Sir Dinadan - Sir Dornar
- Sir Ector - Sir Ector de Maris - Sir Elyan the White - Sir Gaheris
- Sir Galehau - Sir Galeshin - Sir Gingalain - Sir Griflet
- King Leodegrance - Sir LionelSir Lucan - Sir Mador de la Porte
- Sir Maleagant - Sir Mordred - Sir Morien- Sir Pelleas
- King Pellinore - Sir Pinel - Sir Sagramore le Desirous
- Sir Safir - Sir Segwarides - Sir Tor - Sir Ulfius
40
- King Uriens - Sir Yvain - Sir Ywain the Bastard
 List of the Knights of the Round Table
This is a list of other knights mentioned as being Knights of the Round Table:
- Sir Aban - Sir Abrioris - Sir Adragain - Sir Aglovale
- Sir Agravain - Sir Aqiff - King Bagdemagus - Sir Baudwin
- Sir Brastius - Sir Bredbeddle - Sir Breunor - Sir Caradoc
- Sir Calogrenant - Sir Constantine - Sir Dagonet, the court jester
- Sir Degore - Sir Daniel - Sir Dinadan - Sir Dornar
- Sir Ector - Sir Ector de Maris - Sir Elyan the White - Sir Gaheris
- Sir Galehau - Sir Galeshin - Sir Gingalain - Sir Griflet
- King Leodegrance - Sir LionelSir Lucan - Sir Mador de la Porte
- Sir Maleagant - Sir Mordred - Sir Morien- Sir Pelleas
- King Pellinore - Sir Pinel - Sir Sagramore le Desirous
- Sir Safir - Sir Segwarides - Sir Tor - Sir Ulfius
41
- King Uriens - Sir Yvain - Sir Ywain the Bastard
THEME
 THEME: HONOR AND CHIVALRY
The Knights of the Round Table must renew their oath of Chivalry every
year in order to assure the king of their honor. This includes mercy,
fighting for good, and protecting ladies. Each knight in his own way is an
example of these virtues. However, they all seem to succumb to
temptation in one way or another. Thus the code proves to be a difficult
thing to honor. In order for Mallory to emphasize the importance of the
code of chivalry, it must be something that is difficult to live by.
Launcelot is the finest of Arthur’s knights, yet he succumbs to his desires
for Guenever. Sir Gawaine refuses to grant mercy to an enemy and must
carry that guilt for the rest of his life. Only Galahad seems to maintain
this code, mainly because he is so young and has not faced temptation
43
quite like the others.
 THEME: JEALOUSY, COMPETITION, AND REVENGE
However much Mallory set out to exemplify honor, the text also
offers numerous examples of less than honorable tendencies.
Launcelot’s desire of Guenever increases throughout the story to
the point that he directly competes with Arthur, the king, for her
favor. He pays for this in the end. The rivalry between Tristram
and King Mark is open and vicious. Mark goes out of his way to
not only steal Isoud away from Tristram, but to taunt and torment
Tristram over their jealous competition. We see old military forms
of interpersonal battle overtake Christian ideals of honor
throughout the text.
44
 THEME: WOMEN, WEAKNESS, AND POWER
Women are largely excluded from action in the story. They are objects of
desire and embody the feminine courtly virtues. However, many of the
women in the story are able to manipulate events by using the desires of
men. Guenever is a central figure and Launcelot’s love for her sets much of
his actions in motion. She does not really resort to manipulation and retains
her virtue. It is Agravaine who breaks the code of discretion about the affair
which brings the kingdom down. Isoud also remains a passive figure, but
her place in the narrative makes her something of a lynchpin for the action
between knights. Morgan le Fay is a direct rival for Merlin in making the
magic occur in the story, but her role as an enchantress make her
problematic in that she would not fit into the Christian morality so
45
important to Mallory and his readers.
THE HOLY GRAIL
 THE HOLY GRAIL
The Holy Grail is a treasure that serves as an important
motif in Arthurian literature. Different traditions
describe it as a cup, dish or stone with miraculous
powers that provide happiness, eternal youth or
sustenance in infinite abundance

47