Questions and Topics We Can Help You To Answer:
Paper Instructions:

Part 1: Malory on the Rise of Arthur: Books 1-5 (Glaser 1-64). This first section corresponds to the Arthurian section of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain. It is mostly based on French romances of Arthur. It includes more details on Arthur’s childhood and character. There are a lot of characters in Malory. Use the index in the back of the book to help keep track of them all. Characters to pay attention to include Merlin (now the chief advisor of King Arthur and a full-fledged magic user), Morgan le Fay (Arthur’s half-sister and a magic user), Morgause (Arthur’s other half-sister and mother to Agravain, Gawain, Gahereis, Gareth, and Mordred), Nimue (Merlin’s successor), Guenever, and Lancelot. Read Books 1-5 (all). Response: What do you think about Arthur here? What make him a good/bad king? What about him here is worth remembering? Lastly, how does Morgan le Fay act with regards to Arthur? Is she helping or hurting him? Please include specific details from the text (quotes, please, with page numbers) that can help you later when you try to write your next set of essays on Arthur. Part 2: Malory (Continued): Malory on Lancelot and Tristram: Books 6-10 (Glaser 65-195). (Read, as directed below, As the story of King Arthur developed during the Middle Ages, it became less a story chiefly about Arthur and more a story about the knights that surround him. (You saw some of this movement in the story of Culhwch and Olwen / The Quest for Olwen.) This large chunk focus mostly on Lancelot and Tristram. Both knights came into the Arthurian story in the 1200s and are somewhat similar in that both betray their king and fall in love with the queen. This section also features many (probably too many) other knights as well. There are some families of knights to pay attention to here, especially Arthur’s nephews: Agravain, Gawain, Gahereis, Gareth, and Mordred. Do also follow what Morgan le Fay does. Another notable family is that of Pellinore’s; it includes the knights Lamorak, Tor, and Percival. (Is there any other reoccurring character you think we should pay attention to?) Read Book 6: Lancelot (all, pages 65-78), Book 7: Sir Gareth, Who Was Called Beaumains (all, pages 79-104), Book 8: Tristram (skip), Book 9: La Cote Male Taile and Others (just read chapters 1-9, 15, and 40-43), Book 10: The Second Book pf Tristram (just read chapters 1, 5-7, 21-24, 35-37, 66-80). Response: As you read this section, think about the ways in which the various Knights of the Round Table are representatives of Arthur. How do they uphold the ideals of their order (as codified in the Pentecostal Oath) and their king? Also, how is Arthur himself depicted here? What do you think about the mature Arthur? What make him a good/bad king? What about him here is worth remembering? Lastly, how does Morgan le Fay act with regards to Arthur? Is she helping or hurting him? Again, include specific details from the text (quotes, please, with page numbers) that can help you later when you try to write your next set of essays on Arthur. Part 3: Malory (Continued): Malory on the Quest for the Holy Grail: Books 11-17 (Glaser 196-257). (Read, as directed The Quest for the Holy Grail is the ultimate testing of the Knights of the Round Table. All set out in search of the chalice but only three are successful: Bors, Percival, and Galahad (Lancelot’s son). Lancelot, too, is allowed some glimpses of the wondrous cup. Malory’s version is based on a number of French romances. Percival was the original Grail knight, but Galahad superseded him as time went on. Read: Book 11: The Second Book of Lancelot (all, pages 196-204), Book 12: Lancelot’s Madness (just read chapters 1-10), Book 13: The Sangrail (all, pages 213-23), Book 14: Percival (skip), Book 15: The Third Book of Lancelot (all, pages 230-33), Book 16: Sir Gawain and Bors (just chapters 1-5 and 17), Book 17: Sir Galahad (just chapters 1-2, 14-17, 19-23). [Plan accordingly; this is a big chunk to read.] Response: As with the last set of readings, think about the ways in which the various Knights of the Round Table are representatives of Arthur. How well do they uphold the ideals of their order (as codified in the Pentecostal Oath) and their king? Also, how is Arthur himself depicted here? What make him a good/bad king? What about him here is worth remembering? Again, include specific details from the text (quotes, please, with page numbers) that can help you later when you try to write your next set of essays on Arthur. Part 4: Malory (Concluded): Malory on the Death of King Arthur: Books 18-21 (Glaser 258-308). (Read, as directed The last books of Malory’s story deal with the aftermath of the Quest for the Holy Grail. These are bleak days in Camelot with civil strife among knights, the adultery of Lancelot and Guinevere out in the open, and, then, Mordred’s attempt to usurp the throne. Still, there is some hope in the end as Arthur passes from this world to become the Once and Future King. Malory draws from many earlier romances here—both French and English—to tell his tale. Read: Books 18-21 (all). Response: As with the last few sets of readings, think about the ways in which the various Knights of the Round Table are representatives of Arthur. How well do they uphold the ideals of their order (as codified in the Pentecostal Oath) and their king? Also, how is Arthur himself depicted here? What make him a good/bad king? What about him here is worth remembering? Lastly, how does Morgan le Fay act with regards to Arthur? Is she helping or hurting him? Again, include specific details from the text (quotes, please, with page numbers) that can help you later when you try to write your next set of essays on Arthur.