John Yowan Hour 1
Ms. Keeley Type 3
Freshman English
15 December 2002
Title:
King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table
Author: Sir Thomas Malory.
Edited by: Sidney Lanier
Sir Thomas
Malory 1416-1471.
Some
other books that were written by Sir Thomas Malory are, Le Morte D' Arthur,
Volume I, Le Morte D' Arthur, Volume II, Le Morte Darthur,
and Le Morte Darthur: The Winchester Manuscript.
Sir Thomas Malory of Newbold Revel
in Warwickshire was born into a family that had lived for centuries in the
English Midlands near the point where Warwickshire, Leicestershire, and
Northamptonshire meet. His father, John Malory, was an esquire with land in all
three counties, but mainly lived in Warwickshire. John married Philippa
Chetwynd and they had at least three daughters, and one son, Thomas, who was
probably born about 1416. Almost nothing is known about Sir Thomas Malory’s
early years. When he was 23, records reveal that he was a respectable
country landowner with a growing interest in politics. He dealt in land,
witnessed deeds for his neighbors, acted as a parliamentary elector, and by
1441 had become a knight. Sir Thomas Malory married Elizabeth Walsh of Wanlip
in Leicestershire. They had one son Robert. Sir Thomas Malory died in 1471. The
original tombstone for his grave was destroyed but its inscription survives in
an early sixteenth-century transcript, which calls Malory ‘a valiant knight’ of
the parish of Monks Kirby in Warwickshire and says he died on 14 March 1470,
which, since the year began on 25 March the year is now known as 1471
The
most important characters in the book King Arthur and his Knights of the
Round Table are Arthur, Merlin, Sir Ector, and Sir
Kay.
The
book King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table begins with the birth
of Arthur, his father was King Uther Pendragon. Uther ordered two knights and
two ladies to take Arthur to a poor man at the gate of the castle in which he
lived. The two ladies and two knights gave Arthur to a man named Merlin the
magician. Merlin then gave Arthur to Sir Ector and his wife to raise.
Two
years later Uther Pendragon became very ill and died. There was then a large
problem, they did not know who should become king. Later that same day the
nobles noticed that there was a sword stuck in an anvil of steel sitting on a
stone. Written in gold around the sword where these words "WHOSO PULLETH
OUT THIS SWORD OF THIS STONE AND ANVIL IS RIGHTWISE KING BORN OF ENGLAND".
This sword was known as "Excalibur". All of the lords tried to pull
it out but none of them were able.
Sir
Ector, his son Sir Kay and Arthur rode to a joust. Sir Kay had accidentally
left his sword at home and he asked Arthur to go get it for him. Arthur could
not find Sir Kay's sword at home, so he decided to get the sword in the stone
for him. Arthur went to the stone and pulled the sword out with no problem and
gave it to Sir Kay. Sir Kay was surprised and showed the sword to his father
Sir Ector. Sir Ector decided that it was best to put the sword back in the
stone to see if Arthur could pull it out again. The sword was replaced and
Arthur again pulled the sword from the stone with ease.
Sir
Ector took the sword to the archbishop and he said the sword must be replaced
in the stone and at the Feast of Pentecost all able men would have the chance
to pull the sword from the stone. There were many highborn men that tried
pulling the sword, but none could do it. Then Arthur stepped up and for the
third time pulled the sword from the stone with ease. All the people then
recognized that Arthur was chosen to be King of England and so he did become
King. Arthur fought many battles before peace came to his kingdom. Arthur had
many loyal knights that helped him rule England with equality and justice. To
show that all were equal Arthur had a round table built so that no man was at
the head when the King and his knights met to discuss things. Arthur ruled for
a long time in peace, but then Sir Mordred decided he was the rightful king.
Arthur met Mordred in battle and he was mortally wounded. Arthur died after
having a knight take Excalibur to a lake and throw it in, so that no other man
could wield the sword.
King
Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table is a fiction
book. I chose this book because I enjoy reading about and studying the Middle
Ages, and especially King Arthur. I liked this book because it was full of
details and very interesting. There was nothing about this book that I did not
like. I would highly recommend this book to others that enjoy reading and
learning about the Middle Ages and King Arthur.
The
main character changed in this story because at the beginning of the book he
was raised as a normal person. However, by the end of the story he is the
rightful King of England. He learned to rule the land with justice and brought
peace to it for quite sometime. By doing this he learned to be an honest and
fair ruler.
Yes
I think the ending was appropriate and believable because Arthur becomes King
of England, as was his right by pulling the sword from the stone that no other
man could do. It proved that Arthur was supposed to rule and he did this fairly
and with justice. It could have ended otherwise, but this would have changed
the whole storyline. I was very satisfied with the ending because no other man
except Arthur would ever be able to wield Excalibur, which was only King
Arthur's right.
The
setting suits the plot of the book because at this period of time people were
changing from a multi-based religion to a monotheistic religion. Therefore many
of the old ways had to die out. The story occurs in this time frame and place
because there was no one ruler of England but many. For the people to move
ahead it became necessary for the land of England to come together under one
person. I cannot think of any other setting that would be more effective for
the story line.