Thomas Mallory is an English writer. In the novels of this author, according to historians, the English flavor of the Middle Ages is accurately conveyed. The article provides a brief description of the books that Thomas Mallory wrote: The Death of Arthur and others.
Biography
The author of historical novels about King Arthur belonged to an old aristocratic family. In the years 1444-1445, Thomas Mallory represented his county in the English Parliament.
In the fall of 1462, a trip to Northumberland took place. During this military event, Count Warwick went over to the side of the Lancaster. Mallory followed suit. Subsequently, his name was included in the list of Lancaster. However, twice Thomas Malory was excluded from this honorary list.
There is little information about the life of the hero of this article. Historians have come to the conclusion that the author of books about King Arthur is a knight from Newbold Revel who spent more than twenty years in prison. In conclusion, he stayed with short breaks. After another release, he was arrested again on a new charge.
Creation
Researchers also believe that almost all the works of the English writer were created in prison. Thomas Malory arranged his creations in a certain order.
Books:
- "The Tale of King Arthur."
- "The Tale of King Arthur and Emperor Lucius."
- "The death of Arthur."
The other five works are devoted to other figures of the royal dynasty. Of the novels that Thomas Mallory created as a prisoner, only one is based on an English source. When writing the rest, the writer preferred to rely on French chivalric novels.
Prose Features
The English writer used plots of medieval works. King Arthur Thomas Mallory wrote in a more modern style. As well as his other creations. Mallory shortened the story, divided into small stories.
His books contain both epic eloquence and the liveliness of the English literary language. This is Mallory's significant contribution to literature. He gave famous stories a more compact form. Features of a chivalrous novel - artsy syntactic style, rhetorical phraseology. Characteristics of the style of Thomas Mallory - directness, transparency.
The work of a prose writer of the fifteenth century to the thirties of the last century was little known even among writers. In 1936, his manuscript was discovered in the scientific library of one of the English universities. Only after this event, critics began to study the work of such a mysterious figure in literature as Thomas Mallory.
The Death of Arthur
The books of Thomas Mallory contain Celtic legends, tales of sorcerers and witches. Fairy tales intertwined with stories from the life of real people.
The heroes of The Death of Arthur are not only members of the royal family. The book tells the stories of the life of the sorcerer Merlin, the maidens of the rule of the lake, the blond Isolde and other characters of the medieval epic.
The work begins with a description of the times when Arthur's father was young and in love with Igreynu. This woman was the wife of the Duke of Cornwall. The sorcerer Merlin played an important role in the fate of Arthur . The wizard helped the father of the future king to achieve the hand of his lover. The sorcerer, however, made a condition. Merlin had to pick up the baby whom Igrain would give birth to.
The beginning of the novel "The Death of Arthur" resembles a classic fairy tale plot. The king’s son was brought up far from his legal parents. But after death, he takes the throne, which, of course, is the indignant of the heirs of the heirs.
Mordred
Once a young king meets a girl who is his sister. Arthur does not know about family ties. The king falls in love with a girl. They have a son, Mordred. The omnipresent Merlin reveals to his pupil the secret of his birth. King Arthur also hears a terrible prediction from the sorcerer: he and his knights will die at the hands of Mordred.
Merlin
However, the famous sorcerer also dies due to passion. Merlin falls in love with one of the mistresses of the Lady of the Lake. The sorcerer annoys the girl, and there is nothing left for her but to trick him into a magical cave. The inhabitant of the ponds closes the entrance with stone. Merlin is dying.
Arthur, meanwhile, fights in fights, accomplishes feats. The book describes the battle between Tristam and Lancelot. The fight ends with a truce. Then the author tells about the love of Tristam and the beautiful Isolde.
Lancelot
When it comes to the glorious exploits of the knights, the Holy Grail must be mentioned. In the book by Thomas Mallory, Lancelot must take possession of the chalice. However, getting the holy cup is not so simple. In addition, on the path of Lancelot, sorcerers are often found, searing him with a potion, virgins falling in love with him. As a result of the machinations of enemies and the pursuit of fans, the knight is on the verge of life and death. Lancelot is healed thanks to King Peres, the father of his beloved.
Wife of Arthur - Guinevere. The Queen is captured, where Lancelot manages to rescue her. After the liberation of Guinevere, he becomes the beloved of a brave knight. King Arthur, of course, soon learns of treason and orders to punish both. In this case, the hero of the book Malory acts in the spirit of medieval cruelty. He orders the unfaithful wife to be burned at the stake.
Lancelot again saves Guinevere from death. He harbors her in the castle, however (not without the participation of the pope) a truce sets in between the king and the knight. Lancelot returns the queen to her legal spouse. Arthur forgives the traitor and goes with his army to France.
During his absence, Mordred seizes power. Upon the return of Arthur's troops to Dover, the battle begins. Mordred is dying. Arthur gets fatal wounds. After the death of King Guinevere, he leaves for the monastery, where he also soon dies. The country is now ruled by the son of Cador - Constantine.