Sir Thomas Malory is a British author of the 15th century. He is best known for his work Le Morte d’Arthur, which remains one of the most influential works on Arthurian legends. Malory was born in Warwickshire and was MP for Newbold Revel, but today he is best remembered for his literary contributions.
Malory’s authorship has been the subject of numerous debates over the years. It was not until the late 19th century that researchers began to accept his work as his own. As with many medieval authors, it can be difficult to attribute authorship because there were no copyright laws at the time and often works were not signed or attributed to a single writer.
Le Morte d’Arthur consists of eight books and includes some of the most iconic Arthurian tales, such as “The Lady of Shallot” and “The Sword in the Stone” The text weaves together existing literature on King Arthur, including sources such as Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae and other French romances. Malory’s version made these stories more accessible to general readers by presenting them in an easier-to-follow chronological order.
Because of its focus on chivalry, romance, and courtly love, Le Morte d’Arthur exerted a major influence on later British and American authors alike, including Mark Twain and T S Eliot. Malory’s prose has also had significant effects on Elizabethan literature; William Shakespeare borrowed several elements from Malory’s writing for some of his plays-particularly those dealing with figures such as Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra-while Edmund Spenser adapted much of Le Morte d’Arthur in The Faerie Queene during the 16th century.
Although Sir Thomas Malory died in 1471, his legacy lives on today through numerous adaptations appearing in books, television shows, movies and other media. His story continues to captivate our imagination hundreds of years later due to its timeless themes such as bravery, loyalty, love, redemption… all wrapped up in an enchanting narrative with fantastic characters such as Merlin and Excalibur.Although Sir Thomas Malory died in 1471, his legacy lives on today through numerous adaptations appearing in books, television shows, movies and other media. His story continues to captivate our imagination hundreds of years later due to its timeless themes such as bravery, loyalty, love, redemption… all wrapped up in an enchanting narrative with fantastic characters such as Merlin and Excalibur.
