malory paper notes
A Handbook to Literature Book by William Flint Thrall
-(113) “Hence some authorities distinguish between true courtly love as it is illustrated in the story of Lancelot and Guinevere in Chrétien "The Knight of the Cart," and Ovidian love. Basically, courtly love was illicit and sensual, but a sort of Platonic idealism soon appeared and is found in the usual literary presentation, this modification being doubtless due to the softening influence of Christianity and polite society.”
Malory's 'Book of Huntynge': The Tristram Section of the 'Mort Darthur.' Journal article by Corinne J. Saunders
(1) While the obvious link between this section and the rest of the Morte is the love of Tristram and Isode, which offers a counterpart to the love of Launcelot and Gwenyvere, the lengthy series of jousts and tournaments which define the narrative render it circular rather than progressive, and the theme of love is decentred. Yet Malory himself surely perceived this part of the work as one of paramount importance and interest, as its length and centrality in the Morte illustrate.
-The game and play of the hunt, and its association with delight, is conspicuously repeated throughout this section, most strikingly perhaps in association with the love of Tristram and Isode.
-Fellowship is placed above enmity, and the images of game-playing, mirth and hunting stand in clear opposition to the tragic tenor of the later chapters of the Morte, creating for the respective love affairs of Tristram and Isode and of Launcelot and Gwenyvere two distinct atmospheres, one carefree and delightful, the other portentous and tragic. This difference between the two love relationships is epitomized by the difference between the figures of Tristram and of Launcelot, the former the courtly huntsman, the latter the protector of damsels in distress and the victim of enchantresses.
The Company of Camelot: Arthurian Characters in Romance and Fantasy Book by Spivack, Roberta Lynne Staples(96)- Launcelot, like Malory's other characters, exhibits little, if any, psychological depth. We see what the character does and hear what he says, but motivation or internal conflict is left to the surmise of the reader. One notable instance comes in the madness that arises from the displeasure of Guenever at Launcelot's second tryst with Elaine at Camelot itself
-Guenever is not about to listen to reason or excuse or give Launcelot a second chance, saying "'False traitor knight that thou are, look thou never abide in my court, and avoid my chamber, and . . . [never] thou come in my sight!'"
-(99) Guenever's anger drives him. When Elaine dies, Guenever delivers Lancelot the coup de grace: "'Why were you not kinder to her? . . . Why could you not have given her something to live for? You might have showed her some bounty and gentleness, which would have preserved her life'" (494). He cannot win: she rebukes him for his relationship with Elaine and then for rejecting Elaine.
The Development of Arthurian Romance Book by Roger Sherman Loomis
(172)- He modified his sources to make of Lancelot a more consistently noble character; throughout the series of tales, Lancelot exhibits boundless courage, good sportsmanship, friendliness, and magnanimity. His passion for the Queen is ennobled by his constancy and patience
(180)-Arthur, pitifully torn between the obligation to punish his guilty queen and the realization that to do so would mean death to those he loved and ruin to his kingdom;
- Lancelot, swayed at first by the duty to save his paramour from the flames, then magnanimously yielding to the Pope's pressure and restoring her to Arthur, making every effort to avoid war with his liege lord and friend, twice sparing Gawain's life in mortal combat;
-Guenevere, the pitiful victim of clashing forces, yet clever and strong enough to save herself from Modred, strong enough, too, in resolution to forbid her lover to see her again after she had taken the vows.
(184)- Then Sir Lancelot was brought before her; then the Queen said to all the ladies: 'Through this same man and me hath all this war been wrought, and the death of the most noblest knights of the world; for through our love that we have loved together is my most noble lord slain. Therefore, Sir Lancelot, wit thou well I am set in such a plight
(185)And I command thee on God's behalf, that thou forsake my company, and to thy kingdom look thou turn again, and keep well thy realm from war and wrack... ‘Nay,' said the Queen, 'that shall I never do, but abstain you from such works.'
Malory Book by Eugène Vinaver
(43)-A most cursory glance at his alterations and additions will prove this. His original traces the love of Tristan and Iseult to a purely 'adventurous' cause: it is only because he sees Palomides in love with Iseult that Tristan decides to supplant his friend.
Malory rejects this version. In the Morte Darthur Tristan's passion has a spontaneous origin
He 'cast grete love to la beale Isoud' because 'she was the fairest mayde and lady of the worlde'.
(44) Malory Iseult makes 'grete dole and lamentacion', and says: '"O gentyl knight, ful wo am I of thy departynge, for I sawe never man that I oughte so good wille to", and therewithall she wepte hertely.' They swear eternal faith to each other, Tristan gives her a ring 'and she gaf hym another'.
-When Tristan has been exiled and perhaps for ever separated from his beloved, he goes mad for grief.
(45) I have given these extracts at possibly needless length because here we no doubt have Malory's own words and behind them his own voice. He alone is responsible for the laments added to the Tristan story and for its strong sentimental colouring.In the midst of chivalrous combats and intrigues he pauses to listen to the beating of a human heart, to the music of human love
-Had Malory applied his method on a larger scale, the story of the lovers of Cornwall would have become a series of pathetic laments and no less pathetic swoons.
(46)- His most cherished ideal is that of happy marriage, and he forgets that marriage and a herolover like Lancelot are entirely incompatible...Lancelot bluntly rejects the idea, because he has other things to do. 'For thenne,' he says, 'I must couche with her, and leve armes and tournementys, batayls and adventures.
(47)-Lancelot, busy as he is with tournaments and adventures, refuses to marry; he cannot spare the time. But extra-marital love is also condemned, and Lancelot, the very embodiment of adulterous passion, is here made to preach morality and fulminate against 'paramours'
(49)-Malory completely alters the story. Tristan easily forgets his beloved, 'for by cause Sir Tristram had suche chere and rychesse and alle other plesaunce that he hadde forsaken la beale Isoud'. And with no comment whatsoever Malory goes on to say that 'soo upon a tyme sir Trystram agreed to wedde Isoud la blaunche maynys'. Then, of course, he finds himself in difficulty, since he is unable to explain why 'whanne they were abedde bothe, sire Tristram remembryd hym of his old lady la beale Isoud, and thenne he toke suche a thought sodenly that he was alle desmayed, and other chere maade he none'
-When he reproaches Iseult of Cornwall with infidelity, he makes it plain that he has for her sake given up 'many landes and rychesse'.He in this way justifies his claim for her love
-(113) “Hence some authorities distinguish between true courtly love as it is illustrated in the story of Lancelot and Guinevere in Chrétien "The Knight of the Cart," and Ovidian love. Basically, courtly love was illicit and sensual, but a sort of Platonic idealism soon appeared and is found in the usual literary presentation, this modification being doubtless due to the softening influence of Christianity and polite society.”
Malory's 'Book of Huntynge': The Tristram Section of the 'Mort Darthur.' Journal article by Corinne J. Saunders
(1) While the obvious link between this section and the rest of the Morte is the love of Tristram and Isode, which offers a counterpart to the love of Launcelot and Gwenyvere, the lengthy series of jousts and tournaments which define the narrative render it circular rather than progressive, and the theme of love is decentred. Yet Malory himself surely perceived this part of the work as one of paramount importance and interest, as its length and centrality in the Morte illustrate.
-The game and play of the hunt, and its association with delight, is conspicuously repeated throughout this section, most strikingly perhaps in association with the love of Tristram and Isode.
-Fellowship is placed above enmity, and the images of game-playing, mirth and hunting stand in clear opposition to the tragic tenor of the later chapters of the Morte, creating for the respective love affairs of Tristram and Isode and of Launcelot and Gwenyvere two distinct atmospheres, one carefree and delightful, the other portentous and tragic. This difference between the two love relationships is epitomized by the difference between the figures of Tristram and of Launcelot, the former the courtly huntsman, the latter the protector of damsels in distress and the victim of enchantresses.
The Company of Camelot: Arthurian Characters in Romance and Fantasy Book by Spivack, Roberta Lynne Staples(96)- Launcelot, like Malory's other characters, exhibits little, if any, psychological depth. We see what the character does and hear what he says, but motivation or internal conflict is left to the surmise of the reader. One notable instance comes in the madness that arises from the displeasure of Guenever at Launcelot's second tryst with Elaine at Camelot itself
-Guenever is not about to listen to reason or excuse or give Launcelot a second chance, saying "'False traitor knight that thou are, look thou never abide in my court, and avoid my chamber, and . . . [never] thou come in my sight!'"
-(99) Guenever's anger drives him. When Elaine dies, Guenever delivers Lancelot the coup de grace: "'Why were you not kinder to her? . . . Why could you not have given her something to live for? You might have showed her some bounty and gentleness, which would have preserved her life'" (494). He cannot win: she rebukes him for his relationship with Elaine and then for rejecting Elaine.
The Development of Arthurian Romance Book by Roger Sherman Loomis
(172)- He modified his sources to make of Lancelot a more consistently noble character; throughout the series of tales, Lancelot exhibits boundless courage, good sportsmanship, friendliness, and magnanimity. His passion for the Queen is ennobled by his constancy and patience
(180)-Arthur, pitifully torn between the obligation to punish his guilty queen and the realization that to do so would mean death to those he loved and ruin to his kingdom;
- Lancelot, swayed at first by the duty to save his paramour from the flames, then magnanimously yielding to the Pope's pressure and restoring her to Arthur, making every effort to avoid war with his liege lord and friend, twice sparing Gawain's life in mortal combat;
-Guenevere, the pitiful victim of clashing forces, yet clever and strong enough to save herself from Modred, strong enough, too, in resolution to forbid her lover to see her again after she had taken the vows.
(184)- Then Sir Lancelot was brought before her; then the Queen said to all the ladies: 'Through this same man and me hath all this war been wrought, and the death of the most noblest knights of the world; for through our love that we have loved together is my most noble lord slain. Therefore, Sir Lancelot, wit thou well I am set in such a plight
(185)And I command thee on God's behalf, that thou forsake my company, and to thy kingdom look thou turn again, and keep well thy realm from war and wrack... ‘Nay,' said the Queen, 'that shall I never do, but abstain you from such works.'
Malory Book by Eugène Vinaver
(43)-A most cursory glance at his alterations and additions will prove this. His original traces the love of Tristan and Iseult to a purely 'adventurous' cause: it is only because he sees Palomides in love with Iseult that Tristan decides to supplant his friend.
Malory rejects this version. In the Morte Darthur Tristan's passion has a spontaneous origin
He 'cast grete love to la beale Isoud' because 'she was the fairest mayde and lady of the worlde'.
(44) Malory Iseult makes 'grete dole and lamentacion', and says: '"O gentyl knight, ful wo am I of thy departynge, for I sawe never man that I oughte so good wille to", and therewithall she wepte hertely.' They swear eternal faith to each other, Tristan gives her a ring 'and she gaf hym another'.
-When Tristan has been exiled and perhaps for ever separated from his beloved, he goes mad for grief.
(45) I have given these extracts at possibly needless length because here we no doubt have Malory's own words and behind them his own voice. He alone is responsible for the laments added to the Tristan story and for its strong sentimental colouring.In the midst of chivalrous combats and intrigues he pauses to listen to the beating of a human heart, to the music of human love
-Had Malory applied his method on a larger scale, the story of the lovers of Cornwall would have become a series of pathetic laments and no less pathetic swoons.
(46)- His most cherished ideal is that of happy marriage, and he forgets that marriage and a herolover like Lancelot are entirely incompatible...Lancelot bluntly rejects the idea, because he has other things to do. 'For thenne,' he says, 'I must couche with her, and leve armes and tournementys, batayls and adventures.
(47)-Lancelot, busy as he is with tournaments and adventures, refuses to marry; he cannot spare the time. But extra-marital love is also condemned, and Lancelot, the very embodiment of adulterous passion, is here made to preach morality and fulminate against 'paramours'
(49)-Malory completely alters the story. Tristan easily forgets his beloved, 'for by cause Sir Tristram had suche chere and rychesse and alle other plesaunce that he hadde forsaken la beale Isoud'. And with no comment whatsoever Malory goes on to say that 'soo upon a tyme sir Trystram agreed to wedde Isoud la blaunche maynys'. Then, of course, he finds himself in difficulty, since he is unable to explain why 'whanne they were abedde bothe, sire Tristram remembryd hym of his old lady la beale Isoud, and thenne he toke suche a thought sodenly that he was alle desmayed, and other chere maade he none'
-When he reproaches Iseult of Cornwall with infidelity, he makes it plain that he has for her sake given up 'many landes and rychesse'.He in this way justifies his claim for her love