Rating: 
Summary: Wealth of legends but can we have some annotation please?!
Review: Both Volumes 1 and 2 of Penguins Le Morte D'Arthur were filled with an endless fountain of legends and reading these books one knows why it provided inspiration for writers throughout the centuries. The sub plots alone (ex: King Mark and Sir Tristam's love for Isoud and Sir Palomides internal and external battles) provide the aspiring writer with a wealth of plots and ideas. But for the love of God Penguin could have included some clear annotation throughout the book. The footnotes are in dire need of a major overhaul. All Penguin gives us is a few pages of translation for the more obscure words, but the reader has to go back and forth between the story and the dictionary. To put it simply it's an enourmous pain to do this. A system of annotation similar to Signet's publishing of Paradise Lost & Regained (which is also an excellent copy of this classic which I highly recommend) would have put this set of books up to five stars. Once you get past the obscure English the book becomes surprisingly easy to read, far easier than Shakespeare or Chaucer. Malory, obviously, was not a writer like Chaucer but he did do us a favor and put the bulk of the French legends into a handy volume so we wouldn't have to search through obscure Old French romances. So think of this more as an anthology rather than a novel. For those of you struggling through the text, as I did, you can skip to almost any part of the book (except the very first and very last part) and the story you will read will make sense (this is of course assuming you understand the obscure English).
Rating: 
Summary: Le Morte Darthur: Winchester edition
Review: The Oxford World's Classics edition of Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte Darthur is a superb text for students and the casually curious reader alike. It is the first publication of Le Morte Darthur based on the Winchester Manuscript designed for the general reader; more prominent are the editions which are compilations of Caxton's print version.
Editor Helen Cooper does a wonderful job of tackling the problem of presenting a coherent and comprehensive version of a medieval text for a twentieth century audience. Although this rendition of Le Morte Darthur is slightly abridged, it still retains its original charm. The preservation of a good deal of the vernacular in the text and the convenient glossary and footnotes really help to define the medieval setting of the story. The actual story of the life of King Arthur is most enjoyable as well, especially now that Cooper's introduction and explanatory notes enhance it. Malory's exposé of the Arthurian legend is lively enough that one can easily read this book for pleasure - the story-line and plot are more cleverly developed than, say, Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain, which seems to present itself as a chronology of dubious events. In her introduction, Cooper provides a bit of a factual background for Malory and explains many of his subtle allusions intended for his contemporary medieval audience, all of which adds to the reader's understanding of Le Morte Darthur in the context of the fifteenth century. Scholarly readers may also find Cooper's annotated bibliography quite useful.
Rating: 
Summary: Overbrief Translation
Review: In his preface, the translator Keith Baines asserts that he attempted to "provide a concise and lucid rendering of Le Morte d'Arthur" and to clarify "those episodes which, for the purpose in hand, seemed obscure, and condensing those which seemed prolix."As an example of this condensation in progress, Baines version of The Tale of Sir Launcelot du Lake is 19 pages long. Steinbeck's translation of the same story (which had the goal of accurately preserving the story as told in the Winchester Ms.) runs over 100 pages. Throughout, Baines' edition is horribly abridged. He leaves most of the basic facts from the story intact (though some parts of his translation, especially concerning the obscurer genealogies, are plain wrong when compared to most other editions). However, he cuts all elements that make reading the legend enjoyable.
Rating: 
Summary: Even in modern prose, this remains tedious reading.
Review: The tales of King Arthur and of the knights of the Round Table are well-known and have been the subject of many books, poems (Tennyson), at least two musical works (Purcell's "King Arthur", and the famous Broadway musical, "Camelot"), and films ("Camelot", based on the musical, and "Excalibur"). The most famous English-language book version of these tales is this version by Sir Thomas Malory, yet this is not easily readable, even in modern prose. The modern English rendition by Keith Baines is excellent, for it allows those of us who do not have Ph.D's in English literature to get an idea of what the original was like, but the book itself is tedious in its very nature. What you should expect with this book is a very good beginning and ending, and a "will it ever end ?" middle. Arthur himself cannot be called the central character, for he is virtually absent, except in the first tale of the book, which deals with his coming to power, and the last one, about his death. The rest of this book is concerned with jousting and tournaments, so much that in the end one gets bored with this never-ending succession of fights with knights whose names you'll only read once and which have no consequence on what is supposed to be the larger plot (such as the quest for the Holy Grail, or the famous Tristram and Iseult tale). Of course, the better-known knights of the Round Table, such as Launcelot, Tristram, and Percivale, are present, but only from time to time, and narration often shifts from one to the other for no reason. What this book lacks most is continuity. Apart from the first and last tales, everything in between is not in chronological order, which gets confusing. In one tale one character is dead and another is well-known; in the next tale the first character is living and the second one is unknown (just take the example of King Pellinore and Sir Percivale). All tales were obviously separate ones, and the reader, at some point, will simply stop trying to understand how Malory ever came up with such an order for his tales. If Malory (or his original publishers) had any idea in mind when they chose this setup of the tales, it will appear unclear to most readers. One of the few good points of this book is that, since it was written in the late Middle Ages, it avoids to a certain extent the over-romanticization of the Middle Ages, which is what later authors, such as Sir Walter Scott, did to such an extent that even today we cannot think of the Middle Ages without having in mind the picture-perfect version of it (which I will not delve into -- I'm sure you know what I have in mind). Even though chivalry as described in the book has some romantic elements attached to it, it is never fully exploited, and "Le Morte d'Arthur" certainly does not fit the requirements to be classified into the romantic genre (which was not fully described until the nineteenth century). This book therefore does not use romanticism as we now know it. But this good point may also be one of the book's weaknesses, because the topic is a legend, and not fact. Because this subject is not historically accurate (and some parts of the book are hilariously improbable), Malory could not use realism to replace romanticism, and I believe that if he had used more romanticism in his book it would only have made it better. In the end, Malory used neither style, and this makes his writing style very dry. His characters are mere fighting machines with no emotional depth, his narration is action, action, and action: no description, either of his own characters or of the scenery (a castle is a castle, nothing more). The scenes he depicts cannot be located, for the setting is never described. Malory, above all, was an awful storyteller. He could only describe his characters jousting and fighting, and since this had nothing to do with the larger plot, this only lengthens the book for no reason. (If you want a modern comparison, just think of a public orator who just tells personal anecdotes that are not related to his topic.) Furthermore, anyone interested in the Middle Ages has nothing to gain from reading this book. It holds no historical interest (apart from a study of the English language, but then I would not go for this modern rendition) for the reason that its subject is not based on fact and its description of society in the early Middle Ages is simplistic. This book is certainly no "Canterbury Tales", in which a lot can be learned about what was life during the Middle Ages. So if you are mainly interested in history I'd skip "Le Morte d'Arthur" and I'd go for "The Canterbury Tales" instead. In conclusion, "Le Morte d'Arthur" is worth reading only if you have the patience to go through it, for this book is overlong and repetitive. Keith Baines's rendition makes this task easier, and his appendix on the main characters is very helpful if you intend to skip parts (which you should not do because the whole is chronologically inaccurate).
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece.
Review: Quite possibly the finest piece of
prose available to the modern world
(or at least the finest I have come
across). Absolutely no library
(neither home nor public) would be
complete, or dare I say, worth a
damn, without an unabridged copy of
Malory's insightful retelling of
many of the greatest Arthurian
romances (hundreds of years old at
the time Malory set them to paper in
the fifteenth century) all woven
together to form an eloquent vision
of chivalry, romance, and adventure
the likes of which all great epics,
before or since, pale in comparison.
No wonder this book has survived
five hundred years and longer. It's
all here: the most powerful
characters to ever grace the pages
of literary fiction, Arthur,
Guinevere, Mordred, Launcelot,
Merlin, Tristram, etc.; timeless
tales of honor, knights-errant (in
shining armor no less), fobidden
love, fair maidens, et al. Told
here in its most gimmering light are
the search for the Sangreal (Holy
Grail), the love triangle of Arthur,
Guinevere, and Launcelot, the
betrayal of Mordred, the wisdom of
Merlin, the restoration and eventual
demise of christian Britain, and the
tragic love of Tristram and Isould.
We all know these stories. We all
know of the sword Excalibur. We all
know of glorious Camelot. So what
makes these tales stand above all
else? We all long for what we
cannot have. Is there a man alive
who isn't seeking a true lover as
Guinevere? Is there an ignorant
fool among us who doesn't desire
peace or true love or fulfillment of
the soul? The Holy Grail, as we say?
Or Paradise? Isn't that what Dante
was searching for? And Milton? And
wouldn't it have been easier for
Odysses to, just give up? Today,
yes. Oh if only we could learn to
believe in a greater existence as
our ancestors did. What a better
people we would be. Not that
A! rthur's Britain was without its
problems. Quite the opposite,
actually. The difference between
Arthur's Camelot and our world:
Arthur's knights, Bors, Percivale,
and Galahad in particular, searched
for a remedy. No obstacle was too
difficult, no challenge too great,
as to prevent these valorous knights
from achieving their quest of
finding their prize, the existential
Holy Grail. Today, we search for
the best program on television, or
the fastest way to make french
fries. At that, only if it's
convenient. We could all learn from
Malory's tales (and I realize this
is simply my opinion). Le Morte D'
Arthur should be in every household
to share, and to enjoy, and to learn
from. It is a sensational book
(sectioned into either eight or
twenty one books, depending upon the
source) for all members of the
family. It should be read, and
reread often. Here I must voice my
strong opinion that this a book not
meant to be read in modern English.
Keith Baines' modern interpretation
of Malory's book is a wonderful
companion volume to the middle
English prose, but should not be
used as a substitute. Any reader
who chooses so is missing out on a
fantastic experience. It is not
that difficult to comprehend. To
read a modern rendition, instead of
one in Malory's elegant language, is
like reading the Bible in modern
English. Sure, the point is clear,
but a piece of the art has been
tainted. I also recommend picking
up a volume of Aubrey Beardsley's
art, which compliments Le Morte
D'Arthur very nicely. Also, I want
to mention that Malory's Le Morte
D'Arthur is the best amd most
complete of all Arthurian
collections, although there a large
number of great stories that should
not be ignored, some of which
include, Alfred Lord Tennyson's
Idylls of the King, T.H. White's
Once and Future King, and some
me! dieval works which predate
Malory's masterpiece, including,
Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain, and four poems (authors unknown), Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, La Mort le Roi
Artu, Morte Arthure, and Le Morte
Arthur. Even Mark Twain (arguably
one of the greatest, if not the
greatest, of all English writers)
could not resist creating a story
using Malory's fascinating
characters as the centerpiece, albeit in a comical, yet enchanting, way. I welcome all comments and am anxious to speak with others who agree with my strong words and with those who choose to call me fool, I am happy to debate my opinion. Thank you for taking the time to share my world.
Rating:
Summary: Overbrief Translation
Review: In his preface, the translator Keith Baines asserts that he attempted to "provide a concise and lucid rendering of Le Morte d'Arthur" and to clarify "those episodes which, for the purpose in hand, seemed obscure, and condensing those which seemed prolix." As an example of this condensation in progress, Baines version of The Tale of Sir Launcelot du Lake is 19 pages long. Steinbeck's translation of the same story (which had the goal of accurately preserving the story as told in the Winchester Ms.) runs over 100 pages. Throughout, Baines' edition is horribly abridged. He leaves most of the basic facts from the story intact (though some parts of his translation, especially concerning the obscurer genealogies, are plain wrong when compared to most other editions). However, he cuts all elements that make reading the legend enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: Guinevere and Lancelot vs. Arthur
Review: In the quest, thus far, to discover the truth about King Arthur, I have encountered many aspects of several authors and how each one perceived the legend. One particular author that struck my favor was Sir Thomas Malory, especially in his book, Le Morte D'Arthur. Although, as a class assignment, I only read one particular section of the novel, which was the love affair between Guinevere and Lancelot, I can honestly say I have a strong favor and opinion towards Malory's depiction of that portion of the legend. The relationship between Guinevere and Lancelot is inevitably one that leads to adultery, which affects Arthur in a way that one can discover his true feelings about his Round Table, oddly enough. Since Lancelot was one of Arthur's strongest and most reliable knights in the hood, Arthur feels more betrayed by Lancelot's decision to act on his feelings towards Guinevere than he does by Guinevere who had more control over the situation in my opinion. In his own words, Arthur states his bond with the knighthood and how Lancelot's affair with Guinevere affects the Round Table by saying, "And much more am I sorrier for my good knights' loss than for the loss of my faire queen; for queens I might have enough, but such a fellowship of good knights shall never be together in no company (Malory, 482)."
Arthur's hardship over this love affair really brings to life his emotional level and how most of his emotion lies in the sorrows he has for his Round Table. It seems as if he is astonished that a noble knight with such great power could ever go against his own king the way Lancelot did to him. It was as if Arthur gave him all the goodness and glory a shining knight could ask for, and betrayal was his reward. Malory depicts this part of the sequence with such an astounding viewpoint, in a sense that the audience can almost feel Arthur's emotions within the story. He not only makes the story easy to relate to, but he also writes at a comfortable level in which the audience can comprehend the emotions that Geoffrey of Monmouth certainly did not portray. Not to say that Geoffrey wasn't a great writer, but I just didn't feel the emotion as much as I did in Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur. Overall, I recommend this book to anyone interested in the joys and hardships of King Arthur in order to better understand the emotional aspect of the legend.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Piece of Arthurian Literature
Review: Sir Thomas Malory's rendition of the Arthurian legend, Le Morte Darthur, is one of the most complete, clear, and enjoyable versions of the story. Malory combines aspects of Arthurian stories found in other works into one complete volume. Le Morte Darthur gives the reader a taste of the romance, as found in lais of Marie de France, as well as the battles and gallantry found in Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain. This edition, based on the Winchester Manuscript and edited by Helen Cooper, combines the battles and romances into a cohesive and enjoyable story which encompasses the stores of Merlin, the quest for the grail, the story of Tristan, and Lancelot and Guenivere.
Malory wrote his story in the late 15th century, and while it was in English, the spelling would be hardly distinguishable to the modern reader. Cooper has edited the text for clarity, but its character is left intact by Cooper's refusal to change words. Included in the book is a table of words that are not commonly used, or appear to mean something other than their intention. This takes some getting used to, but once they sink in, the reader will be appreciative because this language gives the book flair and one does not feel like he or she is reading a modern text. In other Arthurian literature that has been translated from Anglo-Norman, French, or English, much of the original writers craft has been lost, and poetry has become prose. In Cooper's edition of Le Morte Darthur Malory's original work is better represented, and provides a more enjoyable story.
Malory's combination of romance and battle, and the breadth of his story give the reader a lot of material to peruse. The story covers almost every area of the Arthurian legend, and Cooper has edited it in a style so as to keep the Old English feel. This makes Le Morte Darthur the most complete and enjoyable piece of Arthurian literature available.
Rating:
Summary: An Easily Understood Version of the Arthurian Legend
Review: Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte Darthur is one of the better known texts of the Arthurian legends. The text describes in great detail the history of the Arthurian world and expands on Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain by portraying many of the other characters in the Arthurian legends as well as King Arthur himself. One of the renditions of this tale is the Oxford Wold Classics edition of the Winchester Manuscript of Le Morte Darthur edited by Helen Cooper. This book is an excellent edition of the Malory's work and although the language may be a bit difficult to understand for the modern reader, Cooper does an excellent job of making the language and the ideas of the book understandable for all readers.
The book begins with a detailed and informative introduction, which not only presents the many themes that are present in the book, but also describes the biography of Sir Thomas Malory himself and the circumstances in which he wrote the book. For instance Cooper describes the life of Malory and his criminal record as well as presents the major themes of the book ,which include, knighthood, romance and chivalry. The introduction is very clear and provides a helpful overview of Malory's work and the history surrounding Le Morte Darthur.
In addition to an informative introduction the book also contains several other tools that allow the reader to gain a better sense of understanding of Malory's work. The book has a chronology of Arthurian material as well as a useful glossary of uncommon words that appear frequently in the text. In order to make the book even more understandable to the modern reader, the editor includes a list of unfamiliar words at the bottom of every page that occur on that particular page so the reader does not have to waste time looking in the back of the book for a meaning of a word. The explanatory notes at the end of the book as well as the index of characters also help broaden the reader's understanding of Malory's Le Morte Darthur and make the book even easier to comprehend.
Helen Cooper's edition of the Winchester Manuscript of Malory's Le Morte Darthur is a well rendered, informative book, which is easy to understand for any reader. The book contains many tools which allow the reader to expand their understanding of the Arthurian legend and the book is written is such a way that the modern reader will have an easy time understanding the text as well as the themes present in the literature.
Rating:
Summary: Epic anthology and a rewarding but slow read
Review: Written in the midst of the calamitous Wars of the Roses, Malory's Arthurian epic includes themes of civil turmoil, conflicting loyalties and the supernatural (and other things beyond human understanding). King Arthur himself cannot escape the turning of the Wheel of Fortune, and his quick ascendancy in the beginning eventually leads to his equally sudden plunge into disaster at the end. In between, order returns to the British Isles for a short period in which harmonious cooperation among knights following the code of chivalry bring down traitors and rogues (interestingly enough, Malory himself apparently spent time as an outlaw). Though the tale was based on Celtic and French legends, civil war and imprisonment no doubt influenced Malory in his writing, which in itself became the foundation for nearly all future Arthurian literature. The Wordsworth Classics edition is not too difficult to read, but the glossary has great room for improvement. Some entries are redundant (with four for the word "orgulous") while others are missing entirely. For a relative new-comer to Arthurian literature like myself, the constant name alterations became a bit confusing as well. Though not a major barrier to the enjoyment of the book, this could have been amended by either annotation or an index of names/recurring characters. All in all, however, it was a wonderful and enjoyable read! No wonder medieval personalities fantasized about imitating Malory's chivalrous knights.
|
