Sir Thomas Malory Background and Morte D’Arthur Introductory Research Quest:
1. Give me the basic facts about Sir Thomas Malory. When and where was he born, when
and where did he die, what was he best known for?
2. List off at least four of the crimes of Sir Thomas Malory.
3. Where and when did he write Le Morte D’Arthur?
4. Who was Sir Thomas Malory’s editor?
5. What is a “romance” in the literary, historical sense? Define it. Does Morte D’Arthur
qualify as a romance?
6. What is the name of the only surviving original manuscript of Le Morte d’Arthur? Who
has it?
7. What was the series of wars that raged on during Malory’s lifetime? Describe its sides
and reasons, and then give a date range.
8. How might these wars and Malory’s decidedly unchivalrous background have affected
his retelling of the Arthurian legend?
9. What are some of the hallmarks of Morte D’Arthur as opposed to other retellings of the
legend?