from Le Morte d’ Arthur
by Sir Thomas Malory
King Arthur’s favorite knight, Sir Launcelot, has fallen in love with
the king’s wife, Gwynevere. The secret love affair is exposed by Sir
Modred, Arthur’s son by another woman. As punishment for the
affair, Queen Gwynevere is sentenced to burn at the stake. However,
Sir Launcelot rides in and recues Gwynevere from prison, but while
doing so, Launcelot kills two knights. The two knights that are killed
are King Arthur’s nephews and the brothers of Sir Gawain, King
Arthur’s favorite nephew. King Arthur negotiates with Launcelot and
follows Sir Gawain’s advice, by which Gwynevere is returned safely
with the promise that she will not be punished, but will continue to serve as queen. Sir Launcelot, in turn, is
banished to France and will never be allowed to return to England again.
While in France, Sir Launcelot establishes a powerful army and controls many small towns and the city of
Benwick. There he lives in his father’s castle, King Ban, and is safely fortified within the city walls. Sir
Gawain hates Sir Launcelot and is set on revenge. He urges King Arthur to organize an army of sixty
thousand men, and they set sail to France in an effort to hunt down Sir Launcelot and destroy him.
from Le Morte d’ Arthur
by Sir Thomas Malory
from Le Morte d’ Arthur
by Sir Thomas Malory
from Le Morte d’ Arthur
by Sir Thomas Malory
from Le Morte d’ Arthur
by Sir Thomas Malory
5. How does Sir Launcelot explain his “courteousness” toward Arthur?
(page 1)
What does this suggest (what is implied) about his attitude toward King Arthur?
6. How does King Arthur respond to Launcelot’s offer of peace?
(page 2)
Arthur’s response to Sir Launcelot’s offer suggest about his attitude toward Launcelot?
7. Sir Gawain’s words suggest Launcelot’s offer violate the knight’s code of chivalry? (page 2)
What is his true motivation for rejecting Launcelot’s offer?
8. How does Sir Gawain humiliate Sir Launcelot every day for six months?
9. What is the agreement between Sir Gawain and Sir Launcelot?
(page 3)
10. What secret is Gawain keeping, a secret that only King Arthur knows?
11.
How is Gawain taken down?
(page 2)
(page 3)
(page 3 – right column)
12. After three weeks of minor skirmishes between the two sides, Sir Gawain recovers from his wounds
and returns to challenge Launcelot. What happens to Gawain the second time?
13. Why does King Arthur call off the battle?
from Le Morte d’ Arthur
by Sir Thomas Malory
During King Arthur’s absence from Britain, Sir
Modred, who had already been given kingly powers by
King Arthur when he left for France, had decided to
usurp King Arthur and take the crown for himself. He
wrote false letters which stated that King Arthur had
died in battle. He then mailed them to himself and
read the letters to the nobles, who elected him the new
king. The coronation took place at Canterbury and was
celebrated with a fifteen-day feast.
Sir Modred then settles in Camelot and makes
advances toward Queen Gwynevere, his father’s wife,
pressuring her to marry him. Gwynevere pretends to
go along with his idea. But on the first opportunity,
she secures herself in a fortified tower, well defended,
where Modred cannot get her out.
When Sir Modred learns that she has tricked him and
he is outraged. At once, he has his army march against
the tower, but is unable to get her out. He tries to
sweet talk her out, but she will have nothing to do with
him. He then curses her and threatens her, but, as crazy as it sounds, that doesn’t work either.
Finally, the Archbishop of Canterbury comes forward to protest;
“Sir Modred, do you not fear God’s displeasure? First, you have falsely made yourself king; now you,
who were begotten by King Arthur on his aunt, try to marry your father’s wife!” He goes on to tell Modred
that if he does not repent and step down, he would be forced to kick Modred out of the Church.
“Fie on you! Do your worst!” Sir Modred replies.
The Archbishop excommunicates Sir Modred, and then runs away to hide in Glastonbury where he
becomes a hermit.
Sir Modred then learns that Arthur has been notified of his crime and that Arthur is on his way back to
England to take back the throne by force. Modred travels to Dover Beach with an army of over a hundred
thousand soldiers. Tens of thousands die in the battle, but Arthur succeeds in driving Modred out. However,
Sir Gawain is fatally wounded when the gash on his head, caused by Sir Launcelot, is re-opened. Knowing he
will die at noon that day, he writes a letter to Sir Launcelot. In the letter he asks Sir Launcelot to forgive him
and begs him to return to England to help King Arthur finish off Sir Modred. He also asked Sir Lancelot to
come to his tomb and give his blessing.
King Arthur gets word that Sir Modred has offered to battle him on the field at Baron Down. Arthur
hurries there, but Modred runs away again, this time to Canterbury. Both Arthur and Modred rebuild their
armies. And once again Modred sends notice to King Arthur, this time announcing that they will battle on the
first Monday following Trinity Sunday, on Salisbury Down.
CONTINUE READING IN YOUR TEXT BOOK, PAGES 216 TO 222
from Le Morte d’ Arthur
by Sir Thomas Malory