#the alliterative morte arthur

[amoebasareverysmall]

The Alliterative Morte Arthur

[sickfreaksirkay]

[arthurian-texts]

When the youth [Mordred] saw [Gawain's] wounds, he turned away, grieving as bitterly as any man could ever grieve [...] He went to another chamber and fell down upon a bed and wept and cried and wrung his hands and tore all his clothes. [...] [Agravain] found the youth tearing his hair and his clothing. And when the youth saw his lord [Agravain] before him, he neither moved nor left off his grieving. "What is this, you bastard," said the lord, "what are you grieving about? Don't you see that I have been healed?" "Indeed," he replied, "I don't care, because for that good I see a greater ill." "And what is that?" asked the knight. "Ah, noble man," he replied, "in there they have mortally wounded Sir Gawain, your brother and mine." "Gawain?" he exclaimed. And thereupon his grief was so great that he fainted.

-Vulgate Lancelot, c. 1220, trans. Samuel N. Rosenberg and Carleton W. Carroll

They pushed and shoved at one another and Mordred fell backwards from the force of Gawain’s spear and landed on his shoulders, badly wounded. Sir Gawain leapt onto the man and seized him by the head. His grief was ready for this moment but so, unfortunately, was destiny. He pulled out a short knife from a silver sheath intending to stab Mordred in the throat with it; but the cut never occurred. His hand slipped and slid on the shiny chainmail as Mordred slyly shot a hand under the man on top and heaved him off, then drew a knife of his own and stabbed Gawain through a gap in his helmet, through his head and up into his brain. Sir Gawain was gone, that good man of arms. [...] "He was a giant amongst men, that’s for sure," Sir Mordred [said]. "This was the good Sir Gawain, the most considerate, the most gracious man ever to live under God’s Earth, the strongest with weapons, the happiest in battle and the noblest and most courteous in the king’s hall. He was openly praised as having the bravery of a lion and if you had known him, sir king, in the land where he lived, his wisdom, his knighthood, his accomplishments, his leadership, his courtesy, his courage, his fighting skills, then you would lament his death for the rest of your life." This traitor allowed a tear to trickle down his cheeks. Then he turned around and said no more but went away weeping, cursing the day that destiny had dealt him such a blow.

-Alliterative Morte Arthure, c. 1400, trans. Richard Scott-Robinson

I love weaving together strands from different Arthurian versions, because you can find incredible parallels like this. In the Vulgate Cycle Lancelot, we see young Mordred (in his pre-villain days) breaking down in terror at the thought of losing his older brother, so grief-stricken that he "fell down upon a bed and wept and cried and wrung his hands and tore all his clothes."

And yet in an ironic twist, in the Alliterative Morte Arthure it's Mordred himself who ends up killing Gawain at the end of their story. Yet we still see the same love and hero-worship for his brother that the younger Vulgate Mordred had, and like his younger self, Morte Arthure Mordred breaks down in tears at Gawain's death (no longer a prospect but now a reality), despite having been its cause. He "went away weeping, cursing the day that destiny had dealt him such a blow" - filled with grief and remorse at what he's done, but too late to undo it.

[talesfromtheenchantedforest]

was just once again delighted by a Middle English man being described as "fish-hole" (= fish-whole; healthy as a fish), and I think we need to bring this turn of phrase back. "Look at that guy over there, flopping and wriggling around and gasping for air. Fit as a fish!!" Do you understand my vision

[gawrkin]

With Didot Perceval - Mort Artu and Alliterative Morte Arthure, I really like the idea of King Lot being present in the 'Fall of Arthur' sequence.

Picture King Lot having just won Norway and triumphing over the Romans alongside Arthur and Gawain, only for his other son Morded turn traitor completely out of nowhere.

And then Gawain dies.

The sheer "Son, what have you done/become" situation Lot would experience.

(And f**k it, have Morgause be there too, like in Chretien)

[queer-ragnelle]

Alliterative Morte Arthure | More quotes at Arthuriana Daily

[tiodolma]

Arthur, to a knight who was worried about him: "You sir, are a baby!"

Thou art but a fauntekein, no ferly me thinkes!

why is this so funny

[malorydaily]

Even if the sword in the stone establishes Arthur as king of all England, here Merlin gives him a mandate as the future overlord of Wales, Ireland, and Scotland and “moo reams.” Malory omits to mention at this point that the kings hold territory from Arthur and owe him allegiance. The initial group of kings are subsequently joined by six more, some of whom appear to already hold the lands that Arthur claims including Scotland and Ireland. The borders of England are pushed outwards, a territorial gage thrown down at the feet of kings with lands on England’s peripheries who may or may not owe allegiance. Merlin does not try to negotiate the terms with subordinates, but threatens potentially equal kings with conquest. It seems that a landgrab is on the agenda and there is no just cause for the war.

In conducting a wrongful war, Arthur flouts both conventions of advice literature and romance. Contemporary literature condoned bru- tality and ruses such as ambush in war if the war was just and if the ultimate end of the war was peace but advised mercy to the vanquished and drew a distinction between boldness for the sake of the common- wealth and rashness to win personal renown. Romance corroborated this view. Elizabeth Porter argues that the war of the Alliterative Morte Arthure, which Malory drew on heavily for the Roman War episode, conforms to contemporary ideas of a just war.97 In the poem, Arthur’s cause is lawful and his destruction of his enemies is matched by his mercy to those who are innocent. His conquest results in peace and stability in Christendom, making possible a crusade to win back the Holy Land. By contrast, the belligerence of Malory’s Arthur in The Tale of King Arthur is unjustifiable expansionism; the savagery of the combat compounds the error of an already dubiously motivated war.

– Ruth Lexton, Contested Language in Malory's Morte Darthur: The Politics of Romance in 15th Century England

[kashilascorner]

for @queer-ragnelle May Day Parade. May 17-21: Grumpy Month of Kay {Seneschal Celebration}

I have been here since before you became yourself: a collection of Kays (and Arthurs)

Chulhwch and Olwen / Camelot (2011) ep. 1 / Vulgate Cycle: The Story of Merlin / La Morte D'Arthur (Sir Thomas Malory) / The Once and Future King, book 1 The Sword in the Stone (TH White) / Sir Kay's coat of arms / Matthew 16:19 / Under cover of darkness (The Strokes) / Arthur of the Britons (1972) ep. 3 / Vulgate Cycle / Camelot (2011) / Icarus (The Crane Wives) / Idylls of the queen (Phyllis Ann Karr) / Hey Brother (Aviicii) / The High History of the Holy Graal (aka Perlesvaus), trans. Sebastian Evans / Camelot (2011) / Alliterative Morte Arthure, trans. Richard Scott-Robinson / Icarus (The Crane Wives)

[aquitainequeen]

Research leads you to such fascinating, grim places. Such as thinking a method of execution mentioned in one of the poems can't possibly be real, and then finding out that, yes, people might actually have done that to other people.

I spent an interesting evening, reading over my notes for my decade old dissertation. I'm glad I didn't stay on that side of academia, but I do miss the research. That was fun, when there wasn't an impending deadline of doom.

I was also very amused, upon searching the web, to find someone in later years chose the same texts as me to discuss the same theme, only with a different focus. Truly, there is nothing new under the sun.

[gringolet]

hi not to be a menace but. what texts do you recommend starting on for delving into the arthurian lore bc i’ve read sgatgk and the mabinogion and listened to the heather dale songs and have no idea where to go from here

Okay I have a bunch in my pinned post but in summary: It depends on what you are interested in! If you are interested in characters like Lancelot, Guinevere, Yvain, Gawain, Percival etc, I would recommend reading Chretien de Troyes romances, specifically Knight of the Lion, Knight of the Cart, and Story of the Grail, which are his best and more relevant to later texts. If you are more interested in the overall story, the rise of arthur and fall of camelot, the classic choice is Thomas Malory's le morte d'arthur. there are a lot of translations and shortened versions that are quite readable if ur not into middle english.

there are lots of fun and fairly findable epigonal romances (french romances written after chretien de troyes) and middle english verse works (sgatgk is the most famous of these, but sir gawain and the turk, the alliterative morte d'arthur, the stanzaic morte d'arthur, and the wedding of sir gawain and dame ragnelle are all fun). great epigonal romances include the perilous cemetery, the mule without a bridle, and the knight with two swords.

the dutch corpus of arthuriana is also great, you cant go wrong with morien, and i also recommend lancelot and the hart with the white foot and the roman van walewein. i have links to scans of most of everything i've mentioned here so if you can't find something let me know and i'll see if i can find it scanned by me or one of my friends.

i hope this brain dump was helpful! but yeah basically there are lots and lots of fun text options for you so just check out what sounds interesting! theres a ton of works i didnt name here so if none of these sound interesting then let me know and i can offer other suggestions. if u want some stuff more like the heather dale stuff, you might like victorian arthuriana! i have links to my favourite arthurian revival works in my pinned post. good luck!!

[howaboutswords]

Such sorrow our splendid sovereign never knew,

Nor was his spirit ever sunk as by that single sight.

The good King gazed, gripped with horror,

Groaned gruesomely, wept gouts of tears,

Bent kneeling to the body, embraced it,

Cast up his visor, quickly kissed Gawain,

Looked at his eyelids, now locked fast shut,

His lips like lead and his complexion pallid,

And then, crowned king, cried aloud:

'Dear cousin and kinsman, in care I am left,

For now my glory is gone, and my great wars finished.

I hold here my hope of joy and armed success;

Wholly on him depended my heart and strength!

O my counsellor, my comfort, keeper of my heart,

Renowned king of all knights ever known under Christ!

Worthy to be king, though I wore the crown!

Throughout the wide world my wealth and my glory

Were won by Gawain, through his wisdom alone.

Alas!' cried the King, 'my grief grows now;

I am utterly undone in my own country.

Ah, dire and dreadful death, you delay too long!

Why spin out so slowly? You smother my heart!'

- Arthur mourns on finding Gawain and his troops dead in the alliterative Morte Arthure, lines 3947-3968, translated by Brian Stone.

[sidabro]

What got you into arthuriana?

i read the tale of Loherangrin when i was nine, then one day simply remembered it. I am not the most well-read of it, only Alliterative Morte Arthure, sir Gawain and the green knight, Erec and Enide, and a few other poems i dont recall the name offff.. Loherangrin is my favourite though. I really like the german opera. I've given the name to my this guy because i like it that much

[talesfromtheenchantedforest]

Alliterative Morte Arthure heirarchy: Guenevere > Mordred

[Arthur talking, about to leave to conquer Rome or whatever]

Greve thee not, for Goddes love of heven, Ne grouch not my ganging; it shall to good turn! Thy wandrethes [sorrows] and thy weeping woundes mine herte; I may not wite [turn aside from] of this wo for all this world rich; I have made a keeper, a knight of thine owen, Overling of Yngland, under thyselven, And that is Sir Mordred, that thou has mikel praised, Shall be thy dictour [spokesman], my dere, to do what thee likes

— The Alliterative Morte Arthure lines 705-712

[gawrkin]

From Gereint son of Erbin

From Alliterative Morte Arthure (With a Translation to Modern English Below. Apologies for the small image)

Your honor, as you can see above, the evidence points to the Queen's love of hunting.

[queer-ragnelle]

Beginner’s Guide to Medieval Arthuriana

Just starting out at a loss for where to begin?

Here’s a guide for introductory Medieval texts and informational resources ordered from most newbie friendly to complex. Guidebooks and encyclopedias are listed last.

All PDFs link to my Google drive and can be found on my blog. This post will be updated as needed.

Pre-Existing Resources

Hi-Lo Arthuriana

♡ Loathly Lady Master Post ♡

Medieval Literature by Language

Retellings by Date

Films by Date

TV Shows by Date

Documentaries by Date

Arthurian Preservation Project

The Camelot Project

If this guide was helpful for you, please consider supporting me on Ko-Fi!

Medieval Literature

Page (No Knowledge Required)

The Vulgate Cycle | Navigation Guide | Vulgate Reader

The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle

The Marriage of Sir Gawain

Sir Gawain and The Green Knight

The Welsh Triads

Le Morte d'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory

Squire (Base Knowledge Recommended)

The Mabinogion

Four Arthurian Romances by Chrétien de Troyes

Owain (Welsh) | Yvain (French) | Iwein (German)

Geraint (Welsh) | Erec (French)| Erec (German)

King Artus

Morien

Knight (Extensive Knowledge Recommended)

The History of The King's of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth

Alliterative Morte Arthure

Here Be Dragons (Weird or Arthurian Adjacent)

The Crop-Eared Dog

Perceforest | A Perceforest Reader | PDF courtesy of @sickfreaksirkay

The Fair Unknown (French) | Wigalois (German) | Vidvilt (Yiddish)

Guingamor, Lanval, Tyolet, & Bisclarevet by Marie of France

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

Grail Quest

Peredur (Welsh) | Perceval + Continuations (French) | Parzival (German)

The Crown by Heinrich von dem Türlin (Diu Crône)

The High Book of The Grail (Perlesvaus)

The History of The Holy Grail (Vulgate)

The Quest for The Holy Grail Part I (Post-Vulgate)

The Quest for The Holy Grail Part II (Post-Vulgate)

Merlin and The Grail by Robert de Boron

The Legend of The Grail | PDF courtesy of @sickfreaksirkay

Lancelot Texts

Knight of The Cart by Chretien de Troyes

Lanzelet by Ulrich von Zatzikhoven

Spanish Lancelot Ballads

Gawain Texts

Sir Gawain and The Green Knight

The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle

The Marriage of Sir Gawain

Sir Gawain and The Lady of Lys

The Knight of The Two Swords

The Turk and Sir Gawain

Perilous Graveyard | scan by @jewishlancelot

Tristan/Isolde Texts

Béroul & Les Folies

Prose Tristan (The Camelot Project)

Tristan and The Round Table (La Tavola Ritonda) | Italian Name Guide

The Romance of Tristan

Tristan and Iseult by Gottfried von Strassburg

Byelorussian Tristan

Educational/Informational Resources

Encyclopedias & Handbooks

Warriors of Arthur by John Matthews, Bob Stewart, & Richard Hook

The Arthurian Companion by Phyllis Ann Karr

The New Arthurian Encyclopedia by Norris J. Lacy

The Arthurian Handbook by Norris J. Lacy & Geoffrey Ashe

The Arthurian Name Dictionary by Christopher W. Bruce

Essays & Guides

A Companion to Chrétien de Troyes edited by Joan Tasker & Norris J. Lacy

A Companion to Malory edited by Elizabeth Archibald

A Companion to The Lancelot-Grail Cycle edited by Carol Dover

Arthur in Welsh Medieval Literature by O. J. Padel

Diu Crône and The Medieval Arthurian Cycle by Neil Thomas

Wirnt von Gravenberg's Wigalois: Intertextuality & Interpretation by Neil Thomas

The Legend of Sir Lancelot du Lac by Jessie Weston

The Legend of Sir Gawain by Jessie Weston