-Le Morte d'Arthur

A medieval synthesis of Arthurian tales in the form of a prose romance, Malory’s Le Morte d'Arthur is considered to be one of the most influential works of medieval English literature. Originally completed around 1469, this work was first printed by William Caxton in 1485. An earlier manuscript version was discovered at Winchester College in 1934. This book includes many of the imaginary places that are now considered common parts of Arthurian legend, including Camelot, the capital of Arthur’s kingdom and the site of the Round Table. This work also describes the island of Avalon, where King Arthur receives the sword Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake and where he ultimately goes to die. In addition to Arthur, Malory also tells the stories of other knights, including Lancelot, Gawain, Percival, Gareth, Tristan, and Galahad. A central part of Malory’s story is the quest for the Holy Grail that is located in the mystical Carbonek Castle, only accessible to the most pure and faithful knights.