Product Description

Recounting the final days of Arthur, this thirteenth-century French version of the Camelot legend, written by an unknown author, is set in a world of fading chivalric glory. It depicts the Round Table diminished in strength after the Quest for the Holy Grail, and with its integrity threatened by the weakness of Arthur’s own knights. Whispers of Queen Guinevere’s infidelity with his beloved comrade-at-arms Sir Lancelot profoundly distress the trusting King, leaving him no match for the machinations of the treacherous Sir Mordred. The human tragedy of The Death of King Arthur so impressed Malory that he built his own Arthurian legend on this view of the court – a view that profoundly influenced the English conception of the ‘great’ King.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #546805 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

About the Author
The author of The Death of King Arthur is unknown, though it is generally thought he was a Frenchman, probably from Champagne writing around 1230-35. James Cable was educated at Exeter and Nancy Universities and holds a Ph.D. in Old French. He was subsequently a lecturer in French at London University.

Customer Reviews

The force of love which reason cannot resist
This tragic medieval saga is a tale of love, adultery, jealousy, treachery, revenge and death.
The adulterous love between chivalry's most valiant knight, Lancelot del Lac, and King Arthur's wife, Queen Guinevere, provokes a series of suicidal wars between chivalry's finest, noblest, most courteous, most honorable knights and their factions: `no man ever became deeply involved in love who did not die as a result.'
It is an anti-war tale: `battle, how many orphans and widows you have made in this country and others!' `Where will the poor people ever find pity now?'
And what is the use of all this pride? `But such is earthly pride that no one is seated so high that he can avoid having to fall from power in the world.'
At the end, `we can see all our friends dead before us.' `It was to lead to the destruction of the kingdom of Logres ... lands remained devastated and waste.'

Of course, the anonymous author is sometimes too sentimental, too Christian. His battle descriptions are now and then stereotypic. Nevertheless, his story written in a direct, simple, unadulterated and positive style is one of the highlights of medieval literature.
Not to be missed.

The Death of Lancelot
I'm quite surprised that I've become interested in Arthurian literature. I started off with Malory of course and thought that my interest would end there. I have however read a couple more since.

Before I read this book I read 'The Quest of the Holy Grail' which was interesting and would've gained about three stars I guess. 'The Death of King Arthur' follows on from 'The Quest' and is purportedly written by the same author, Walter Map. However the style of 'Arthur' is markedly different from 'Quest' as it is crisp, clear and feels very modern. This may be due to the translator of course but it reads very much like a modern novel, although with a medieval feel. Indeed, James Cable, the translator states in the introduction, 'It is difficult to see how the story could be better structured and motivated.'

So the story is pretty much about the tensions that develop between Lancelot's and Arthur's camp and all ending in a battle between them. Well, not quite, Arthur lays siege to Lancelot in Gaul, Lancelot & Gawain joust and fight all day. After the conclusion (I won't reveal too much of the plot) of the bout they go off to fight some more battles.

As mentioned in the introduction of the book, it should probably be called 'The Death of Lancelot' as he is the main character and ends with his death rather than Arthur's. And with the death of Arthur and Lancelot comes the end of the Arthurian era.

A thoroughly recommended book.