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From: Martin@YALE.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Arthurian Legends
Message-ID: <3070@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 13-Jul-83 14:28:52 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.3070
Posted: Wed Jul 13 14:28:52 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Jul-83 09:34:43 EDT
Lines: 39

From:     "Charles E. Martin" 

Two outstanding sources:

    Geoffrey of Monmouth's "History of the Kings of Britain"
        -- which is SF&F's idea of a history; Geoffrey's credibility
           with real scholars is non-existent.  This is a source
           which Mary Stewart drew upon for "The Crystal Cave",
           which I haven't read and don't intend to.

           Very old (14th century?), and reads it.  Fun though.

    Sir Thomas Mallory's "Le Morte d'Arthur" ("The Death of Arthur")
        -- which is what most people should think of when they think
           of Arthurian legend.  T.H. White mentions Mallory throughout
           "The Once and Future King" (including the droll semi-self-
           reference at the end), which should have tipped off readers
           that this source existed, if their high-school English courses
           didn't do the job.

           Old (18th century?), but reads extremely well (he wrote it for
           the bucks, as I understand it--but I could be mistaken).  Lots
           of fun--though be warned: "The Sword in the Stone" is White's
           invention, and what you'll find in Mallory will resemble most
           closely "The Ill-Made Knight".  But that was my favorite part
           of "The Once and Future King", anyway.  (C&S fans, take note!)

    There are Mallory's sources, also, but by this time we're into the
    realm of the Master's in Medieval Literature.

    T.H. White's "The Book of Merlyn"
        -- was a book I found to be disappointing.  If you really liked
           "The Sword in the Stone" much more than the other three books
           of "The Once and Future King", then you /might/ go for this.
           It gave me a bad taste, though, and semi-spoiled the atmosphere
           built up by "The Once and Future King".

    -- CEM
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