Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!hao!hplabs!sri-unix!Martin@YALE.ARPA 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 -------