The Death of King Arthur (Malory and Ackroyd)

Le Morte d'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory is one of the foundational works in Arthurian studies; many subsequent writers based their versions on his. The Death of King Arthur, today's review, is an abridged retelling by Peter Ackroyd. His goal is to present a loose translation focused on clarity and simplicity, yet conveying "the majesty and pathos of the great original."

The Death of King Arthur has the following stories:

- The Tale of King Arthur (his origins, aid by Merlin, getting the sword, marriage to Guinevere, etc.)

- The Adventures of Sir Lancelot du Lake

- Tristram and Isolde

- The Adventure of the Holy Grail

- Lancelot and Guinevere

- The Death of Arthur

I read the unabridged Keith Baines translation (linked above) ten years ago; I found this version better. Ackroyd does well to abbreviate the extremely repetitive original, maintaining familiar plot lines (knight goes out on adventure, bizarre things happen, etc.) and the essence of the tales without getting too boring. It is still repetitive, mind you, just more bearable. My remarks on Baines' work hold true here—see the above link if interested—but I will highlight one aspect: morality.

The morality of the knights is bizarre (yet sadly common to man): they all hold to Christ in word, but their deeds say otherwise. I think that comes through more strongly in this version (at least, I noticed it more): There is certainly a code of honor, but generally regarding fights (not killing a wounded man, for example). They will spill blood and sleep around without remorse, and live by a 'might makes right' code that declares innocence if victorious in battle. They will generally charge into a conflict siding with the weaker party without first figuring out the situation; they will defend a damsel in distress yet often are deceived by witches (yet somehow can be held more culpable for being deceived than other outright sins they commit). It is weird world they live in, yet we are no different.

As Ackroyd presents in the introduction, "the story of Arthur is accompanied by sensations of loss and transitoriness, as well as a note of resignation." It also reflects "a time of great violence and uncertainty" yet "is suffused with the imperatives and rituals of the chivalric code, the important testament of military virtue." Ultimately, I think the tale is worthy of reflection, as it grants not only insights into  Medieval ideals but also reflects the hypocrisy of man (in all agse). We think ourselves honorable and may even seem to strive our righteousness, yet commit (and ignore) blatant sins.

Rating: A-