5.0 out of 5 stars The end of chivalry

G.S. · 4 April 2011

By contrast to `Lancelot of the Lake' and `The Quest of the Holy Grail,' this concluding part of the great 13th century Lancelot-Grail cycle is a simple and direct tale. The supernatural elements have all but been stripped away, and it proceeds quite logically to describe the decline and fall, not just of King Arthur himself, but of the whole world that he had attempted to build. The worm in the flower is of course Lancelot and Guinevere's love affair; it is the harvest of a tragedy sown many years before.Some years ago, a man called Jean Frappier came up with the idea that, whilst the Lancelot-Grail cycle could clearly not have been written by one man, it did however have an architect; someone who planned the whole thing out, before allowing different people to complete the various sections. It's an attractive idea. There are many threads that run throughout the work, and yet the differences of style are startling. The `Quest' was clearly written by a deeply religious author (someone with a Cistercian background has been suggested, though other people finger the Knights Templar) and has a strongly devotional feel, and yet the `Death' abounds in references to God that border on the flippant. It also has more conversation, and more psychological insight than the previous sections; the melancholy tone of the closing chapters particularly give it an astonishingly modern feel. At the very end, Sir Bors - one of the only survivors of the calamitous final battle - invites the people left behind to CHOOSE whomever they would like as king; the days of chivalry are over for good.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Death of Lancelot

A.C. · 2 August 2009

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.

5.0 out of 5 stars The force of love which reason cannot resist

L.R. · 16 November 2007

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.

Pretty good

S.B. · 11 January 2014

Not the easiest read, but fantastic when you sit down and put some effort into figuring out exactly what's going on. There's a lot of depth that you don't see at first glance.

Great

S. · 6 April 2011

This is a fantastic and although at first glance rather simplistic novel, the plot continues to thicken and weave around the growing and eventually provoking character development.Penguin Classics FTW.