Alliterative Morte Arthure

1
Alliterative Morte Arthure

• Late 14th C northern dialect
• Focus on war not love

2
Morte Arthure opens

• With a catalog of Arthurs conquests
• Notes that Arthur has recaptured all of his
  patrimony all the lands once held by Uther
• Arthur has extended his sway throughout northern
  Europe
• Arthur has rewarded his followers and kin with
  kingdoms, dukedoms, knighthoods
• Retreat to Wales to hunt and celebrate Christmas

3
Opening of Morte Arthure and Green Knight

• Morte Arthure
• New Years Day
• King at table, just served bread meat
• Lucius Iberius Saluz the as sugett (Greets thee
  as subject).
• Note 2nd informal pronoun, as subject
• Demands tribute

• Gawain Green Knight
• New Years Day
• King romping in hall others served first
• Green Knight greets all politely, asks for host,
  offers to play Christmas game
• Pays homage to Arthur

4
Roman senators

• Lines 99-101
• Now er they herberde in hey and in oste
  holden are lodged quickly
  quarters held
• Hastlyly wyth hende men within thees heegh
  wallez friendly
  high
• In chambyrs with chympnes þey chaungen þeire
  wedez chimneys
  they their clothes
• Lines 103-4
• Sone þe senatour was sett . . . At þe kyngez owne
  bordesoon
  
  table

5
Contrast details of feast w/ Arthurs words

• We knowe noghte in þis countre of curious
  metez
• In thees barayne landez bredes non oþer
  roasts
• Forethy wythowytten feynynge enforce ?ow þe
  more, without feigning
• To feede ?ow with syche feble as ?e before
  fynde.

6
Arthur kills Mordred

• Lines 825-9
• Thane fresheliche þe freke the fence vpe
  rerys
• fiercely man
  shield raises
• Brochis hym in with the bronde to þe bryghte
  hiltys
• Strikes
  sword
• And he brawles on the bronde and bownes to
  dye.
• squirms
  turns
• In faye, says þe feye kynge, fele me
  forthynkkes,
• faith doomed (fey)
  I think it very bad
• That euer siche a false theefe so fair an ende
  haues.
• such
  
  has