Malory's Major Explicits in One Possible Order of Composition

     Sir Thomas Malory wrote the text(s) we have come to call the Morte Darthur over some period of time critics estimate to have been between two and ten years (1460/1467-1469/70).  His first editor, William Caxton (1485) presented the text to his customers as a single work ("C") divided into multiple "books" and "capitula" (capital letters dividing what we might call "chapters").  His most famous modern editor, Eugene Vinaver (1947), believed the "Winchester Manuscript" ("W") evidence showed that Malory was really writing eight separate romances which had no necessary plot or chronological connection to each other.  He reached this conclusion based on Caxton's omission of "explicits" (paratextual authorial statements) found at some section divisions.  That is, he assumed Caxton cut them out of his edition to make it seem as if it were a single work, to improve sales.  Though this edition's reasoning has been challenged many times, it remains the standard reading edition of Malory's text.  Vinaver's uncoupling of sections of Malory's text also allows us to consider the possibility that he did not write it in the order in which "C" and "W" present it.  Based on internal stylistic evidence, it can be argued that Malory composed his text in three different stages which reveal differences in his authorial intentions.  In brief, it can be  argued that he transformed himself from a mere translator of his sources to an author who used and improved upon his sources as a modern novelist might.  The list below lists in red the titles Vinaver gave his "romances," summarizes the section's attributes, and reproduces its explicit, rubricating the specific language of its reference to composition.  Click here for a brief summary of the American New Critics' quarrel with Vinaver and your two choices for how to read Malory.

Early:

"the Sankgreall briefly drawn out of French" (Vinaver 6): one source (La Queste del Saint Graal); limited alterations which emphasize reconciling sacred and secular/chivalric values; "brefly drawy[n]" treats composition as condensation and movement from French to English; "a tale cronycled for one of the trewyst and of the holyest that ys in thys worlde" attaches "chronicle" authority to the religious mysticism of the Grail source; naming "signature" and bidding prayer suggesting a major pause in composing process.

Explicit text: Thus endith the tale of the Sankgreal that was brefly drawy[n] oute of Frenynshe which ys a tale cronycled for one of the trewyst and of the holyest that ys in thys worlde by sir Thomas Maleorre knyght.  O blesse Jesu helpe hym thorow hys myght.  Amen.  (409r/1037).

"tale of the noble kynge Arthure [and Lucius the emperour of Rome]" (Vinaver 2): one source (Alliterative Morte Arthure); limited alterations which emphasize Arthur's prowess as a warrior in single combat (Giant of St. Michael's Mount) and that introduce Lancelot to his knights; cuts off the "Morte" ending at the point of Arthur's highest triumph in the conquest of Rome, replacing it with a peaceful return to a loyal kingdom (not one in treacherous revolt) and a loyal queen (not one in love with Lancelot).  No naming signature or bidding prayer.  Explicit links the narrative to tales of Lancelot, which follow immediately in Winchester MS and in Caxton's edition.

Explicit text: Here endith the tale of the noble kynge Arthure that was emperoure hymself thorow dygyté of his hondys.  And here folowyth afftir many noble talys of sir Launcelot de lake.  Explicit the noble tale betwyxt kynge Arthure and Lucius the emperour of Rome.

Middle:

"Sir Trystram de Lyones" (Vinaver 5): one source (Prose Tristan), significant alterations which emphasize reconciling erotic and politico-chivalric conceptions of knighthood; "drawyn . . . oute of Freynshe" treats composition as movement from French to English; announces intentional incomplete performance of the translation now ending (in which Galahad's conception is explained) and emphasizes the linkage to that which follows (in which Galahad's career occurs); interpretive gloss on the following tale "the noble tale off the Sankegreall whyche called ys the holy vessell and the sygnyfycacion of blyssed bloode off oure lorde Jesu Cryste whyche was brought into thys londe by Joseph off Aramathye"; closes without a naming signature but with bidding prayer.

Explicit text: Here endyth the secunde boke off syr Tystram de Lyones whyche drawyn was oute of Frenyshe by sir Thomas Malleorre knyght as Jesu be hys helpe.  Amen.  But here ys no rehersall of the thirde booke.  But here folowyth the noble tale off the Sankegreall whyche called ys the holy vessell and the sygnyfycacion of blyssed bloode off oure lorde Jesu Cryste whyche was brought into thys londe by Joseph off Aramathye.  Therefore on all synfull blyssed lord have on thy knyght mercy.  Amen.  (246v/845-6).

"Sir Launcelot du lake" (Vinaver 3): single source (Prose Lancelot) from which single episodes from widely scattered sites in the narrative were extracted and juxtaposed to give them thematic coherence; aware of other sources (esp. re: Lancelot's relationship with the queen); no naming signature or bidding prayer, and no reference to the act of composition.

Explicit text: Explicit a noble tale of sir Launcelot du Lake.

"fro the maryage of kynge Uther unto Kyng Arthure" (Vinaver 1): multiple sources (Prose Merlin and Suite du Merlin, Hardyng's Chronicle); aware of other sources (Prose Tristan and Prose Lancelot?) now unavailable to Malory; implies imagination of projects involving future acts of composition based on those sources; as in the earliest stage of composition, "drawyn" treats composition as movement from French to English; naming signature and bidding prayer suggesting a major pause in composing process.

Explicit text: Here endyth this tale as the Freynshe booke seyth fro the maryage of kynge Uther unto Kyng Arthure that regned aftir hym and ded many batayles.  And this booke endyth whereas sir Launcelot and sir Trystrams com to courte.  Who that woll make ony more lette hym seke other bookis of kynge Arthure or of sir Launcelot or sir Trystrams for this was drawyn by a knyght presoner sir Thomas Malleorre that God sende hym good recover.  Amen.  Explicit.  (70v/180)

Late:

"the morte Arthur" [Sir Lancelot and Queen Guenevere]" (Vinaver 7): multiple sources (Le Mort le Roi Artu, Stanzaic Morte Arthur, Prose Lancelot); reference to lack of source MS which necessitates next compositional task; "I departe . . . and here I go" casts composition as a personal journey in which the author has fused his fortunes with those of Arthur; adds interpretive gloss; naming signature which doubles his addition as "knight" in French and English, and bidding prayer in French.

Explicit text: And bycause I have loste the very mater of Shevalere de Charyot I departe from the tale of sir Launcelot and here I go unto the morte Arthur and that caused sir Aggravayne.  And here on the othir syde folowyth the moste pyteuous tale of the morte Arthure saunz Gwerdon par le shyvalere sir Thomas Malleorre knyght.  Jesu ayde ly pur voutre bone mercy.  Amen.  (449r/1153)  [N.B. the Winchester MS's "othir syde" is scribal error carrying over the text from a manuscript which must have ended this explicit on the "recto" or right side of the current leaf, and continued the narrative on the leaf's verso or back side.  In W, the text of the "Morte" proper begins on the line immediately below the explicit.  This is the most obvious evidence that Malory's autograph MS is not W.  It also may indicate another copy (Vinaver's "X") stands between Malory's autograph MS and W.]

"Most piteous tale of the morte Arthur saunz guerdon" proper (Vinaver 8): multiple sources (Le Mort le Roi Artu, Stanzaic Morte Arthur); composition verb is "to end," used three times to terminate the process; audience identified as "jentylmen and jentylwymmen that redeth this book of Arthur and his knyghtes from the begynnyng to the endynge"; the end of the whole composing process may be suggested by the completeness of the explicit, including a naming signature and bidding prayer with date of composition by regnal year.

Explicit text: Here is the ende of the hoole book of kyng Arthur and of his noble knyghtes of the rounde table that whan they were hole togyders there was ever an hondred and forty.  And here is the end of the deth of Arthur.  I pray you all jentylmen and jentylwymmen that redeth this book of Arthur and his knyghtes from the begynnyng to the endynge praye for me whyle I am on lyve that God sende me good delyveraunce.  And whan I am deed I praye you all praye for my soule.  For this book was ended the xi yere of the reygne of kyng Edward the Fourth by sir Thomas Maleore knyght as Jesu helpe hym for hys grete myght as he is the servaunt of Jesu both day and nyght.  (1260)

"sir Gareth of Orkney that was called Bewmaynes" (Vinaver 4): one source? (the "missing source" theory: Vinaver, Norris) or many sources, probably Chretien de Troyes' Erec et Enide (battle for the knight's lady's beauty), the "fair unknown" romances with their chiding damsel and serial testing, and the Gawain romances with their bed-tests, beheading games, and wedding of the protagonist; composition verb is "to write" (its only usage by Malory), perhaps implying fully developed "authorship" persona; no naming signature and bidding prayer adds "sone and hastely," implying increased urgency (poor health?).

Explicit text: And I pray all you that redyth this tale to pray for hym that this wrote that God sende hym good delyveraunce sone and hastely.  Amen.  Here endyth the tale of sir Gareth of Orkeney.  (148r/363)