Boydell Press Castles and Space in Malory's Morte Darthur (89) (Arthurian Studies)

Castles play an integral part in Malory's Morte Darthur; Camelot, Tintagel, Joyous Gard, and Dover, for example, are the crucial backdrop to the action and both host and shape the story. But despite this, Malory's castles have received limited scholarly attention. As the first monograph to look extensively at either castles or space in Malory, this book aims to fill that gap. It reads the Morte through its castles - their architecture, structural and symbolic significance, and geographical locations, together with their political, communal, ritual, domestic, and martial functions. The book also traces the mutual development of space and identity in the text, looking at Malory's Arthurian community in and around castle space, both as individuals and together; it offers new insights into the community's central organizing body, the Round Table, in particular. Review Martin's book offers a truly fresh way of reading Malory and other Arthurian and medieval literature. The style is scholarly yet accessible, so the book will interest scholars at all levels. The wide-ranging bibliography makes the book an especially valuable resource for students. Highly Recommended.--CHOICEMartin's thesis helps to elucidate several key characters and spaces in Malory's Morte, thereby offering the Malory community much to think upon.--MEDIUM AEVUM About the Author MOLLY A. MARTIN is Associate Professor and Chair of the English Department at the University of Indianapolis.