Imagination In Morte D Arthur :: essays research papers

caprice in Morte D ArthurA recurring theme in Sir Thomas Malorys Morte d Arthur is the give ofimaginative descriptions of characters and settings. Imagination is what the lecturer of the story must use to stress his or her own amiable images of asituation, and the better the storyteller is, the clearer the mental image. Hisdescriptions, ranging from horrific to chivalrous, always manage to draw the commentator into the story and process him or her an active participant, usuallyknowing a bit more than the characters about their own fates. Malory employsmany literary techniques, further perhaps his around prominent is his use ofimagination.When the exerpt begins, King Arthur is having a nightmare involvingfalling into a pit of serpents. Malory describes the scene in Arthurs headas if the reader were at that place with him. What separates the reader from thecharacter is the fact that the reader knows its only a dream, and Arthurdoesnt. This is an evoke way of keeping the read er a safe distance fromthe goings on of the story. Malory uses this method again, when Arthur and hisarmy are about to negotiate with Mordred and his. One of the Kings soldiersnotices a snake about to bite him, and he draws his sword to slay it. alone thatMordreds men see is the blade being drawn, and a battle direct ensues.Once again, the reader is told more than the characters. The only thingkeeping the reader a part of the story is the vivid descriptions given of thenightmarish adult male of Arthurs dream, and the smoking, bloody battlefield of awar that wasnt meant to happen.Malory also makes use of shimmer in his portrayal of the double-deathscene, again with Arthur and Mordred. When he describes Mordreds sword being driven into Arthurs chest, and Arthurs spear running Mordred through, thereader almost cringes at the thought. However, it is not becoming that they areboth killed by each others hand, Arthur doesnt die immediately. He iscarried by his most faithful knights ba ck to a chapel, where he died morehonorably. The reader is bearing with him all the way, glad to be rid of thevillain Mordred, but at the same time pitying him, for he was Arthurs son.This makes the story plain more involving, and forces the reader to imagine