Imagination In Morte D Arthur :: essays research papers

Imagination in Morte D ArthurA recurring theme in Sir Thomas Malorys Morte d Arthur is the use ofimaginative descriptions of characters and settings. Imagination is what the commentator of the story must use to form his or her own mental images of asituation, and the better the fibber is, the clearer the mental image. Hisdescriptions, ranging from horrific to chivalrous, always manage to draw thereader into the story and make him or her an active participant, usuallyknowing a bit much than the characters about their own fates. Malory employsmany literary techniques, but perhaps his most prominent is his use ofimagination.When the exerpt begins, King Arthur is having a nightmare involvingfalling into a prey of serpents. Malory describes the scene in Arthurs headas if the reader were there with him. What separates the reader from thecharacter is the fact that the reader knows its still a dream, and Arthurdoesnt. This is an interesting way of care the reader a safe distance fromth e 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 soldiers nonices a snake about to cut him, and he draws his sword to slay it. All thatMordreds men see is the blade being drawn, and a battle immediately ensues.Once again, the reader is told more than than the characters. The only thingkeeping the reader a part of the story is the vivid descriptions given of thenightmarish world of Arthurs dream, and the smoking, bloody battlefield of awar that wasnt meant to happen.Malory as well makes use of drama in his portrayal of the double-deathscene, again with Arthur and Mordred. When he describes Mordreds sword beingdriven into Arthurs chest, and Arthurs spear running Mordred through, thereader almost cringes at the thought. However, it is not enough that they areboth killed by each others hand, Arthur doesnt die immediately. He iscarried by his most faithful knights back to a chapel, where he d ied 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 even more involving, and forces the reader to imagine