Le Morte d’Arthur, Vol. 1
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 30 days of Standard free
Le Morte d’Arthur, Vol. 1
Buy Now for £19.73
-
Narrated by:
-
Frederick Davidson
This monumental work made the Arthurian cycle available for the first time in English. Malory took a body of legends from Celtic folklore that had been adapted into French literature, gave them an English perspective, and produced a work which ever since has had tremendous influence upon literature.
The story begins with King Uther Pendragon’s use of enchantment to lay with Igraine, Duchess of Cornwall. Arthur is conceived and taken away in secret, returning as a young man to claim the throne by pulling the sword Excalibur from the stone. In retelling the story of Arthur’s rule of Britain, Malory intertwines the romances of Guinevere and Lancelot, Tristan and Isolde, and Lancelot and Elaine. Sir Galahad’s appearance at Camelot begins the quest for the Holy Grail. Finally, Camelot is brought down by the conflict between King Arthur and his natural son, Mordred.
(P)1997 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Critic reviews
“Le Morte d'Arthur remains an enchanted sea for the reader to swim about in, delighting at the random beauties of fifteenth-century prose.”
(Robert Graves)“I think my sense of right and wrong, my feeling of noblesse oblige, and any thought I may have against the oppressor and for the oppressed came from [Le Morte d’Arthur].”
(John Steinbeck)“A vigorous and compelling narrative, full of the spirit of adventurous knighthood.”
(Masterpieces of World Literature)“Malory's Le Morte DArthur combines the narrative excitment of an adventure story with the relative sophistication of allegorical romance.”
( Wordsworth Classics, Introduction by Helen Moore, Fellow and Tutor, University Lecturer, Oxford)However, I so nearly asked for a refund as the narration is quite simply diabolical. Frederick Davidson has a posh old Etonian-style accent and he enunciates well with no mistakes, but his delivery of the prose is as the dryest sermon you ever heard from some stuffy old vicar who has long since given up trying to win any new souls. There are no changes of mood, no excitement in the heat of battle, no sorrow or love, just stoic indifference (dearly beloved, blah, blah, blah). The dialogue is even worse as he changes hiis voice by moving back from the microphone, looking down his nose and expressing himself like a constipated wombat. Merlin, the kings, the knights of the round table and poor farmers alike are all afflicted with this most unnatural voice. Only Arthur himself (generally) manages to avoid the wombat treatment but instead sounds entirely effete.
In short, I thoroughly recommend the book, but not this version.
Fascinating stories, dreadful narration
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Awful
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?
The quality of the book is far below par it sounds like it's been recorded from a tape via the world worst mic.Has Le Morte D'Arthur put you off other books in this genre?
No I still like the genreHow could the performance have been better?
Better quality recordingWhat reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
Disappointed by thisAny additional comments?
I would remove it until you manage to get a recording of better qualityVery poor quality
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.