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“No gretter perile”: Over-mighty Subjects and Fifteenth-Century Politics in Malory’s Morte Darthur

Baker, Michael
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366284026

Abstract Details

2013, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, English.
Traditionally read as a deeply nostalgic text – one that looks back to Arthur’s Camelot as a Golden Age of English history and chivalry – Sir Thomas Malory’s Morte Darthur is, instead, a very contemporarily relevant text. Completed in 1469/70, at the mathematical center of the divisive Wars of the Roses (c. 1455-1485), Malory’s Morte considers problematic contemporary political issues that threaten the peace and stability of the realm. Chief among these are issues involving over-mighty subjects, identified by Sir John Fortescue in The Governance of England (c. 1471/75) as the greatest threat to fifteenth-century kings. Since K. B. McFarlane’s 1964 declaration that “only an undermighty ruler had anything to fear from overmighty subjects,” however, the over-mighty have been under-studied. It is important, though, when examining a text to consider the prevalent beliefs of its time; even if McFarlane’s statement is true, neither Fortescue nor Malory would have agreed with it. Malory’s Morte does not create perfect analogues to fifteenth-century persons or events (i.e., Lancelot is not the Kingmaker, the final battle near Salisbury is not Towton), but it does create many parallels to fifteenth-century political issues. This study argues that Malory’s selections from, alterations of, and additions to his source material intentionally recall contemporary political problems – particularly those involving over-mighty subjects – that threaten the stability of the realm. The use and misuse of royal patronage, for example, often resulted in the favoritism of some nobles and the ostracism of others – the former engendered envy, the latter risked rebellion. Local struggles over property and influence, if not properly addressed, could ignite blood feuds and shape political factions at court. Such problems caused the downfall of Arthur’s Camelot – and they threatened fifteenth-century England as well. In many ways, Malory’s Morte serves as warning of things to come, should such issues be allowed to fester.
Karen Winstead (Advisor)
Richard Firth Green (Committee Member)
Ethan Knapp (Committee Member)
294 p.
Medieval Literature
Sir Thomas Malory; Morte Darthur; over-mighty subjects

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Baker, M. (2013). “No gretter perile”: Over-mighty Subjects and Fifteenth-Century Politics in Malory’s Morte Darthur [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366284026

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Baker, Michael. “No gretter perile”: Over-mighty Subjects and Fifteenth-Century Politics in Malory’s Morte Darthur. 2013. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366284026.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Baker, Michael. "“No gretter perile”: Over-mighty Subjects and Fifteenth-Century Politics in Malory’s Morte Darthur." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366284026

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.
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