Quick Summary
Sir Thomas Malory (c. 1415–1471), a 'knight-prisoner,' compiled and adapted French and English Arthurian romances to create Le Morte d'Arthur (published 1485 by William Caxton). This work is the first major fictional prose narrative in English and the definitive version of the Arthurian legend, bridging medieval romance and the modern novel. Its themes of chivalry, loyalty, and tragic downfall, along with its crisp prose style, have had a profound and lasting influence on English literature.