“And thus was the quest begonne in them”: Conversion of the Heart through Catholicism in Le Morte D’Arthur

As one of the most comprehensive and intricate works of Arthurian literature, Le Morte d’Arthur remains widely read and intensely studied, even hundreds of years after its publication in 1485. One continually scrutinized topic surrounding this magnificent work is the extent to which it encompasses and encourages authentic Christianity. This thesis converses with such ongoing discourse and also desires to exemplify that Malory’s work is not only genuinely Christian, but deeply Catholic. Through interaction with existing scholarship and a close study of the text, this thesis serves to illuminate Malory’s Morte through the two fundamental roots of the Catholic faith: Scripture and Tradition. Grounding his work in these two pillars, Malory reveals that the ultimate Arthurian quest is the “quest begonne in them”—the quest seeking eternal life.