The Alliterative Morte Arthure Literary Elements

The narrator is a third-person limited omniscient narrator. The narrator has access to Arthur's thoughts, feelings, and dreams but nobody else's.

The poem does not have stanzas of uniform length but follows many of the traditional Germanic rules of meter.

Arthur's planned invasion of the Holy Land is a metaphor for the desire of many Christians in Europe to re-invade and "rescue" the Middle East so that it could be led by a Christian Ruler.

Each line of the poem is divided into two half-lines, the first of which generally has two to three alliterated syllables in rhythmic pulses. The last half of the line generally has two pulses, but the syllable being alliterated does not necessarily match the alliterative sound chosen for the first half-line. Assonance is not relevant to this poem because there is no attempt made to rhyme. This poem is an example of the "alliterative revival", wherein Middle English authors made use of alliterative techniques from the old Germanic and Anglo-Saxon traditions.

Arthur leaves his formal sword with Mordred, who uses it to critically wound him.

Alliterative epic

England and western Europe, sometime in the Middle Ages

The tone is very matter-of-fact due to the plot-driven nature of the poem

King Arthur is the protagonst. The two primary antagonists are the Emperor Lucius of Rome and Arthur's "nephew" Mordred, who betrays him to take over the kingdom.

The initial big conflict is between Arthur and Lucius, emperor of Rome, when Lucius sends "senators" to Arthur's court to demand tribute. Arthur retaliates by invading Lucius's territory and defeating him in battle. But after this goal is accomplished Arthur changes his focus and exceeds his original goal. He proceeds to march on Rome and conquer it, securing the surrender of even the Pope. He then turns his attention to the Holy Land only to be informed that, in his extended absence, Mordred has staged a coup.

The climax of the poem occurs when Arthur's army of loyal Britons meets Mordred's army of mercenaries.

Arthur's death at Mordred's hands is foreshadowed by a dream of Fortune, embodied as a woman, who tells Arthur his days are numbered.

Arthur is praised as a "good" king because he consults his allies and retainers before going to war. None of the other rulers in this poem do so.

There are frequent references to the Crusades, particularly with the appearance of a Knight Templar and the decision by Arthur to reconquer the Holy Land.

An army of knights, which is not a highly organized cavalry but a group of individuals, is depicted as acting as a single body. Gawain's advance force lands first upon the return to England and is attacked immediately by Mordred's army before reinforcements can arrive.

The woman who appears as Fortune in Arthur's dream is an abstract personification of luck.

Arthur's ancestry is described, and perhaps inflated, to enhance his legitimacy as a ruler.

The giant, beast-like, is described as roaring and growling much like the bear in Arthur's dream.