Malory’s Maladies: Determining Intention and Influence through Editorial Theory in Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte Darthur

By examining both William Caxton’s edition and the Winchester manuscript of Malory’s King Arthur tales, readers can begin to understand the editorial theory issues associated with these dissimilar texts. Questions concerning authorial intention, final intention, versions, and scholarly editing arise as scholars and readers try to negotiate which is the better version. However, each version offers advantages and disadvantages of Malory’s work, culminating in the need for both versions to exist and to be studied