Marriage, Adultery and Inheritance in Malory's Morte Darthur

Marriage in the middle ages encompassed two crucial but sometimes conflicting dimensions: a private companionate relationship, and a public social institution, the means whereby heirs were produced and land, wealth, power and political rule were transferred. This new study examines the concept of marriage as seen in the Morte Darthur, moving beyond it to look at `adulterous' and other male/female relationships, and their impact on the world of the Round Table in general.