‘A noble knyght and a myghty man’: Gareth as Disruptive Presence and Absence in Malory’s Morte Darthur

Abstract: Gareth’s existence is integral to understanding Thomas Malory’s work; his presence is the foundation upon which Malory builds the Round Table fellowship and his subsequent absence dismantles it. An important and disruptive character, Gareth changes the way readers consider familiar Arthurian characters, relationships, and even the genre of the Morte .