The peculiarities of middle english period in literature introduction

2.2. MIDDLE ENGLISH PROSE
Among the works of Middle English prose, John Wyclif's translation of the Bible by ecclesiastical reformer and Doctor of Divinity stands out. It is not clear which parts of the translation were done by him and which parts by John Purvey, who edited them, but the initiative for a complete English Bible certainly came from him. About 150 manuscripts of this work are still available. But the days of medieval manuscripts were numbered. In 1476, William Caxton revolutionized the distribution of literature by opening a printing press in England. The first English book, his translation of the court novel by Raoul Lefebvre, Recuyel from the Histories of Troy, he printed in Bruges as early as 1474. By now he has published numerous translations and original works by other authors, and has frequently provided himself with lively prefaces and epilogues. Extract from Arthur's last dream in Avalon, 1898: Malory's Morte d'Arthur fascinated the Romantics, but also the Pre-Raphaelites such as Edward Burne-Jones. Caxton was also an influence on Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. Malory wrote an eight story Arthurian cycle probably between 1450 and 1470. The work, which he called "The Cookbook" of King Arthur and his noble connoisseurs of the round table, tells the story of Arthur about his birth and his rise. the adventures of Lancelot, the experiences of Tristan and Iseult, and the quest for the Holy Grail up to the breaking of the round table and the death of Arthur. When Caxton first printed the cycle in 1485, he renamed it Le Morte Darthur (sic) and divided it into 21 books of 507 chapters to make it easier to read. The book was popular and was reprinted several times, but then fell out of favor with readers until it was rediscovered by the Romantics, who usually showed great interest in the Middle Ages. To this day, Malory's Morte d'Arthur defines the general idea of Arthur and the Round Table. One of the most famous scenes is the one in which young Arthur unleashes the sword, which it was foretold only the rightful king could draw, from the stone: Now the analysis said Syre Ector against Syre kay / And soon he pulled the turn with all his myghte / but it won't be Cyre Hector approached Erta and Cyrus Kay. Translation: “Now try it,” said Sir Ector to Sir Kay. And so he pulled out the sword with all his might, but it shouldn't have been. "Now you must try," Hector told Arthur. "I'd like to," Arthur said, pulling it out with ease. And then Sir Ector and Sir Kay knelt on the ground.