In a text mode of a display controller, for each character of the text, a plurality of multiple-byte words are stored in a memory buffer. Each multiple-byte word contains an ASCII character code for the character, font attribute information for the character and at least one font line for the character. For each character font line to be displayed on the monitor, a multiple byte word is read. The attribute information and a first character font line are extracted from the multiple byte word. The display controller then constructs a character scan line for the character based on the attribute information and the first character font line. The character scan line may then be displaying on the monitor.