Idylls of the king

by Baron Alfred Tennyson Tennyson

Other authorsJames Martin Gray (Editor.)

Paper Book, 1996

Status

Available

Call number

821.8

Genres

All Topics

Fantasy

Fiction

Collection

Greg

Publication

London : Penguin, 1996.

Description

Tennyson interprets the Arthurian myth as an epic poem, and his tales of Camelot soar to remarkable imaginative heights to trace the birth of a king; the founding, fellowship, and decline of the Round Table; and the king's inevitable departure. Encompassing romance, heroism, duty, and conflict, Tennyson's poetry charts the rise and fall of a legendary society.

User reviews

LibraryThing member DinadansFriend

A major Victorian Poet tries to deal with some of the aspects of the Arthurian Corpus by poeticising them. There are good lines, but no great sympathy for the material as a whole. Arthur and his ideas are too totalitarian for the minds of Alfred's audience, and perhaps of Alfred himself. I think

then of the legendary Arthur with his perfect personal leadership, and Alfred the king of Wessex, who was a systemizer. Tennyson should have turned his pen to Alfred, not Arthur, really.

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LibraryThing member rolandallnach

A venture of epic poetry, this is Alfred Lord Tennyson's take on the Arthurian legends. An incredible read in its own right, when taken in relation to Malory, Tennyson's work highlights the passion, tragedy, and Romanticism that sometimes was left at a simmer in Malory's work. Tennyson's work is

more 'fantastic' than Malory's, and his descriptions of Camelot are as awe inspiring for the reader as they are for the characters he follows. For those familiar with Malory, Tennyson does not parallel the tales Malory depicts but rather has his own interpretations to suit his goal in describing the tragic emotional arc of the fall of Camelot. Though I would not consider myself an expert in poetry, I have read quite a few epic pieces, and this is a monumental work with a humanisitic focus, anchoring its place among the timeless classics, such as Homer's 'Illiad'. Whether you are a fan of Malory, or Arthurian legend in general, this should be part of your collection.

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LibraryThing member drewandlori

Beautiful 19th Century epic poem about the rise and fall of King Arthur. Highly recommended

LibraryThing member whitewavedarling

This is some of the most beautiful Arthurian Lit. I know of. If you enjoy reading of Arthur or the knights, it's a must read, and one that you can read in stages. It isn't light reading at most points, particularly for someone not fully accustomed to reading long poems, but it is well worth the

while. The language and the characters are pure Tennyson, beautiful, and probably a great deal smoother than any original knight. If you're looking for the stories and the sentiments of the round table, and not necessarily gore or realism, this book is a good choice.

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LibraryThing member keylawk

Tennyson, unhappy in school, early recognized a beauty and significance in epic poetry, reciting Pope's Homer's 'Iliad' at the age of nine, improvising a la Walter Scott by ten, and composing his own epic by the age of twelve, largely in his father's excellent library.[8] The Arthurian romances

made a deep impression. [33] By the age of 24, Tennyson began the work of poetrifying the drama of King Arthur, although it took many years --decades-- of preparation.
There are four character studies of women, comprising four "Idylls" of the King (!): Elaine, tender and innocent, in contrast with Vivien, crafty and wicked. Enid, the faithful wife, in contrast with Guinevere, who strays.
But the work goes far beyond character, into an epic surrounding the great figure of Arthur himself, warring in some way between sense and spirit, struggling with his own nature against his own ideals. Tennyson intended this allegory in the tale: "New-old, and shadowing Sense at war with Soul/...one touched by the adulterous finger of a time/ That hover'd between war and wantonness,/ And crownings and dethronements." [37]
With quite helpful Notes, and a Glossary which cites back to the text where the defined word is used.

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LibraryThing member lapomelzi

I listened to the BBC3 audio production of this book and it was AMAZING. Only 4 stars, because of the inane catholic moralizing of Arthur at the very end. Everything else was just amazing.

LibraryThing member cbl_tn

A Victorian era take on the Arthurian legends in poetic form. The language is archaic even for Victorian times, and it feels forced into the poetic structure. The effort required may put off many readers.

LibraryThing member leslie.98

I was surprised by some of the stories included in this poem about King Arthur and his knights. I found the language bogged me down in a few spots but it was mostly quite readable.

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