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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “Superb - the literary manifestation of a canvas by Burne-Jones or Rossetti. It is episodic in form, so some knowledge of the barest outline of Arthurian myth may be required by the reader; nevertheless, the work is made into a whole by means of a strong blank verse, and by an underlying theme...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“I loved it. As enchanting as any of Merlin's spells. Beautiful and profound. I re-read it every few years.”
Sorella M wrote this review Tuesday, July 7 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Alright, but I'm just not a huge fan of epic poetry. I greatly prefer prose.”
Christina F wrote this review Thursday, June 18 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No1 of 1 members found this review helpful“Superb - the literary manifestation of a canvas by Burne-Jones or Rossetti. It is episodic in form, so some knowledge of the barest outline of Arthurian myth may be required by the reader; nevertheless, the work is made into a whole by means of a strong blank verse, and by an underlying theme that, as many critics have noted, is very modern: namely, that of slander and scandal.”
Simon m wrote this review Friday, August 29 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“I just finished reading Idylls of the King, a book that my husband recommended from his Arthurian Literature class in college. I was worried about reading it because I have a notoriously difficult time getting through and comprehending books in verse. However, aided by my love of Tennyson's The Lady of Shalott, I figured I'd give it a go. I'm really glad I did!
Jess B wrote this review Monday, April 7 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
First off, I'd never read any Arthur stories and was really only familiar with them from popular culture references and movies like First Knight. I think Idylls of the King gave me a good sense of many of the characters involved and a sense of what Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere were all about. The overarching story is told in the form of twelve mini stories, usually focused on two characters like Balin and Balan or Lancelot and Elaine. I enjoyed some stories more than others, Lancelot and Elaine being my favorite. I think it would be possible to pick and choose the sections you want to read because I didn't find that one story led into the other so much.
Second, the language was much more pleasurable to read, for me, than Shakespeare or Greek verse. Tennyson's language is beautiful as in these lines, "And in the moon athwart the place of tombs, where lay the mighty bones of ancient men, old knights, and over them the sea-wind sang shrill, chill, with flakes of foam. He, stepping down by zigzag paths and juts of pointed rock, came on the shining levels of the lake."
Third, the story is contagious! I can see how the legend has endured and how appealing this idea of knightly nobility and chivalry has lived on for so long. I now want to read Mists of Avalon to get a more female perspective on the story. Women were highly problematic in this version of the story. They were often portrayed in this story as cheaters, seductresses, murderers, and major distractions. I think the most significant point of the story, however, was how disloyalty was the utmost crime and, in the end, the ruination of a kingdom. ”
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