Idylls of the King: Difference between revisions
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Alfred, Lord Tennyson's verse narrative ''Idylls of the King'' is inspired by [[King Arthur|Arthurian legends]], especially Thomas Malory's ''[[Le Morte |
Alfred, Lord Tennyson's verse narrative ''Idylls of the King'' is inspired by [[King Arthur|Arthurian legends]], especially Thomas Malory's ''[[Le Morte d'Arthur|Le Morte Darthur]]''; however, it also draws extensively on the ''[[Mabinogion]]'' and French traditions. The complete ''Idylls'' consists of 12 poems, plus a dedication to the deceased Prince Albert and an epilogue addressed to [[Queen Vicky|Queen Victoria]]. Tennyson, a longtime enthusiast of the Arthurian tales, worked on the collection for decades: the first four poems appeared in 1859, and the last one in 1885. (In book form, the poems are not in order of writing or publication.) |
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=== These poems provide examples of: === |
=== These poems provide examples of: === |
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* [[Beauty Equals Goodness]]: Thoroughly deconstructed by the end, as physical appearance turns out to be an utterly unreliable way of judging character. |
* [[Beauty Equals Goodness]]: Thoroughly deconstructed by the end, as physical appearance turns out to be an utterly unreliable way of judging character. |
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* [[Bittersweet Ending]]: The Round Table is destroyed, Arthur is dead and gone and civilization is in ruins. Still, the good Sir Bedivere remains, and the new year is at hand. |
* [[Bittersweet Ending]]: The Round Table is destroyed, Arthur is dead and gone and civilization is in ruins. Still, the good Sir Bedivere remains, and the new year is at hand. |
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* [[Blood |
* [[Blood on These Hands]]: Invoked twice during "The Last Tournament". |
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* [[Child |
* [[Child by Rape]]: Arthur. |
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* [[Chuck Cunningham Syndrome]]: Tennyson eliminates Morgaine/Morgause. |
* [[Chuck Cunningham Syndrome]]: Tennyson eliminates Morgaine/Morgause. |
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* [[Cool Sword]]: Excalibur. |
* [[Cool Sword]]: Excalibur. |
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* [[Cradling Your Kill]]: "Balin and Balan". |
* [[Cradling Your Kill]]: "Balin and Balan". |
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* [[Dead Man Writing|Dead Woman Writing]]: Elaine leaves a posthumous message for the court in "Lancelot and Elaine". |
* [[Dead Man Writing|Dead Woman Writing]]: Elaine leaves a posthumous message for the court in "Lancelot and Elaine". |
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* [[Death |
* [[Death by Despair]]: Elaine of Astolat. |
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* [[Death Seeker]]: The heartbroken Arthur after he realizes the extent of Guinevere's and Lancelot's treachery. |
* [[Death Seeker]]: The heartbroken Arthur after he realizes the extent of Guinevere's and Lancelot's treachery. |
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* [[Driven to Madness]]: Sir Pelleas, complete with [[Madness Mantra]] ("I have no sword"). |
* [[Driven to Madness]]: Sir Pelleas, complete with [[Madness Mantra]] ("I have no sword"). |
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* [[Dropped a Bridge |
* [[Dropped a Bridge on Him]]: Sir Gawain, who dies offstage between "Guinevere" and "The Passing of Arthur." |
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* [[Fisher King]]: As Arthur's power fades and the Round Table slowly disintegrates, the seasons change for the worse. |
* [[Fisher King]]: As Arthur's power fades and the Round Table slowly disintegrates, the seasons change for the worse. |
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* [[God Save Us From the Queen]]: Guinevere's passion for Lancelot destroys the Round Table by undermining everyone else's virtue. |
* [[God Save Us From the Queen]]: Guinevere's passion for Lancelot destroys the Round Table by undermining everyone else's virtue. |
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* [[Smug Snake]]: Modred, Vivien. |
* [[Smug Snake]]: Modred, Vivien. |
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* [[Sole Survivor]]: Sir Bedivere. |
* [[Sole Survivor]]: Sir Bedivere. |
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* [[What Happened to |
* [[What Happened to the Mouse?]]: Because Tennyson skips large chunks of the legend, some characters simply disappear without a trace (Vivien), or have blink-and-you'll miss-it resolutions to their plot (Lancelot). |
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* [[Your Cheating Heart]]: Lancelot and Guinevere; Tristram and Isolt. |
* [[Your Cheating Heart]]: Lancelot and Guinevere; Tristram and Isolt. |
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