is a series of twelve interconnected blank verse poems by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
Each poem focuses on a central figure, or couple of figures, from the legend of King Arthur and his court, covering events from the establishment of Arthur’s reign to his final battle against Mordred. Altogether, the series is more than 10,000 lines long, with individual poems ranging between 469 lines and 1,418. It is Tennyson’s longest and most ambitious work, a commercial and critical success, and considered by Clyde de L. Ryals to be the poet’s Magnum Opus (Ryals 200).
Each poem focuses on a central figure, or couple of figures, from the legend of King Arthur and his court, covering events from the establishment of Arthur’s reign to his final battle against Mordred. Altogether,…
3723 words
Citation: Schenk, Gabriel. "Idylls of the King". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 April 2021 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=4585, accessed 23 November 2024.]
