Questions tagged [idylls-of-the-king]

Questions about the work "Idylls of the King" (1859–1885) by Alfred Tennyson, a cycle of twelve poems telling the legend of King Arthur. Questions about this work should be tagged with [alfred-tennyson].

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
6 votes
2 answers
128 views

What does Tennyson mean by "the rustic cackle ... [is] the murmur of the world"?

I am finding the following lines from Tennyson's Idylls of the King quite perplexing: A thousand pips eat up your sparrow-hawk! Tits, wrens, and all wing'd nothings peck him dead! Ye think the rustic ...
Doubt's user avatar
  • 195
3 votes
1 answer
158 views

Does Vivien sleep with Merlin in Tennyson's "Idylls of the King"?

I am re-reading Tennyson's Idylls of the King after many years. His idyll "Merlin and Vivien" is a rather in-depth look at how Vivien learns Merlin's magic through some impressive feats of ...
Robert Columbia's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
888 views

What does "It is not meet" mean in "Idylls of the King"?

From Idylls of the King: The Passing of Arthur by Alfred Tennyson: To him replied the bold Sir Bedivere: 'It is not meet, Sir King, to leave thee thus, Aidless, alone, and smitten through the helm— A ...
Carlos Medina's user avatar