Idylls of the King
- Brian Johnson
- Sep 27
- 2 min read
I recently read the literally largest book I've ever read in terms of dimensions in Idylls of the King by Alfred Lord Tenneson. It was phenomenal and even had a slip case. I'm a sucker for slip cases. As large and as costly as this book was, it only included the original four poems published in the first year of the several years of the overall work's publication. There were a total of twelve poems, and I can't help but wonder whether one or two more volumes will be released in this format that I'll have to buy to get the full set. We shall see.
The copy I got from Easton Press was illustrated by Gustav Dore, who is amazing. There are four poems in the book and each are named after a woman who is one of the main characters in the respective poems. I loved each of the four works and wish I had the complete set to read the rest of the tales. Even if it isn't released someday in this format, I may buy one on eBay or something to get that closure.
The bulk of the poetry does not rhyme; however, they work beautifully. Tenneson was a fantastic writer and poet. On the surface, it almost just feels natural to read the words he chose; however, I make no illusion that what he completed here is nothing short of phenomenal and required his skills to make happen. I couldn't dream of putting together even a page of this together myself. I'm no poet, but I strongly respect and admire the skill for those that are blessed to have it.
I did buy The Once and Future King by T.H. White on my kindle around the same time I ordered this. I'll dive into that at some point (hopefully soon). I've never read it before either.
I can't recommend Idylls of the King enough for anyone fond of epic poetry or Arthurian lore. This serves both with a gorgeous narrative and, in the Easton Press volume, accompanied with outstanding illustrations. This was a treat to read. I miss it already.
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