Idylls of the King

Idylls of the King by Alfred, Lord Tennyson is a poetry first published in 1859-85. At its center are emotion, memory, nature, identity, and the expressive possibilities of language, developed through the conventions and freedoms of poetry. Rather than depending on topical novelty, the book builds its interest through the interaction of character, situation, and idea. Form and tone matter throughout, with a compressed, musical style in which rhythm, image, and sound shape meaning. At roughly 84,964 words with a fairly easy reading profile, it offers a reading commitment that is easy to judge before beginning while still leaving room for close attention. The work remains relevant through its contribution to poetic tradition and its invitation to reread slowly. Its strongest appeal lies in the meeting of emotion and compressed, musical style in which rhythm, image, and sound shape meaning, giving the book both immediate character and lasting interest.