"The Last Tournament" by Alfred Tennyson Tennyson is a descriptive poem embedded within the sweeping saga of "Idyls of the King," reimagining the Arthurian legends through a lens of Victorian sensibilities. The poem explores ideals of chivalry, affection, and the complex ethical dilemmas faced by King Arthur and his knights as they struggle with devotion, integrity, and the essence of their knightly vows. It details a grand tournament held to memorialize a departed child. As King Arthur and his brave knights prepare for this grand jousting event, affection and devotion are tested, especially in the relationships between Sir Tristram, Queen Isolt, and King Mark. As Tristram comes to terms with his feeling for Isolt and his interwoven fate with King Arthur and Lancelot, tension and tragedy rise as themes of betrayal, falling honor, and the inevitable ruin of comradeship come to fruition--ending in the tragic winding of Tristram by King Mark. The poem concludes on a saddening melancholy note, realized by loss and dismay through the lament of Arthur’s wise fool, Dagonet.
The Last Tournament
By Alfred Tennyson Tennyson
In a kingdom where honor and love clash amidst a somber tournament, a knight finds himself entangled in a web of betrayal, threatening to shatter the fellowship of the Round Table.
Summary
About the AuthorAlfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson,, was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of his first pieces, "Timbuktu". He published his first solo collection of poems, Poems, Chiefly Lyrical, in 1830. "Claribel" and "Mariana", which remain some of Tennyson's most celebrated poems, were included in this volume. Although described by some critics as overly sentimental, his poems ultimately proved popular and brought Tennyson to the attention of well-known writers of the day, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Tennyson's early poetry, with its medievalism and powerful visual imagery, was a major influence on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson,, was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of his first pieces, "Timbuktu". He published his first solo collection of poems, Poems, Chiefly Lyrical, in 1830. "Claribel" and "Mariana", which remain some of Tennyson's most celebrated poems, were included in this volume. Although described by some critics as overly sentimental, his poems ultimately proved popular and brought Tennyson to the attention of well-known writers of the day, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Tennyson's early poetry, with its medievalism and powerful visual imagery, was a major influence on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
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