TENNYSON'S IDYLLS OF THE KING (SELECTIONS) EDITED, WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY ARTHUR BEATTY, PH.D. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH IN THE UNIVERSITY OF "I have lived my life, and that which I have done REVISED EDITION D. C. HEATH & CO., PUBLISHERS BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO TO THE TEACHER FOR the study of the Idylls of the King little direct help is to be obtained from the biography of the poet. For this reason the Editor has given only the most important dates in Tennyson's life, with special reference to the Idylls. The teacher who wishes a more extended biography can find it in the first three works mentioned in the List of Books (p. xxxiv). It has been the effort of the Editor to make the Idylls explain themselves; and in order to permit of this, it is necessary for the pupil to make himself familiar with the story of the Idylls, given on pages xiv-xxvi of the Introduction. In addition, the class ought to study carefully The Coming of Arthur, with the notes; as this poem, together with a knowledge of the story of the Idylls as a whole, forms the best possible introduction to the three Idylls that are prescribed for particular study. The form of verse is an important matter, and should not be overlooked in any reading of the Idylls. On pages xxviii-xxxiii a brief account is given of some of the most important features of the verse; but the task of making such an analysis intelligible to the student must rest upon the teacher. This task can be accomplished only by persistent, sympathetic vocal interpretation on the part of the teacher, with equal encouragement to the student to do likewise. What Byron has said of Horace may equally well be said of Tennyson, "it is a curse To understand, not feel thy lyric flow, To comprehend, but never love thy verse." Constant reference to the map will help to give concreteness to the pupil's conception of the Idylls. It must be remembered, however, that the geography is exceedingly vague, and some of the places cannot be even approximately located. They are in the region of pure romance. |