text by Grażyna Bystydzieńska
The book is based on Ewa’s MA dissertation written under my supervision in 2008. Ewa suggested the topic of her dissertation herself as she was interested in adaptation of mythology and legends by the Victorian poets and she wanted to show how the new cultural context of a different epoch changed some aspects and motifs of the primary sources.
A sudden renewal of interest in Arthurian literature seems to be especially remarkable in the nineteenth century. In the times of rapid scientific progress, the Victorian poets and artists readily employed medieval themes in their works.
Ewa Młynarczyk focused her attention on Lord Alfred Tennyson who used the medieval Arthurian themes and motifs in his narrative poem The Idylls of the King.
The longing for the idealised past, has its roots in dissatisfaction with the present situation in Victorian England. The characters of the Middle Ages in fact turn out to be surprisingly Victorian. Nevertheless, in Tennyson’s portrayals of the female characters there seems to be present an undertone of attraction with the characters who call into question the widely accepted Victorian social norms.
Tennyson also fully shared in the general feelings of anxiety and religious doubts of his times. King Arthur is highly idealised: he is presented as a Christ-like figure of the ideal king. The Idylls thus becomes the expression of the Victorian longing for spirituality, for faith in the modern world dominated by rationalism and science. The world of The Idylls is pervaded with the sense of loss and decadence .
The further development of Ewa’s interest in mythology and legends in Victorian poetry is revealed in her later work which was meant as her doctoral dissertation, but was published after Ewa’s premature death. I am really happy that Ewa Młynarczyk’s well-researched books and articles may still help other scholars and students to develop their knowledge and interest in the use of mythology and legends in Victorian poetry.
The book is available in two formats: the paperback, which you may get at an online charity auction and support the Avalon Foundation, or the free digital version: https://ewamlynarczyk.pl/en/arthurian-legend/
You may read about Ewa’s PhD project in our previous post:
