Anna
Cooley
4/9/2010
Annotated
Bibliography
The Title Women of Tennyson's
Idylls
Elaine
Hassett,
Constance W. and
James Richardson. "Looking
at Elaine:
Keats, Tennyson, and the Directions of the Poetic Gaze." Arthurian
Women: A Casebook.
A comparison and
analysis of
Tennyson's character of Elaine from both "The Lady of Shalott" and
the idyll
"Lancelot and Elaine," and how the two different versions reflect
the medieval
revival, as well as reflect and contribute to Victorian society. This is a very good
source for an analysis of
both versions of Elaine.
Howey,
Ann
F. "Reading Elaine: Marjorie
Richardson's and L. M.
Montgomery's Red-Haired Lily Maids."
Children's
Literature Association
Quarterly 32.2 (2007): 86-109.
This
article explores the different depictions of Elaine in
literature, with a
primary focus of those in Richardson's and Montgomery's works,
with background
on the original character pulled from both Malory's Morte d'Arthur and Tennyson's The
Idylls of the King. The
section on
the Idylls analyzes
the character of
Elaine in "Lancelot and Elaine," as well as analyzing the
character through
illustrations of the idyll.
Simpson
Jr.,
Arthur. "Elaine
the Unfair, Elaine the Unlovable: The Socially Destructive
Artist/Woman in
"Idylls of the King." Modern Philology 89.3
(1992): 341-362.
An excellent
analysis of Elaine
as a character. It is
an exploration of
her as an "artist" character, comparing her to other women in
Tennyson's Idylls,
including Guinevere and Vivien,
as well as incorporating extreme opposing views and analyses of
her as a
character. The
article incorporates a
comparison of Elaine's relationship with Lancelot to that of the
main
characters in The Princess
while
exploring the personal and social destructiveness of the
stereotypical views of
maidens after which she was modeled.
Hughes,
Linda
K. "Victors and
Victims: Tennyson's
"Enid" as Post-Colonial Text."
Victorian Poetry
31. 4 (1993): 419-426.
This is an excellent
analysis of Geraint
and Enid in the idyll by the same name.
The article contains an in-depth analysis of both the male
and female gender
roles exhibited by these two characters with a specific emphasis
on how they
idealize and break those roles. The
article
covers the idyll "Geraint and Enid."
Poston
III,
Lawrence. "The Argument of the Geraint-Enid Books in 'Idylls of
the King.'" Victorian
Poetry 2.4 (1964): 269-275.
A good critical analysis of the development of the
Geraint and Enid
chapters. It
particularly focuses on the
redemption and reformation of characters, predominately Geraint
and Enid, with
a secondary focus on Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot. Covers the
idylls, "Geraint and Enid"
and "The Marriage of Geraint."
Tucker,
Herbert
F. "Trials of Fiction: Novel and Epic in the Geraint and
An
analysis of the
Zietlow,
Paul. "Psychological
Explorations in
Idylls of the King: the Case of Geraint and Enid." Studies
in English Literature, 1500-1900 24.4 (1984): 731-747.
This is an excellent
article
exploring the physical, mental, and psychological relationship of
Geraint and
Enid in the idylls "Geraint and Enid" and "The Marriage of
Geraint." It
highlights the typical roles for man and
woman, and how the two fit into them as well as how the individual
characters
would like themselves to fit into them. Also
includes a comparison with the idyll "Gareth and Lynette."
Ettarre
Poston
III,
Lawrence. "Pelleas and Ettarre": Tennyson's "Troilus." Victorian
Poetry 4.3 (1966): 199-204.
This is
a very New-Critic analysis of the events and characters,
particularly Pelleas
and Ettarre and their relationship, in the idyll "Pelleas and
Ettarre." There are
a few comparisons between this
version of the story and Malory's Le
Morte D'Arthur. It
also highlights
some of the major themes in this idyll and how some of
Tennyson's changes in
phrases he took from Malory invoke these themes. It is a good source
for the character of
Ettarre.
Guinevere
Ahern,
Stephen. "Listening
to Guinevere:
Female Agency and the Politics of Chivalry in Tennyson's
"Idylls." Studies
in Philology 101.1 (2004):
88-112.
A analysis of Guinevere
and Arthur's relationship
from both Arthur's and Guinevere's side of the story. It includes an
explanation of the Victorian
view of women and how the queen rejects this view, and is
subsequently punished
for it. Though not
necessarily agreeing
with them, this article defends Guinevere and her actions in
relation to her
relationship, or lackthereof, with the king, and is a good
source for it.
Auerbach,
Nina. "The Rise of
the Fallen
Woman." Nineteenth-Century Fiction 35. 1. (1980): 29-52.
A decent examination
of fallen
women in literature. Brief
analysis of
Guinevere as a 'fallen woman,' or a lady whose actions have lead
to her
downfall. These is
also a brief analysis
of Elaine and Vivien as her alter-egos, initiating and performing
actions that
are beyond the queen's reach.
The text
explores the fallen women of Victorian literature as harbingers of
the downfall
of the Victorian period.
Dillon,
Steven
C. "Milton and
Tennyson's
'Guinevere.'" ELH 54.1 (1987): 129-155.
This article looks
at
Joseph,
Gerhard. "Tennyson's
Three Women: the
Thought within the Image." Victorian Poetry 19.1
(1981): 1-18.
This article is an
okay source
concerning Tennyson's three most noble women (as claimed by
Joseph), Guinevere,
Princess Ida from The
Princess, and
Maud from Maud, and
their connections
to allegory and classic mythology.
It
also explores the importance of the number 'three' that repeats in
the works
and its origins. The
Guinevere section,
though a bit scant, identifies three 'Guineveres' in the text and
their
importance in the story.
Linley,
Margaret. "Sexuality
and Nationality in
Tennyson's 'Idylls of the King.'"
Victorian Poetry
30. 3/4 (1992):
365-386.
A good analyze of
the Idylls of the King
and its effects on
the social reformations concerning nationality and sexuality of
Tennyson's
time, with particular emphasis on the idyll "Guinevere." It emphasizes the sexual
and gender roles in
the Victorian ideal of domesticity and the characters' conformity
and
nonconformity to them. The
article also
examines how these altered roles affect Guinevere and Arthur's
relationship
inside the confines of Tennyson's Victorian society.
Magruder,
Julia. "Lancelot,
Guinevere, and
Arthur." The North American Review 108. 580 (1905): 375-380.
This a good source
for a
comparison of Guinevere's relationships with Lancelot and Arthur
in The Idylls of the King. It covers the spiritual
versus legal aspects
of the two, and how Tennyson uses the terms to justify the
relationships. Covers
events in the idylls "Guinevere" and
"Lancelot and Elaine."
Simpson,
Roger. "Tennyson
and the Arthurian Revival." Camelot
Regained: The Arthurian Revival and Tennyson, 1800-1849.
This work analyzes Tennyson's Idylls as one of the main works of the Arthurian
Revival, the influence
of Malory and other authors on his poems, the topographical and
allegorical
aspects of the Idylls,
and the role
of Arthur. There is
a brief description
and analysis of Guinevere and her relationships with Lancelot
and Arthur, and
her position in the story.
Sylvia, Richard A. "Sexual
Politics and
Narrative Method in Tennyson's 'Guinevere'." Victorian
Newsletter
76 (1989): 23-28.
This article analyzes the narrative methods, including
telling about
Guinevere's fall from four different perspectives, and the
influence of
sexuality in idyll "Guinevere."
It
includes an 'okay' exploration of the character of Guinevere,
mentally and
psychologically, as well as her relationships with the other
characters in the
idyll, and how the narrative method affects the interpretation
of her as a
character.
Lynette
Barcus,
James
E. "(Re)playing and (Re)writing the Quest in Tennyson's 'Gareth
and
Lynette'." The Arthurian Myth of Quest and Magic: A
Festschrift in
Honor of Lavon B. Fulwiler.
This article
analyzes how the
Victorian ideals of optimism, duty, honor, and loyalty are
portrayed in
Tennyson's "Gareth and Lynette."
It is a
decent article, but the role of Lynette is only brushed upon in
her treatment
of Gareth, and how he responds, in accordance to the
aforementioned Victorian
ideals, to her mistreatment of him.
Roberts,
Adam. "'The
Star with in the Mere': Tennyson's Gareth and Lynette." Victorian
Poetry 32.2 (1994): 183-194.
This
article analyzes the water imagery present in the idyll "Gareth
and Lynette,"
and what they stand for. It
examines
water as a hindrance to Gareth's quest, as well as a reflection
or parallel to
Arthurian society through this quest.
Also analyzes pairings in the idylls, including the
heroic Gareth to the
antagonistic Lynette. While a good article, it is not quite the
best source for
an analysis of Lynette.
Vivien
Bonney,
William
W. "Torpor and Tropology in Tennyson's 'Merlin and
Vivien.'" Victorian
Poetry 23.4 (1985): 351-367.
A
decent source, comparing
Harland, Catherine R. "Interpretation and
Rumor in Tennyson's
'Merlin and Vivien.'" Victorian Poetry 35.1
(1997): 57-68.
This
article examines the juxtaposition of rumor and silence in
"Merlin and
Vivien." Also a
comparison of the idyll
to Paradise Lost, The Faerie Queen,
Malory, the Bible, the
Vulgate Cycle, and The
Aeneid. While
there is analysis of Vivien, it is not
necessarily the best source for it.
Hoberg,
Thomas. "Duessa or
Lilith: The Two Faces
of Tennyson's Vivien." Victorian Poetry 25. 1
(1987): 17-25.
An excellent
depiction of
Vivien. This article
looks at critics'
responses to her character, her changing personas from idyll to
idyll
(comparing her to other famous literary women), and even
Tennyson's own response
to his creation. Covers
the idylls
"Merlin and Vivien," "Guinevere," and "Balin and Balan."
Umland, Rebecca. "The Snake in
the
Woodpile: Tennyson's Vivien as Victorian Prostitute." Culture
and the
King: The Social Implications of the Arthurian Legend.
Analyzes the character
of Vivien inside of the
realm of the Victorian ideals of women and sexuality in respect
to adultery and
prostitution, in particular.
This
article explores Vivien as a corruptor and a prostitute in
Arthur's society,
and how that reflects back onto the issues in Tennyson's
Victorian
society. It is an
excellent source for
an analysis of Vivien.
Multiple
Ladies
Adams,
James
Eli. "Harlots and
Base Interpreters:
Scandal and Slander in 'Idylls of the King.'"
Victorian Poetry
30. 3/4
(1992): 421-439.
This is a good
source that
analyzes the sexuality and harlotry of Guinevere and Vivien in
light of the
Victorian ideals and morals, and the slander and defamation
attached to their
indiscretions. Also,
it debates, using
examples from both Idylls
of the King
and Tennyson's Maud,
which the author
believed was worse, slander or scandal, as it appears in his
texts. It chiefly
covers "Merlin and Vivien" and the
Guinevere idylls.
Brewer,
Elizabeth. "Interpretations
of Malory:
Women in Tennyson's Idylls
of the King." Conjointure
arthurienne: actes de la 'Classe d'excellence' de la Chaire
Franqui (1998):
11-18.
A good examination
of Tennyson's
extreme animalization of Malory's female characters, including
Vivien,
Guinevere, and Ettarre, as well as the ennobling of Elaine. The article examines how
Victorian ideals may
have contributed to these changes, and that each of the women
serve as warnings
about the corruptness of women and the havoc that they may reek. Includes the idylls
"Lancelot and Elaine,"
"Pelleas and Ettarre," "Merlin and Vivien," and the Guinevere
idylls.
Buckler,
William
E. "A Precarious Turning: Tennyson's Redemption of
Literature and Life from Medievalism." Browning
Institute Studies 8 (1980): 85-102.
This
work analyzes the influences of Medieval life and literature in
Tennyson's
works. The section
on the Idylls
includes a decent analysis of the
influences, and brief descriptions of the female roles as
temptresses, fantastic
characters, or both. It
is not a very
good source for the actual female characters, but it applies the
theme to most
of the female Idylls,
including
"Merlin and Vivien," "Lancelot and Elaine," "Guinevere,"
"Geraint and Enid,"
"The Marriage of Geraint," and "Gareth and Lynette."
Additionally, it looks at
"Balan and Balin," "The Holy Grail," and "The Passing of
Arthur."
Christ,
Carol. "The Feminine
Subject in
Victorian Poetry." ELH. 54.2
(1987): 385-401.
This is a decent
article
analyzing the women as a subject in Tennyson's works, and the
gender roles and
relationships that develop in them.
In
the Idylls section,
there is a
particular focus on the power and authority of the female
characters, as well
as female eroticism and its power over the male and female
characters
alike. Particular
focus is paid to
Elaine and Vivien, with a secondary focus on Guinevere.
Gilbert,
Elliot
L. "The Female King:
Tennyson's
Arthurian Apocalypse." PMLA 98.5 (1983): 863-878.
An analysis of the
transformation
from Malory's epic to Tennyson's Idylls. It looks at the
influences on the poem,
including literature, gender ideals, and historical events that
occurred or
developed between the publishing of the two works, and what the
author pulls
from them. There is
an in-depth analysis
of female sexuality and power in the Idylls,
and their effects on the story, but with very little reference to
the actual
characters, save for negligible depictions of Vivien and
Guinevere.
Gurteen, S.
Humphreys. The Arthurian
Epic: A Comparative Study of
the Cambrian, Breton, and Anglo-Norman Versions of the Story
and Tennyson's
Idylls of the King.
An excellent source for the
title women of the Idylls.
This book presents the actual and literary history of the
stories, and
several characters of Tennyson's Idylls. It explores the
changes and the effects they
have on the plots, as well as the characters and their
interactions. The
book includes Vivien, Guinevere, Elaine,
Knoepflmacher,
U.
C. "Idling in Gardens of the
Queen: Tennyson's Boys,
Princes, and Kings." Victorian Poetry 30.
3/4 (1992): 343-364.
A decent analysis of the
roles of manliness in
Tennyson's texts, and the evolution of the 'good mother' motif
throughout his
lifetime. In the Idylls section, Guinevere's role is examined as a
defective mother
and how it affects her relationship with Arthur and the knights
of the court. The
article also covers the mother-son
relationship in "Gareth and Lynette." It
covers the idylls "Guinevere," "The Last Tournament," "Balin and
Balan," and
"Gareth and Lynette."
Lukitsh,
Joanne. "Julia
Margaret Cameron's Photographic
Illustrations to Alfred Tennyson's The
Idylls of the King. Arthurian Women: A Casebook.
This article analyzes Cameron's
illustrations of
Tennyson's Idylls in
comparison to
Doré's illustrations. Specifically,
it
focuses on the illustrations of the female idylls and what the
illustrations do
to, and say about, the women being portrayed and their
relationships with the
men. A decent
source, it particularly
focuses on Elaine and Vivien, with a secondary focus on
Guinevere, Lynette, and
Enid.
Mcclain, Lee
Tobin. "Gender
Anxiety in Arthurian Romance."
Extrapolation:
A Journal of Science Fiction and Fantasy 38.3 (1997): 193-199.
An analysis of the masculine
gender anxieties throughout
the works Sir Gawain and
the Green Knight,
The Idylls of the King,
and The Mists of Avalon
and how they reflect
the ideals of the culture in which they were written. The Idylls
section primarily deals with the balancing of masculine ideals
and how they are
undermined by the courtly ones.
Particularly, it focuses on Guinevere and Vivien as
corrupting and
demoralizing influences on male morals and masculinity.
Nunn,
Pamela
Gerrish. "Between Strong-Mindedness and Sentimentality: Women's
Literary Painting." Victorian
Poetry 33.3/4 (1995): 425-447.
This
article analyzes the interpretations of famous literary heroines
in female
artwork. From the Idylls, it highlights paintings of Vivien,
Guinevere, Elaine, and
Enid. It discusses
the interpretations
and portrayals the women in these paintings, and how the public
responded to
them. It is a good
article, but not a
lot of attention is paid to the actual female characters.
Relihan,
Constance C. "Vivien,
Elaine and the Model's Gaze:
Cameron's Reading of Idylls
of the King. Popular
Arthurian Traditions.
An analysis of Cameron's
photography for the Idylls
and how the portrayal of the
female characters alters the women in the text into either
allegorical
depictions of female Victorian submissiveness, or weak-willed
women. The article
focuses mainly on Elaine and Vivien,
and how Cameron portrayed them versus how the text portrays
them.
Roberts, Helene. "Divided Self, Divided
Realm: Typology,
History and Persona in Tennyson's Idylls
of the King." Pre-Raphaelitism and
Medievalism in the
Arts.
A good analysis of gender and gender roles in Tennyson's Idylls of the King in connection to
Setecka, Agnieszka. "Alfred
Tennyson's
'Vivien' and 'Guinevere': Sensation Stories in Medieval
Setting." Medievalisms:
The Poetics of Literary Re-Reading.
A good analysis of the influence of Victorian societal
ideals of
morality, women, their roles in society, and their relationships
with men, in
idylls "Vivien" and "Guinevere," particularly in comparison to
the original
stories in Le Morte
Darthur. The
article highlights the changes Tennyson
made in Guinevere and Vivien in response to the Victorian
society and morals.
Slinn,
Analyzes the use of
deceit in the
Idylls of the King and
how it affects
and initiates action in the story, as well as the motives for and
effects of
deception on the different characters throughout the text. Includes examples and
analyses of deception
from "Balin and Balan," "The Holy Grail," "The Last Tournament,"
"Merlin and
Vivien," "Gareth and Lynette," "Pelleas and Ettarrre,"
"Guinevere," "The
Marriage of Geraint," "Geraint and Enid," and "Lancelot and Enid,"
highlighting
and exploring deception and artifice surrounding all of the title
women. Though a good
article, it is perhaps not the
best source for these women.
Staines,
David. "1859: The
Four Women Enid, Vivien, Elaine,
Guinevere," "1869: The Holy Grail," and 1873: Autumn and Spring
Tennyson's Camelot: The
Idylls of the King
and Its Medieval Sources.
This is an excellent source for
the analysis of Enid,
Vivien, Elaine, Guinevere, Ettare, and Lynette.
This book explores the history and inspirations of
Tennyson's idylls,
particularly the influence of Malory and the changes that
Tennyson brings to
his work. In these
chapters, Staines
analyzing their individual character in the idylls "Merlin and
Vivien,"
"Pelleas and Ettarre," "Gareth and Lynette," "Guinevere,"
"Geraint and Enid,"
and "The Marriage of Geraint," and the changes Tennyson made to
the original
characters in order to create them to reflect the ideas and
ideals that he so
desired.