The Defence of Guenevere, and Other Poems (1858)

By William Morris

This early work by William Morris was originally published in 1899 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. William Morris was born in London, England in 1834. Arguably best known as a textile designer, he founded a design partnership which deeply influenced the decoration of churches and homes during the early 20th century. However, he is also considered an important Romantic writer and pioneer of the modern fantasy genre, being a direct influence on authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien. As well as fiction, Morris penned poetry and essays. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Jul 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781473395572

William Morris

William Morris (1834-1896) was an accomplished writer, textile designer and artist. A utopian socialist, he was associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Craft Movement, and was a founding member of the Socialist League in Britain. Greatly influenced by the medieval period, Morris helped establish the modern fantasy genre though his works The Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems, A Dream of John Ball, and The Well at the World’s End. Authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were greatly influenced by works like The House of the Wolfings, The Roots of the Mountains, and The Wood Beyond the World. Morris was also an accomplished publisher, founding the Kelmscott Press in 1891, whose 1896 edition of the Works of Geoffrey Chaucer is considered a masterpiece of book design.

Reviews for The Defence of Guenevere, and Other Poems (1858)

[jen6e6moore · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked the title poem well enough, but overall I found most of the poetry mediocre, and entirely too full of courtly love. I'm pretty much over people dying for love.

[antiquary_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I recall Guenevere's argument --suppose you were told to choose a red thread or a blue and be saved or damned by the result --she chose blue, as heaven's color, and was damned.