The Coming of King Arthur
The Coming of King Arthur, by Alfred Tennyson, is a poem that tells the story of the legendary king's arrival in England. The poem begins with the lines: "In days of yore, when England's green woods were The home of wild men, and the wild beasts roamed Free as the wind, and the sun shone bright, There came a day, ere Britain knew the might Of Rome, or Arthur ruled the land with right." The poem goes on to describe the arrival of King Arthur and his knights, who bring order and civilization to the chaotic and barbarous England of the time. The poem ends with the lines: "Then was the sword Excalibur born in the land, And Arthur reigned, and all the realm was grand." Overall, the poem is a celebration of the arrival of King Arthur and the transformation he brings to England, marking the beginning of a new era of peace and prosperity.
By Alfred Tennyson · First published 1859 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Mythology, Poetry · 5,913 words
First lines
Over a thousand years ago everybody was talking about the wonderful King
Arthur and his brilliant Knights of the Round Table, who everywhere were pursuing bold quests, putting to rout the band of outlaws and robbers which in those days infested every highway and by-way of the country, going to war with tyrannical nobles, establishing law and order among the rich, redressing the wrongs of women, the poor and the oppressed, and winning glorious renown for their valor and their successes.
What this Textopian page supports
The Coming of King Arthur is listed on Textopian as a novella by Alfred Tennyson, dated 1859 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: Alfred Tennyson
- Date: 1859 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Mythology, Poetry, Adventure, Fantasy
- Length: 5,913 words
- Structure: 1 section, 56 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Coming of King Arthur by Alfred Tennyson
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Coming of King Arthur?
- How does this novella by Alfred Tennyson fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- The Last Tournament by Alfred Tennyson
- Idylls Of The King by Alfred Tennyson
- Geraints Quest Of Honor by Alfred Tennyson
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — The story is based on the legendary figure of King Arthur, a historical figure, although much of his history comes from folklore and mythology. Historical Fiction is the genre that focuses on fictional accounts of historical events, which fits perfectly with Tennyson's book.
- Mythology — King Arthur is a legendary figure with several myths and folktales built around his character. This book explores those myths especially with figures like Merlin, the Knights of the Round Table, etc.
- Poetry — Alfred Tennyson is a renowned poet and 'The Coming of King Arthur' is written in verse, which makes it fall under the genre of Poetry.
- Adventure — The book offers many epic battles, adventures and quests typical of Arthurian legend, making Adventure a relevant genre.
Tags
historical fiction · legend · mythology · Arthurian literature · King Arthur · Camelot · knights · chivalry · romance · adventure · fantasy · epic poem