The Romances of William Morris

This 1987 book investigates the dismissal of William Morris's romances as self-indulgent fantasy.

Amanda Hodgson (Author)

9780521154925, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 14 April 2011

232 pages
21.6 x 14 x 1.3 cm, 0.3 kg

While much has been written about William Morris, little attention has been paid to his romances, which have generally been dismissed as 'escapist' or best smiled upon as self-indulgent fantasy. This 1987 book sets out to examine more carefully the premises of such dismissive terminology, looking at the ways in which our sense of the 'escapism' of Morris's knack for fairy-tale writing can be modified or expanded when seen in relation to the development of his imagination in other spheres, both political and creative. His adoption of romance, with its very specific and highly formalized demands, and his use of medieval themes, enabled him to explore, sometimes with freshness and vivacity, the controversial issues of his age. Dr Hodgson's argument will be of interest to Morris specialists, but also accessible to those not familiar with his romances, since she is careful to describe the stories before contextualizing them.

Preface
Chronology
Introduction: 'the embodiment of dreams'
1. 'That old beautiful land': the early romances
2. 'The dread eternity': The Earthly Paradise
3. 'The dawn that waketh the dead': Sigurd the Volsung
4. 'A true conception of history': the political romances
5. 'The very garden of God': the last romances
Notes
Select bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: general [DSB]