The Idylls of the King is one of the most significant works of Victorian poetry, and in this essay, Albert Hamann provides a thoughtful and insightful analysis of its themes and structure. Hamann argues that Tennyson's use of the Arthurian legend is a powerful metaphor for the cultural and moral challenges of his time, and explores the poetic devices used to convey this message.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.