80. sad satiety. Just as one may become satiated with an excess of sweet things, so the poet speaks of even Love, when enjoyed to the full, as bringing with it a feeling of sadness.
82-5. Death is always bringing sorrow into our lives, so that under its shadow we can never be quite happy. But perhaps the skylark knows more about what Death really is, and sees that it is a good thing.
91-5. But even if we had no sadness of any kind in our lives, we could not feel as keen a joy as the song of the skylark expresses.
103. harmonious madness. His rapture would find expression in an ecstasy of song.
First published in 1859. When the Idylls of the King appeared in their final form, in 1888, the story of Enid was divided into two parts, the first part being entitled The Marriage of Geraint, the second, Geraint and Enid. The poem here given includes only the part of Enid which is now known as The Marriage of Geraint. Tennyson’s story of Enid is based upon the prose version of the story, as it appears in the Mabinogion, a famous collection of Welsh fairy stories and legends.
Before beginning the study of the poem read the introductory note to Morte D’Arthur.
24-5. The Queen, Guinevere, was the daughter of Leodogran, a tributary king. When Leodogran had given his consent to the marriage of his daughter Guinevere to Arthur, the king sent Lancelot, his truest and bravest knight, to bring Guinevere to the court. Guinevere, not having yet seen the king, fell in love with Lancelot, and her love was returned. This secret love was continued, and under its influence, little by little, the ideals of the knights were lowered. The incidents in the story of Enid are supposed to have taken place shortly after the marriage of Arthur and Guinevere.
35. caitiff. Base, mean.