The Earthly Paradise: Analysis of Setting
"The Earthly Paradise: Analysis of Setting" explores the vivid landscapes and rich cultural contexts that shape the narrative of William Morris's poem. Central to the work is an unnamed Greek island where wanderers and city elders gather, telling stories steeped in classical mythology. These tales, drawn from various regions such as Arcadia, Cyprus, and Thessaly, intertwine the mythical and the real, creating a bridge between past and present. The Norse wanderers, originating from Norway, embark on their journey to escape a devastating pestilence, reflecting their yearning for a mythical paradise that symbolizes hope and escape from the struggles of their time. Morris's admiration for Norse sagas is evident, as he weaves in themes of craftsmanship, courage, and endurance. Additionally, his inspiration from Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" illuminates his idealized view of medieval England, contrasting sharply with the industrial Victorian world that he critiques. This interplay of settings not only crafts an enchanting narrative but also serves as a commentary on the human condition, evoking feelings that range from melancholy to a sensuous ease. In essence, the poem presents an imaginative refuge from the dreariness of contemporary life, resonating with readers seeking solace in the beauty of an idyllic, timeless paradise.
The Earthly Paradise: Analysis of Setting
First published: 1868-1870
Type of work: Poetry
Asterisk denotes entries on real places.
Places Discussed
*Greece
*Greece. An unnamed Greek island is the place where the wanderers and city elders gather to tell stories, after one of the elders encourages the Norsemen to recount their adventures. The hosts tell stories from classical mythology, many with specific sites, such as “Atalanta’s Race” in the Arcadian woods, “Pygmalion and the Image” in Cyprus, “The Love of Alcestis” in Thessaly, “The Story of Acontius and Cydippe” in Delos, “The Golden Apples” on a ship from Tyre, and “Bellerophon at Argos.”
*Norway
*Norway. Native country of the Norse wanderers, who originally sailed away from it to escape a pestilence—a terrifying example of the fear of death that is their impetus for seeking the Earthly Paradise. The wanderers’ stories derive from Norse and other medieval tales and reflect William Morris’s admiration for Icelandic sagas and the Norsemen’s skilled craftsmanship, courage, and endurance. Places in the Norsemen’s tales include mythic lands in “Ogier the Dane” and “The Fostering of Aslaug,” an identified dreamland in “The Land East of the Sun and West of the Moon,” and Laxdaela in “Lovers of Gudrun,” a chivalric episode from the historical saga.
*England
*England. Morris’s inspiration for this collection of tales was Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (1387-1400), and England’s King Edward III represents something of his idealized view of the precapitalist world of the Middle Ages. The force that drives Morris in The Earthly Paradise is a feeling of despair and hatred for the contemporary Victorian world, with its troubles and cares. Morris sees himself as a dreamer of dreams of other times. The lyrics in The Earthly Paradise that introduce each monthly section of tales record seasonal changes and describe the English landscape.
Earthly Paradise
Earthly Paradise. Imaginary place that is the object of the Norse wanderers’ desperate and hopeless quest, a place that evokes a mood that swings from melancholy to sensuous ease. Morris’s poem was enormously popular when it was published, probably because it offered a refuge from the ugliness, drabness, and tedium of industrial life in nineteenth century England.
Bibliography
Boos, Florence Saunders. The Design of William Morris’ “The Earthly Paradise.” Lewiston, N.Y.: Edwin Mellen Press, 1990. An analysis of the literary design of The Earthly Paradise. Discusses the literary structure of the work, the influences and sources for the poems, and their critical reception.
Calhoun, Blue. The Pastoral Vision of William Morris: “The Earthly Paradise.” Athens: The University of Georgia Press, 1975. Places The Earthly Paradise within the genre of the pastoral. This perspective reveals motifs that can be connected to Morris’ socialism and artistic endeavors.
Hodgson, Amanda. The Romances of William Morris. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1987. A study that examines why William Morris utilized the genre of romance as a vehicle to express his views. A chapter analyzes The Earthly Paradise as a romance within the context of Morris’ development of this literary form.
Skoblow, Jeffrey. Paradise Dislocated: Morris, Politics, Art. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1993. Sets The Earthly Paradise within the context of modernism and Marxism. Argues that The Earthly Paradise expresses a sense of estrangement or dislocation that is a part of modern culture.
Tompkins, J. M. S. William Morris: An Approach to the Poetry. London: Cecil Woolf, 1988. A complete study of the poetic works, including prose romances, written by William Morris. Two chapters are devoted to analysis of The Earthly Paradise, examining the tales particularly for what they reveal about Morris’ feelings about society and his life.