Vivien
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Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Vivien with 9 illustrations by Gustave Doré
[London: Edward Moxon and Co, 1867]
This is another example of the illustrations that brought fame not only to Tennyson's poems but also the Arthurian revival in the Victorian period. Memorable images such as those contained in this edition have had a long-lasting impact on the way the Arthurian legend has been received by modern audiences to the present day.
The Sea Battle for a Beautiful Woman: Merlin tells Vivien a story of a pirate who 'saw two cities in a thousand boats/All fighting for a woman on the sea./And pushing his black craft among them all/He lightly scattered theirs and brought her off,/With loss of half his people arrow slain'. Here Doré depicts the pirate grabbing the woman as arrows fly towards him and those on his ship.
Vivien and Merlin Repose: This picture corresponds to the opening stanza of the 'Merlin and Vivien' book: 'A storm was coming, but the winds were still,/And in the wild woods of Broceliande,/Before an oak, so hollow, huge and old/It looked a tower of ivied masonwork,/At Merlin's feet the wily Vivien lay.'
Vivien and Merlin Disembark: Merlin decides to leave Arthur's court and unbeknownst to him, Vivien follows him in the same boat. After 'touching Breton sands, they disembarked' and Vivien trails Merlin as he goes to the woods. Doré's scenery is the main focus of the picture, drawing attention away from the actions of the characters and showing how they interact with the landscape.
The Knights Pursue the Hart with the Golden Horns: Merlin tells Vivien the story of when he and young knights were in the same wild woods during 'the time when first the question rose/About the founding of a Table Round,/That was to be, for love of God and men/And noble deeds, the flower of all the world.' They were hunting a 'hart with golden horns' when a young knight burst into song and scared the hart away.
The Enchanter and His Book: After the sea battle for the beautiful woman, she is married to the king, who does not wish for anyone else to see her. The only man capable of helping the king lived alone but the king's men 'by force dragged him to the King./And then he taught the King to charm the Queen,' using a charm from his book, which was passed on to Merlin.
Merlin Paints the Young Knight's Shield: Merlin tells Vivien of when he came across a young knight who painted '"I follow fame"' on his shield. Merlin 'took his brush and blotted out the bird,/And made a Gardner putting in a graff,/With this for motto, "Rather use than fame."'
Vivien Encloses Merlin in the Tree: This image depicts Doré's interpretation of the end of Vivien and Merlin's story. Merlin finally gives in to Vivien's desires and tells her the charm, whereupon 'in the hollow oak he lay as dead,/And lost to life and use and name and fame.' She then leaves the forest, believing she has taken his glory for her own.