London: Bell and Dalby, 1858. First Edition. Hardcover. Very good. The author's first major published work, which was largely self-funded by Morris (1834-96) who dedicated the work to his friend, Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The poems that make up the collection, many of which are dramatic monologues, fall into three groups. The first group consists of four poems of a cycle (never completed) on legends of King Arthur and his court. Accused of adultery, a crime punishable by death, Queen Guenevere presents her defense in the title poem. The ancient setting permitted Morris to discuss issues of love and sexual desire with a forthrightness uncommon in Victorian literature. A second group of poems, based on the 14th-century Chroniques of Jean Froissart, shows England's decline at the conclusion of the Hundred Years' War. The poems in the third group are highly evocative, yet their meanings are elusive. Octavo: viii, 248 p. with the errata slip tipped in. Original brown cloth binding, with double-ruled borders and gilt titles. The spine is lightly sun faded, with a bit of wear to the corners and tips; else very good.

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Bookseller: Johnson Rare Books & Archives (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #: 76240
Title: THE DEFENCE OF GUENEVERE, and Other Poems
Author: Morris, William
Format/Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: Used - Very Good
Quantity Available: 1
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: Bell and Dalby
Place of Publication: London
Date Published: 1858
Keywords: Poetry, English Literature, King Arthur, Arthurian Legend, Britain, England, Arts and Crafts Movement, Pre-Raphaelites
Bookseller catalogs: Poetry;

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Johnson Rare Books & Archives

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About Johnson Rare Books & Archives

Established in 1981, johnson rare books & archives is located in the heart of downtown Covina, about 20 miles east of Los Angeles. Our shop is currently open by appointment Thursday - Saturday from 11am - 6pm (please call ahead) and houses an inventory of some 30,000 titles, ranging from the general second-hand to the truly antiquarian. For more information, visit our website at www.johnsonrarebooks.com or call 1-626-967-1888.

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Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

Gilt: The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
Errata: Errata: aka Errata Slip A piece of paper either laid in to the book correcting errors found in the printed text after being...
Spine: The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
First Edition: In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
Tipped In: Tipped In is used to describe something which has been glued into a book. Tipped-in items can include photos, book plates,...
Cloth: "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...