The Tale of Balen by Algernon Charles Swinburne
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"The Tale of Balen" by Algernon Charles Swinburne is a lyrical narrative poem written in the late 19th century, reflecting the styles and themes common in the Victorian era. It follows the tragic story of Sir Balen, a knight of King Arthur's Round Table, who becomes embroiled in fate's cruel intricacies and the themes of chivalry, honor, and familial bonds. The poem explores the consequences of actions driven by pride, jealousy, and
love, all set against the backdrop of Arthurian legend. In the poem, Balen becomes a highly regarded knight at Camelot but soon finds himself cursed by a mysterious oracle after a chance encounter leads him to inadvertently slay a wronged knight. Encouraged by noble intentions, he embarks on a journey fraught with peril. Along the way, he meets his brother Balan, yet, due to tragic circumstances and misidentifications, the two ultimately face each other in battle, unaware of their familial ties. Their tragic deaths fulfill the ominous prophecy, leaving a legacy that intertwines heroism with sorrow, illustrating the inevitable tragedy of noble knights caught in the web of fate. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Swinburne, Algernon Charles, 1837-1909 |
|---|---|
| Title | The Tale of Balen |
| Credits | Transcribed from the 1896 Chatto & Windus edition by David Price |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 76.1 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PR: Language and Literatures: English literature |
| Subject | English poetry -- 19th century |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 2136 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-02136-2 |
| Release Date | Apr 1, 2000 |
| Last Update | Dec 24, 2008 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 561 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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