Idylls of the King 

Gustave Doré created this engraving of Tennyson’s “Idylls of the King” during the Victorian era, a period marked by strict social codes, rapid industrialization, and the expansion of the British Empire. Doré’s dramatic, almost theatrical style reflects the Romantic sensibilities of his time, yet the subject matter—Arthurian legend—allowed him to explore themes of morality, leadership, and the decay of chivalry, perhaps mirroring anxieties about Victorian society itself. Notice the dark, brooding landscape, the ruined architecture which all create a sense of melancholy. These settings act as a stage for the two figures who seem dwarfed by the environment, emphasizing their isolation and vulnerability. Through his intricate detail and dramatic composition, Doré invites us to reflect on the impermanence of power and the human condition.