Taking the form of a compendium of different narratives, ‘The Earthly Paradise’ is an epic poem structured as a frame story, similar to Geoffrey Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’. It tells the story of a group of Norsemen who have fled a plague in Europe in search of the mythical earthly paradise. Eventually they come to a land where the inhabitants still worship the ancient Greek gods. They decide to stay here and each month the wanderers and the city elders exchange tales. ‘The Earthly Paradise’ contains the tales from a whole year, comprising twenty-four stories. Through this narrative Morris draws both upon Greek myths and Medieval Romance tales, including Icelandic Eddas and Sagas.
This first edition contains parts I and II covering the general prologue, ‘The Wanderers’, and months March to August. It includes tales such as ‘The Story of Cupid and Psyche’, ‘The Son of Crœsus’ and ‘Pygmalion and the Image’. The first edition of the poem was very well received and Morris went on to publish parts III and IV to complete the twelve-month cycle.
As the first edition of parts I and II did not specify it only contained the first two parts of the full 24 story collection, a revised title-page and spine label for the first volume was included in the first edition of part IV. The spine label and title page were amended for subsequent editions published by F.S. Ellis.
© William Morris Gallery, London Borough of Waltham Forest
© William Morris Gallery, London Borough of Waltham Forest
© William Morris Gallery, London Borough of Waltham Forest
© William Morris Gallery, London Borough of Waltham Forest
© William Morris Gallery, London Borough of Waltham Forest
