William Morris
William Morris (1834-1896) was born today, March 24. Morris was active in a number of creative endeavors throughout his life, but the one that concerns us here is his writing.
Morris has a reputation today, when he’s remembered at all, of being difficult to read. And while there is some justification for that, I think it’s largely undeserved. I’ve read one of his novels, The Wood Beyond the World, which I reviewed some years ago at Black Gate, when I was reading through the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected it to be. There’s a cadence to Morris’s work. Once I got into that rhythm, it was fairly easy going.
Morris was once held in high regard among fantasy authors and editors. Lin Carter selected four of his novels for inclusion in the Ballantine adult fantasy series. C. S. Lewis was an admirer.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the history of the field. There are certain authors who are considered giants. Robert E. Howard. J. R. R. Tolkien. H. P. Lovecraft. Ray Bradbury. These writers didn’t spring fully formed from the forehead of Zeus. They read and were influenced by writers who came before.
I’m seeing fewer and fewer titles coming out from the major publishing houses. I don’t think this situation is going to improve any time soon. I’ve been reading more and more older works. So one of the things I want to do, as a long term projects, not necessarily a blog series, is to read the writers who influenced the people I consider to be the must-read authors in the field.
Morris is on that list. I want to read more of his work. It’s note the type of writing that you can breeze through. While Morris isn’t as difficult to read as some would have you believe, he does require you to be alert and concentrate. No light bedtime reading, in other words. So I’m not sure when I’ll be able to work some more of Morris into the schedule. Probably when classes aren’t in session, and I have more time on my hands.
Have any of you read Morris, and if so, what are your thoughts?
Morris was, perhaps, the last truly “Renaissance Man.” Author, Poet, Painter, Designer, Furniture Maker, Publisher, etc. He also needs to be remembered as the true Founder of the Arts & Crafts movement. If you want music–make it. If you want a painting–paint it. The impact of his things ranging from wallpaper design to the “Morris Chair” (ancestor of the recliner) to his Pre-Raphaelite painting to what is the last truly “epic” poem in the English Language: SIGURD THE VOLSUNG AND THE FALL OF THE NIBLUNGS. Also, the true founder of Mythopoeic Fantasy (rather than what I call “Mythomorphic” which reshapes the myths and legends of real cultures). Tolkien, Lewis, and many more are the inheritors of his majestic body of work. SIGURD begins: “There was a dwelling of kings ere the world was waxen old./Dukes were the doorwards there, and the roof was thatched with gold.” Meduseld anyone?
I think I’ve read (and enjoyed) most of Morris’ fantasies. I agree with C. S. Lewis that The Well at the World’s End the probably the best of them. As Lewis said, it would be hard for any book to live up to that title, but Morris’ book comes very, very close.
That’s the next one I plan to read.
I read The Well at World’s End many years ago. If I remember correctly I did not find it too difficult once I got into the hang of it. Unlike The Worm Ouroborous, which I despised, I really liked Well.