The Princess Book

The Princess is a serio-comic blank verse narrative poem, written by Alfred Tennyson, published in 1847. The poem tells the story of an heroic princess who forswears the world of men and founds a women's university where men are forbidden to enter. The prince to whom she was betrothed in infancy enters the university with two friends, disguised as women students. They are discovered and flee, but eventually they fight a battle for the princess's hand. They lose and are wounded, but the women nurse the men back to health. Eventually the princess returns the prince's love. Excerpt from The Princess Sir Walter Vivian all a summer's day Gave his broad lawns until the set of sun Up to the people; thither flock'd at noon His tenants, wife and child, and thither half The neighboring borough with their Institute, Of which he was the patron. I was there From college, visiting the son, -the son A Walter too, -with others of our set, Five others: we were seven at Vivian-place. And me that morning Walter show'd the house, Greek, set with busts. From vases in the hall Flowers of all heavens, and lovelier than their names, Grew side by side; and on the pavement lay Carved stones of the Abbey-ruin in the park, Huge Ammonites, and the first bones of Time: And on the tables every clime and age Jumbled together; celts and calumets, Claymore and snow-shoe, toys in lava, fans Of sandal, amber, ancient rosaries, Laborious orient ivory sphere in sphere, The cursed Malayan crease, and battle-clubs From the isles of palm; and higher on the walls, Betwixt the monstrous horns of elk and deer, His own forefathers' arms and armor hung. And 'this, ' he said, 'was Hugh's at Agin-court; And that was old Sir Ralph's at Ascalon. A good knight he! we keep a chronicle With all about him, '-which he brought, and I Dived in a hoard of tales that dealt with knights Half-legend, half-historic, counts and kings Who laid about them at their wills and died; And mixt with these a lady, one that arm'd Her own fair head, and sallying thro' the gate, Had beat her foes with slaughter from her walls.