A Dream of Fair Women

A Dream of Fair Women was a poem written by Alfred Tennyson. It was written in 1833, though republished and heavily changed in its 1842 republication. "A Dream of Fair Women" was originally titled 'Legend of Fair Women'. The poem was revised in most versions published between 1833 and 1853, and has been described as a masterpiece.^[1]

The opening excerpt of the poem is:

"As when a man, that sails in a balloon,

Downlooking sees the solid shining ground.

Stream from beneath him in the broad blue noon,

Tilth, hamlet, mead and mound."

Influence

"A Dream of Fair Women" was inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer's 1834 work "Legend of Good Women"; both works feature Cleopatra and deal with the misfortunes of illustrious women.^[2]

References