What do you think?
Rate this book
The Well At The World's End: Volume I
The Well at the World's End is a high fantasy novel by the British artist, poet, and author William Morris. It was first published in 1896 and has been reprinted regularly ever since. Using language with elements of the medieval tales which were his models, Morris tells the story of Ralph, the youngest son of King Peter of Upmeads. Their kingdom being rather humble, Ralph and his three elder brothers are bored of the provincial life, so one day they request permission from their father to explore the world. The king allows the three eldest sons to depart, but bids Ralph to stay to ensure at least one living heir. Ralph, desperate for adventure and against his father's will, sneaks away.
326 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1896
About the author
William Morris
1,386 books424 followersWilliam Morris was an English architect, furniture and textile designer, artist, writer, socialist and Marxist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement. Morris wrote and published poetry, fiction, and translations of ancient and medieval texts throughout his life. His best-known works include The Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems (1858), The Earthly Paradise (1868–1870), A Dream of John Ball and the utopian News from Nowhere. He was an important figure in the emergence of socialism in Britain, founding the Socialist League in 1884, but breaking with the movement over goals and methods by the end of that decade. He devoted much of the rest of his life to the Kelmscott Press, which he founded in 1891. The 1896 Kelmscott edition of the Works of Geoffrey Chaucer is considered a masterpiece of book design.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
February 10, 2017
Possibly the second true "imaginary world" fantasy novel (the possible first being Morris' The Wood beyond the World). Also, for a long time one of the longest -- 220,000 words, more-or-less, so longer than just about anything up until a certain Oxford professor started writing about a certain trip to a certain volcano.
This is a very consciously medieval book -- not just in that it's set in an imagined medieval world, but in that the story & language are an attempt to create a sort of medieval analogue of modern (well, for 1896) fiction. Ralph, our hero, is one of the four sons of the King of Upmeads. He & his brothers are restless, so one day his father & mother take them to the crossroads and say, "Three of you will ride off in different directions and have adventures, and one of you will stay. Now draw lots." The three brothers head north, east and west and Ralph draws the short straw. So as soon as he gets home he hops on his horse and heads south in search of his own adventures. (The technical term for this is "errantry".) Naturally he encounters maidens of varying degrees of virtue, good husbandmen and abbots, villainous knights and bandits, and increasingly frequent mentions of the WELL at the WORLD'S END.
Not easy going, but historically important and still surprisingly accessible if you can get into the groove of the language. Just to give a taste ...
In an odd way, it reminds me of staring closely at a tapestry or a stained-glass window in a centuries-old church.
If thou canst stomach such words, then shouldst thou read this book.
This is a very consciously medieval book -- not just in that it's set in an imagined medieval world, but in that the story & language are an attempt to create a sort of medieval analogue of modern (well, for 1896) fiction. Ralph, our hero, is one of the four sons of the King of Upmeads. He & his brothers are restless, so one day his father & mother take them to the crossroads and say, "Three of you will ride off in different directions and have adventures, and one of you will stay. Now draw lots." The three brothers head north, east and west and Ralph draws the short straw. So as soon as he gets home he hops on his horse and heads south in search of his own adventures. (The technical term for this is "errantry".) Naturally he encounters maidens of varying degrees of virtue, good husbandmen and abbots, villainous knights and bandits, and increasingly frequent mentions of the WELL at the WORLD'S END.
Not easy going, but historically important and still surprisingly accessible if you can get into the groove of the language. Just to give a taste ...
Therewith she went to an ark that stood in the corner, and groped in the till thereof and brought out a little necklace of blue and green stones with gold knobs betwixt, like a pair of beads; albeit neither pope nor priest had blessed them; and tied to the necklace was a little box of gold with something hidden therein. This gaud she gave to Ralph, and said to him: "Gossip, wear this about thy neck, and let no man take it from thee, and I think it will be salvation to thee in peril, and good luck to thee in the time of questing; so that it shall be to thee as if thou hadst drunk of the WELL AT THE WORLD'S END."
"What is that water?" said Ralph, "and how may I find it?"
"I know not rightly," she said, "but if a body might come by it, I hear say it saveth from weariness and wounding and sickness; and it winneth love from all, and maybe life everlasting. Hast thou not heard tell of it, my husband?"
In an odd way, it reminds me of staring closely at a tapestry or a stained-glass window in a centuries-old church.
If thou canst stomach such words, then shouldst thou read this book.
May 9, 2023
Lungo, prevedibile, pallosetto. Ha ispirato Tolkien, gli concedo questo pregio che gli frutta le 2 stelline. C'è pure uno che si chiama Gandolf🤪ma non è un mago.
Comunque se volete riscoprire il fantasy degli albori, leggetevi l'Orlando furioso, piuttosto.
Comunque se volete riscoprire il fantasy degli albori, leggetevi l'Orlando furioso, piuttosto.
November 16, 2010
ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
William Morris, a textile artist, was enamored of medieval chivalric romances, so The Well at the World's End, published in 1896, is his contribution to that dying literary genre. Thus, you’ll find heroic knights on quests, damsels in distress, and scary beasts to slay. The novel is even written in archaic language. What’s different and noteworthy about The Well at the World's End, though, is that it’s set in an entirely made-up world. For this reason, William Morris is often considered the father of high fantasy literature and, not surprisingly, both J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis credit him as a major influence on their own writing.
In The Well at the World's End, Ralph of Upmeads, youngest son of the King of Upmeads, leaves home (where nothing exciting ever happens) without permission and sets out looking for adventure. When he hears rumors of a well that exudes water with magical properties, he is intrigued and begins his quest. Along the way, he travels through various towns and wildernesses and meets — and is sometimes led astray by — a host of interesting people including a mysterious knight, a beautiful woman who may be a goddess, a treacherous servant, a brave tavern wench, a barbarian warrior, a solitary sage, and a sadistic king. Many exciting adventures occur and by the end of his two-year journey, Ralph is a different person and anxious to return home, for “him seemed the world was worse than he had looked to find it.”
Forsooth, The Well at the World's End takes a bit of getting used to whereas it’s written in archaic prose:
What is amiss, fair damsel, that thou art in such a plight; and what may I for thine avail? Doth any pursue thee, that thou fleest thus?
But meseemeth to adapt, I wot not how, and thou mayst also if thou persevere thereat. I’m not too fond of this style, but it wasn’t long before I got into the rhythm of Morris’s prose and it didn’t hamper my speed or enjoyment. I did have to look up a few words, but Morris used these same unfamiliar words so many times that I was soon comfortable with them. He also had the strange habit of sometimes changing, inexplicably, from past to present tense in the narrative.
Ralph of Upmeads makes a great hero — he’s strong, handsome, brave, and good. His adventures are entertaining, and so are the places (there is some beautiful scenery) and people (the women, especially, were surprisingly strong characters) he meets on his quest. The Well at the World's End is not likely to completely satisfy if you’re in the mood for something deep, dark, complex, or sexy, but it’s a fun story and, since it was written by the first fantasy world builder, it’s an important piece of fantasy literature history.
William Morris, a textile artist, was enamored of medieval chivalric romances, so The Well at the World's End, published in 1896, is his contribution to that dying literary genre. Thus, you’ll find heroic knights on quests, damsels in distress, and scary beasts to slay. The novel is even written in archaic language. What’s different and noteworthy about The Well at the World's End, though, is that it’s set in an entirely made-up world. For this reason, William Morris is often considered the father of high fantasy literature and, not surprisingly, both J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis credit him as a major influence on their own writing.
In The Well at the World's End, Ralph of Upmeads, youngest son of the King of Upmeads, leaves home (where nothing exciting ever happens) without permission and sets out looking for adventure. When he hears rumors of a well that exudes water with magical properties, he is intrigued and begins his quest. Along the way, he travels through various towns and wildernesses and meets — and is sometimes led astray by — a host of interesting people including a mysterious knight, a beautiful woman who may be a goddess, a treacherous servant, a brave tavern wench, a barbarian warrior, a solitary sage, and a sadistic king. Many exciting adventures occur and by the end of his two-year journey, Ralph is a different person and anxious to return home, for “him seemed the world was worse than he had looked to find it.”
Forsooth, The Well at the World's End takes a bit of getting used to whereas it’s written in archaic prose:
What is amiss, fair damsel, that thou art in such a plight; and what may I for thine avail? Doth any pursue thee, that thou fleest thus?
But meseemeth to adapt, I wot not how, and thou mayst also if thou persevere thereat. I’m not too fond of this style, but it wasn’t long before I got into the rhythm of Morris’s prose and it didn’t hamper my speed or enjoyment. I did have to look up a few words, but Morris used these same unfamiliar words so many times that I was soon comfortable with them. He also had the strange habit of sometimes changing, inexplicably, from past to present tense in the narrative.
Ralph of Upmeads makes a great hero — he’s strong, handsome, brave, and good. His adventures are entertaining, and so are the places (there is some beautiful scenery) and people (the women, especially, were surprisingly strong characters) he meets on his quest. The Well at the World's End is not likely to completely satisfy if you’re in the mood for something deep, dark, complex, or sexy, but it’s a fun story and, since it was written by the first fantasy world builder, it’s an important piece of fantasy literature history.
April 29, 2008
This book truly does have everything you'd want from a medieval romance of this sort. The denoument was pretty long and hard to get into after the climax at the Well, but it got better as I went along, and I just reminded myself how Tolkien's LOTR finished in a similar way and no doubt owed such to the end of The Well.
Definitely think I'll try some other Morris.
Definitely think I'll try some other Morris.
October 11, 2007
This was my first time reading one of Willaim Morris's longer novels, and I was quite impressed. Caveat: He's coming at this as a folklorist who wants to write fictional accounts of northern European historical ideas. The result is epic fantasy fiction written in old-world language, but with a compelling storyline. It was a bit predictable (especially since the chapter headings tell you exactly what's going to happen), but not entirely so. I really had no idea what it was about before I began, but I was intrigued as it slowly built up to be a story of an epic quest for (basically) the fountain of youth. I think you really have to picture what's happening (a la Tolkein) to appreciate the story. This would make for a great film!
July 17, 2019
William Morris wrote it, so it deserves five stars.
May 26, 2012
This review covers both volumes.
Originally published on my blog here in November 1999.
William Morris' late nineteenth century romances have proved very influential in twentieth century popular literature, yet they are probably rarely read today. There is a strong case for arguing that they mark the origin of the modern fantasy genre. The Well at the World's End is the longest, and amply illustrates why his work has become both so influential and so obscure.
The story is a simple one, telling the tale of the quest undertaken by Ralph of Upmeads to drink from the well at the World's End, which gives a renewed life - both physically and morally - to those who do so. It tells of the perils and wonders of his journey, of his friendships and loves as he also moves from being a boy to an adult man.
So what is it that made Morris an inspiration? The principal features of the background to the novel have become the principal features of just about every fantasy novel of the twentieth century: an imaginary world, a medieval culture, and magic. Morris' work shared these aspects with other novels of the nineteenth century - they are present to some degree in many Gothic novels - but Morris combined them with an optimistic tone which makes his work more escapist. This tone is related to that of the medieval romances of Walter Scott and Arthur Conan Doyle, but these are firmly set in (an idealised version of) the real world. Of course, part of this comes from the fact that Ralph's quest fits fairly snugly into the mould of Joseph Campbell's hero's journey; setting it in an imaginary world is what's new.
Morris is perhaps closer to the medieval romance than most of the authors mentioned, hints of (say) Malory or Chretien de Troyes being constantly present, while the allegorical sounding place names recall such works as Piers Plowman.
This medievalism is the foundation of the reasons for the neglect of Morris, as well as conveying the other-worldly atmosphere which was another vitally important legacy to the genre. There are two aspects of it which led to its rejection as a model. First, the prose is full of archaisms which make it difficult to read; second, his similarity to allegorical Christian writings together with his rejection of religion - given a remarkably peripheral part to play compared to his models - means that the whole quest is poorly motivated.
The archaisms and pseudo medieval style are grating to a modern reader, and make Morris a slow read. They are derived, I suspect, from Scott's ideas of medieval prose, and is about as authentic as a Neo-Gothic castle. It is, thankfully, something most fantasy writers have abandoned. (A few still use "thee" and "thou" for effect, and there are few more annoying things than reading a writer who has got this wrong...)
The lack of motivation is a more serious problem. It is possible to read The Well at the World's End as a pure adventure story, if a slow and sedate one, but the allegorical side of things leads the reader to start wondering what the the main symbols (especially the well itself) actually mean. It is possible to come up with meanings - I would say that the well is there to show that we need something outside our normal existence to give our lives true meaning, for example - but none are insisted on or even important to Morris.
Originally published on my blog here in November 1999.
William Morris' late nineteenth century romances have proved very influential in twentieth century popular literature, yet they are probably rarely read today. There is a strong case for arguing that they mark the origin of the modern fantasy genre. The Well at the World's End is the longest, and amply illustrates why his work has become both so influential and so obscure.
The story is a simple one, telling the tale of the quest undertaken by Ralph of Upmeads to drink from the well at the World's End, which gives a renewed life - both physically and morally - to those who do so. It tells of the perils and wonders of his journey, of his friendships and loves as he also moves from being a boy to an adult man.
So what is it that made Morris an inspiration? The principal features of the background to the novel have become the principal features of just about every fantasy novel of the twentieth century: an imaginary world, a medieval culture, and magic. Morris' work shared these aspects with other novels of the nineteenth century - they are present to some degree in many Gothic novels - but Morris combined them with an optimistic tone which makes his work more escapist. This tone is related to that of the medieval romances of Walter Scott and Arthur Conan Doyle, but these are firmly set in (an idealised version of) the real world. Of course, part of this comes from the fact that Ralph's quest fits fairly snugly into the mould of Joseph Campbell's hero's journey; setting it in an imaginary world is what's new.
Morris is perhaps closer to the medieval romance than most of the authors mentioned, hints of (say) Malory or Chretien de Troyes being constantly present, while the allegorical sounding place names recall such works as Piers Plowman.
This medievalism is the foundation of the reasons for the neglect of Morris, as well as conveying the other-worldly atmosphere which was another vitally important legacy to the genre. There are two aspects of it which led to its rejection as a model. First, the prose is full of archaisms which make it difficult to read; second, his similarity to allegorical Christian writings together with his rejection of religion - given a remarkably peripheral part to play compared to his models - means that the whole quest is poorly motivated.
The archaisms and pseudo medieval style are grating to a modern reader, and make Morris a slow read. They are derived, I suspect, from Scott's ideas of medieval prose, and is about as authentic as a Neo-Gothic castle. It is, thankfully, something most fantasy writers have abandoned. (A few still use "thee" and "thou" for effect, and there are few more annoying things than reading a writer who has got this wrong...)
The lack of motivation is a more serious problem. It is possible to read The Well at the World's End as a pure adventure story, if a slow and sedate one, but the allegorical side of things leads the reader to start wondering what the the main symbols (especially the well itself) actually mean. It is possible to come up with meanings - I would say that the well is there to show that we need something outside our normal existence to give our lives true meaning, for example - but none are insisted on or even important to Morris.
August 18, 2017
Dig around in fantasy enough and eventually you get to William Morris. Granted, you've probably got a long way to go from George R.R. Martin to Tolkien to CS Lewis to Lord Dunsany to finally get there but if you're persistent enough he waits for you at the end of the line, like all those SF scenarios where when you get too far back in time you wind up running smack dab into the Big Bang.
I'm not sure if Morris can be considered the ur-author from which all epic high fantasy eventually emerged but I'm pretty sure the case had been made at one point or another. For one, reading it at times can feel like a proto-Tolkien without the insane attention to details of history and language. Heck, there's even someone named Gandalf who appears at one point, and a lot of other details are going to be familiar to anyone who has spent many an afternoon with their nose buried in a story about some strange and distant land where everyone carries a sword and says "thee" a lot. You've got that here as well but Morris wound up beating almost everyone else to the starting gate by publishing his book in 1896 (to put that into perspective, when Tolkein was about four years old) where he basically had the whole fantasy section in the bookstore to himself.
Not that there weren't fantasyesque books that existed before his, but what set Morris apart was his creation of an entire realm that clearly wasn't set in the distant past or existed in a sort of dream state or forgotten land (Morris' previous book, 1894's "The Wood Beyond the World" has plenty of fantastic or supernatural elements but also clearly takes place on Earth, just on a part that's not super easy to get to). For some reason this had never really occurred to anyone before and while I don't know how popular it was among the public at the time, it wound up being a little like the Velvet Underground, where even if you've never heard of them pretty much every band you like is influenced by them in some way.
But of course the problem with these first out of the gate books is that sometimes there's a reason they tend to remain obscure and you tend to approach it cautiously, like taking a chance by sitting next to that stranger on the train who might regale you with a witty anecdote or tell you a rambling boring story for the next few hours. Just because people thought it was swell at the turn of the last century doesn't mean it plays as well now. Society thought human zoos were a reasonable thing as well around that time. Sometimes its best to leave things where they are.
But surprisingly you can generally see what people like HG Wells and Lewis and Tolkien all saw in this book, as its got a certain charm to it that's pretty undeniable. The plot mostly centers around Ralph, the son of King Peter, who allows three of his four sons to head off on adventures so they can see the world. Ralph, not wanting to stay behind, decides to sneak off to find the fabled Well Beyond the World's End, the water of which is supposed to bestow wondrous vitality on all who drink it. Well, eventually that becomes his goal. Before that he just kind of wanders around until someone gives him the idea.
And that right there should tell you what kind of book you're walking into. Anyone who has read books written in the nineteenth century probably has figured that their idea of "thrilling" wasn't quite the same as ours and a gentle, easy pace was their version of "pulse pounding." If you're looking for a deep plot or Tolkien's epic pitting of good against evil, you may have to head back into Hobbit country because is a kind of paen to old time Romantic literature, where the plot exists, but its mostly an excuse to have a series of adventures that tie back to the main thrust in a general sense, giving it a very episodic feel.
Its also written in a style that is unabashedly medieval and while its not quite you-swear-he-wrote-it-while-wearing-armor-in-a-castle level of insanity that Eddison committed to during "The Worm Oroborus" to say it takes a while to get used to it is probably putting it mildly. Sentences play out languidedly, like a cat stretching in the sun, words like "therewith" are used without any irony and there's enough "Thou"'s to make even hardcore LARPers ask to dial it down a notch. Its a book that you probably have to decide to read for lengthy periods, only because once you immerse yourself in the rhythms of the language it gets easy but diving back in repeatedly will make you feel like one of those people who voluntarily run into freezing cold water. Get the shock over with it and plow onward, its easier that way (I read most of the second volume on a long plane flight).
Still, is it good? I say yes, with some qualifications. The early stages before the plot really kicks in can be rough going in spots because its mostly Ralph wandering and having reasonable conversations with people and while the fantastic setting has some merit, just because its set in a fantasy world doesn't automatically make it fascinating. There's very little feel of magic at play and not in the wizardy sense but a sense of strangeness and otherness that comes from existing right on the edge of what's known.
Fortunately, the Lady of Abundance shows up and rescues us all.
Her appearance, nearly a hundred pages in and for some people probably in the nick of time, finally gives you an idea of what people saw in this book, as she tells Ralph the story of her childhood and her encounter with the well, a sequence that honestly feels like watching a myth of the collective unconscious being born before your eyes. Her presence not only gives the book a focus but also an added emotional heft that wasn't quite present earlier . . . a sequence where Ralph mourns the death of someone close to him feels honestly touching even through the flowery language.
From there its more episodic encounters but now with a little bit of focus we actually feel like we're going somewhere. The addition of a possible love interest (though either hotties are scarce in Ralph's world or they're all a bunch of hippies because pretty much every lady with eyes falls in love with Ralph, making this truly a fantasy) and an evil warlord gives the proceedings a bit more spice and by the time the first volume closes I had to admit I was being fully entertained, even while my brain was screaming at having to slog through deciphering the language into the simple words and sentences it craved (keep a reference for medieval words on hand is my advice). By the time I had reached the end of the first volume (because its fantasy, so of course it takes place across multiple books) I was honestly curious to see where he was going with this. Archaic as it comes across, it has a feel both new and old, where it taps into a sense of a long-ago past to create something entirely different and even if it feels like well-trod territory now, its really only because everyone else has been following and messing up the landscape with all their stomping around.
I'm not sure if Morris can be considered the ur-author from which all epic high fantasy eventually emerged but I'm pretty sure the case had been made at one point or another. For one, reading it at times can feel like a proto-Tolkien without the insane attention to details of history and language. Heck, there's even someone named Gandalf who appears at one point, and a lot of other details are going to be familiar to anyone who has spent many an afternoon with their nose buried in a story about some strange and distant land where everyone carries a sword and says "thee" a lot. You've got that here as well but Morris wound up beating almost everyone else to the starting gate by publishing his book in 1896 (to put that into perspective, when Tolkein was about four years old) where he basically had the whole fantasy section in the bookstore to himself.
Not that there weren't fantasyesque books that existed before his, but what set Morris apart was his creation of an entire realm that clearly wasn't set in the distant past or existed in a sort of dream state or forgotten land (Morris' previous book, 1894's "The Wood Beyond the World" has plenty of fantastic or supernatural elements but also clearly takes place on Earth, just on a part that's not super easy to get to). For some reason this had never really occurred to anyone before and while I don't know how popular it was among the public at the time, it wound up being a little like the Velvet Underground, where even if you've never heard of them pretty much every band you like is influenced by them in some way.
But of course the problem with these first out of the gate books is that sometimes there's a reason they tend to remain obscure and you tend to approach it cautiously, like taking a chance by sitting next to that stranger on the train who might regale you with a witty anecdote or tell you a rambling boring story for the next few hours. Just because people thought it was swell at the turn of the last century doesn't mean it plays as well now. Society thought human zoos were a reasonable thing as well around that time. Sometimes its best to leave things where they are.
But surprisingly you can generally see what people like HG Wells and Lewis and Tolkien all saw in this book, as its got a certain charm to it that's pretty undeniable. The plot mostly centers around Ralph, the son of King Peter, who allows three of his four sons to head off on adventures so they can see the world. Ralph, not wanting to stay behind, decides to sneak off to find the fabled Well Beyond the World's End, the water of which is supposed to bestow wondrous vitality on all who drink it. Well, eventually that becomes his goal. Before that he just kind of wanders around until someone gives him the idea.
And that right there should tell you what kind of book you're walking into. Anyone who has read books written in the nineteenth century probably has figured that their idea of "thrilling" wasn't quite the same as ours and a gentle, easy pace was their version of "pulse pounding." If you're looking for a deep plot or Tolkien's epic pitting of good against evil, you may have to head back into Hobbit country because is a kind of paen to old time Romantic literature, where the plot exists, but its mostly an excuse to have a series of adventures that tie back to the main thrust in a general sense, giving it a very episodic feel.
Its also written in a style that is unabashedly medieval and while its not quite you-swear-he-wrote-it-while-wearing-armor-in-a-castle level of insanity that Eddison committed to during "The Worm Oroborus" to say it takes a while to get used to it is probably putting it mildly. Sentences play out languidedly, like a cat stretching in the sun, words like "therewith" are used without any irony and there's enough "Thou"'s to make even hardcore LARPers ask to dial it down a notch. Its a book that you probably have to decide to read for lengthy periods, only because once you immerse yourself in the rhythms of the language it gets easy but diving back in repeatedly will make you feel like one of those people who voluntarily run into freezing cold water. Get the shock over with it and plow onward, its easier that way (I read most of the second volume on a long plane flight).
Still, is it good? I say yes, with some qualifications. The early stages before the plot really kicks in can be rough going in spots because its mostly Ralph wandering and having reasonable conversations with people and while the fantastic setting has some merit, just because its set in a fantasy world doesn't automatically make it fascinating. There's very little feel of magic at play and not in the wizardy sense but a sense of strangeness and otherness that comes from existing right on the edge of what's known.
Fortunately, the Lady of Abundance shows up and rescues us all.
Her appearance, nearly a hundred pages in and for some people probably in the nick of time, finally gives you an idea of what people saw in this book, as she tells Ralph the story of her childhood and her encounter with the well, a sequence that honestly feels like watching a myth of the collective unconscious being born before your eyes. Her presence not only gives the book a focus but also an added emotional heft that wasn't quite present earlier . . . a sequence where Ralph mourns the death of someone close to him feels honestly touching even through the flowery language.
From there its more episodic encounters but now with a little bit of focus we actually feel like we're going somewhere. The addition of a possible love interest (though either hotties are scarce in Ralph's world or they're all a bunch of hippies because pretty much every lady with eyes falls in love with Ralph, making this truly a fantasy) and an evil warlord gives the proceedings a bit more spice and by the time the first volume closes I had to admit I was being fully entertained, even while my brain was screaming at having to slog through deciphering the language into the simple words and sentences it craved (keep a reference for medieval words on hand is my advice). By the time I had reached the end of the first volume (because its fantasy, so of course it takes place across multiple books) I was honestly curious to see where he was going with this. Archaic as it comes across, it has a feel both new and old, where it taps into a sense of a long-ago past to create something entirely different and even if it feels like well-trod territory now, its really only because everyone else has been following and messing up the landscape with all their stomping around.
May 27, 2009
(Note: this is Volume I of II) It was Quite good. The simplicity of the story in The Wood Beyond the World is refreshing, however the extra space allowed by taking up 2 larger volumes affords a much wider canvas for The Well at the World's End. The story of Ralph was interesting and as of the writing of this I'm excited to read Volume 2 to find out how it ends!
I would say I was more taken with the world in this book more than the story propper. The plot is more of a mythological or archtypal journey than a compelling story.
Having said that, the time I spent reading this book was great and I felt like I was somehow relaxed a bit each time I picked up this book...despite none of the plot elements themselves being at all calm or relaxing.
The basic premise of the book is that the main character goes about on a quest, alternately to reach the fountain of youth beyond the worlds end, and to find a maiden who appears to him off and on.
I would say I was more taken with the world in this book more than the story propper. The plot is more of a mythological or archtypal journey than a compelling story.
Having said that, the time I spent reading this book was great and I felt like I was somehow relaxed a bit each time I picked up this book...despite none of the plot elements themselves being at all calm or relaxing.
The basic premise of the book is that the main character goes about on a quest, alternately to reach the fountain of youth beyond the worlds end, and to find a maiden who appears to him off and on.
May 7, 2023
Molto difficile dare un parere su questo libro, giustamente considerato uno dei fondamentali per il genere fantasy. Dal punto di vista storico, quindi, potrei dare 4 o 5 stelle; da quello del piacere della lettura, purtroppo, forse nemmeno una. Cerco di spiegarmi.
In una lettera del 1964, Tolkien scrive di come Morris sia stato "uno degli autori che ho amato di più" e sottolinea l’importanza di aver "creato una dimensione immaginaria vasta e coerente”.
È chiaro che una tale presentazione crea nel lettore moderno certe aspettative, o almeno le ha create in me.
Studiando la storia del Fantasy, conoscevo il libro come quello in cui si mostra uno dei primi ‘mondi alternativi’ compiuti e coerenti, e in effetti sotto questo aspetto c’è poco da eccepire. Il viaggio del protagonista Ralph lo porta a scoprire luoghi diversi, in un territorio popolato da popoli ordinari, simili di aspetto, di costumi e di cultura, che parlano tutti la stessa lingua, senza particolari distinzioni fra loro. In definitiva, una specie di regione in cui le differenze sono perlopiù relative al modo di governare la propria città.
Non si pensi, quindi, di trovare nulla di lontanamente simile alla geografia del Signore degli Anelli, o alla vastità di mondi e popoli diversi come in Howard o Ashton Smith. Non è questa l’intenzione.
Volendo, si potrebbe notare che le effettive distanze fra i luoghi visitati siano o molto vaghe o sembrino molto brevi, tanto da dare l’impressione di essere stipati in un contenitore. Tuttavia, non credo che la priorità di Morris fosse una mappatura realistica, e personalmente non darei troppa importanza alla cosa.
Lo scopo del viaggio è nel titolo stesso: scoprire la Fonte ai Confini del Mondo, magica sorgente di cui tutti conoscono l’esistenza ma non l’ubicazione, e che si dice abbia poteri prodigiosi.
Ma perché Ralph vuole trovarla? Per semplice curiosità.
In pratica scappa di casa, contro i voleri del re suo padre, perché si annoia. Non è un Parsifal che vuole salvare vite e terre trovando il Graal, non è alla ricerca di una reliquia o di segreti mistici. È un giovane facile all’innamoramento, volubile e incostante (per buona parte del libro) che parte per banale noia di ragazzo ricco.
Diciamo che la motivazione avrebbe potuto essere più forte… ma ognuno la vedrà come preferisce.
Dal punto di vista narrativo, lo stile è piano, uniforme, di certo qualcuno lo potrebbe definire piatto, con enorme preminenza di dialoghi in cui i vari personaggi descrivono luoghi e modalità di governo, o raccontano eventi di un vicino passato. ‘In diretta’, sotto i nostri occhi, non avviene quasi nulla, tutto è spiegato/raccontato a qualcuno da qualcun altro.
Una dimensione affabulatoria di cui si perde il senso e
la motivazione narrativa a meno di non vederla, appunto, come l’intenzione di creare una dimensione storica coerente a breve termine. Da notare che è un mondo senza leggende, senza passato remoto, in definitiva senza storia che non sia quella dei mesi o pochi anni precedenti, e anche gli accenni alla cristianità sono poco più che accessori.
In conclusione, un libro che mantiene la sua importanza storica, ma che personalmente non apprezzato anche considerando il momento in cui è stato scritto.
SPOILER qui sotto
Se vi chiedete cosa accada dopo che la Fonte è stata trovata, la risposta è… niente. Non cambiano i personaggi, non cambia il mondo, nessuna conseguenza.
That’s it.
-
In una lettera del 1964, Tolkien scrive di come Morris sia stato "uno degli autori che ho amato di più" e sottolinea l’importanza di aver "creato una dimensione immaginaria vasta e coerente”.
È chiaro che una tale presentazione crea nel lettore moderno certe aspettative, o almeno le ha create in me.
Studiando la storia del Fantasy, conoscevo il libro come quello in cui si mostra uno dei primi ‘mondi alternativi’ compiuti e coerenti, e in effetti sotto questo aspetto c’è poco da eccepire. Il viaggio del protagonista Ralph lo porta a scoprire luoghi diversi, in un territorio popolato da popoli ordinari, simili di aspetto, di costumi e di cultura, che parlano tutti la stessa lingua, senza particolari distinzioni fra loro. In definitiva, una specie di regione in cui le differenze sono perlopiù relative al modo di governare la propria città.
Non si pensi, quindi, di trovare nulla di lontanamente simile alla geografia del Signore degli Anelli, o alla vastità di mondi e popoli diversi come in Howard o Ashton Smith. Non è questa l’intenzione.
Volendo, si potrebbe notare che le effettive distanze fra i luoghi visitati siano o molto vaghe o sembrino molto brevi, tanto da dare l’impressione di essere stipati in un contenitore. Tuttavia, non credo che la priorità di Morris fosse una mappatura realistica, e personalmente non darei troppa importanza alla cosa.
Lo scopo del viaggio è nel titolo stesso: scoprire la Fonte ai Confini del Mondo, magica sorgente di cui tutti conoscono l’esistenza ma non l’ubicazione, e che si dice abbia poteri prodigiosi.
Ma perché Ralph vuole trovarla? Per semplice curiosità.
In pratica scappa di casa, contro i voleri del re suo padre, perché si annoia. Non è un Parsifal che vuole salvare vite e terre trovando il Graal, non è alla ricerca di una reliquia o di segreti mistici. È un giovane facile all’innamoramento, volubile e incostante (per buona parte del libro) che parte per banale noia di ragazzo ricco.
Diciamo che la motivazione avrebbe potuto essere più forte… ma ognuno la vedrà come preferisce.
Dal punto di vista narrativo, lo stile è piano, uniforme, di certo qualcuno lo potrebbe definire piatto, con enorme preminenza di dialoghi in cui i vari personaggi descrivono luoghi e modalità di governo, o raccontano eventi di un vicino passato. ‘In diretta’, sotto i nostri occhi, non avviene quasi nulla, tutto è spiegato/raccontato a qualcuno da qualcun altro.
Una dimensione affabulatoria di cui si perde il senso e
la motivazione narrativa a meno di non vederla, appunto, come l’intenzione di creare una dimensione storica coerente a breve termine. Da notare che è un mondo senza leggende, senza passato remoto, in definitiva senza storia che non sia quella dei mesi o pochi anni precedenti, e anche gli accenni alla cristianità sono poco più che accessori.
In conclusione, un libro che mantiene la sua importanza storica, ma che personalmente non apprezzato anche considerando il momento in cui è stato scritto.
SPOILER qui sotto
Se vi chiedete cosa accada dopo che la Fonte è stata trovata, la risposta è… niente. Non cambiano i personaggi, non cambia il mondo, nessuna conseguenza.
That’s it.
-
January 18, 2024
This largely forgotten book (along with others by William Morris) is hugely important to the development of fantasy literature in English, and its influence on J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis is well documented. With Tolkien in particular, you can write a list as you read: a character called 'Gandolf'; a horse called 'Silverfax'; a quiet, prosperous land called 'The Plain of Abundance' analogous to the Shire; primitive hill tribes, fierce and honourable in the same way as Tolkien's woodwoses. It goes on and on. The influence can also be seen, especially when looking at Tolkien's whole oeuvre, in the epic and poetic language. 'The Well at the World's End' is written as an ersatz Medieval romance, in a version of the same late Middle-English that can be found in Thomas Malory's 'Le Morte d'Arthur'. The language is a good analogue to Morris's visual work, being intricate, decorative, and meticulously crafted, but also easy to read (once you get used to the archaic diction and vocabulary—second nature to me, as I've read and re-read Malory since I was fourteen years old).
The story is extremely linear and episodic (which is faithful to Morris's medieval inspirations). The hero is amusingly named 'Ralph'—and the hero of 'The Wood Beyond the World' is 'Walter', fortunately Tolkien didn't let the influence extend to naming! Everywhere Ralph goes his essential goodness and guileless nature are obvious to everyone, and all women fall in love with him as he is so beautiful. He has two lovers in the course of the story, both of whom are so beautiful that all men fall in love with them on sight. This makes it a little hard to believe in him as a character, but again, the influence on Tolkien is clear—there's a bit of Ralph in Frodo, and a bit of him in Aragorn.
While it's often very clear how the book has shaped later fantasy fiction, it rarely resembles a modern fantasy book. The setting is one in which the people speak English, and worship Jesus under the guidance of a benevolent church, but Morris's most enduring innovation is that the story is set in a wholly invented geography (his last book, the posthumous 'The Sundering Flood' even featured that genre staple, a map). The landscape is described with a realism and particularity that is not found in Medieval romances, and the important quality of immersion is sometimes present as a result.
The things that are wrong with Medieval romances (racism, sexism, glorification of violence), are all here in spades, and the things that are wrong with Victorian attitudes are also to be found in the book, but Morris was a pretty unconventional man, and the overall effect is not ideologically obnoxious. This is a fantasy of a rural, craft-based society, in which all classes are valued, and inequalities are not huge pronounced. This is consistent with Morris's advocacy of such a society, and his attempts to help move towards one in his working life. It's a beautiful piece of writing, an intricate, decorative, broad cloth of carefully crafted language, and although it doesn't offer the same pleasures as later fantasy fiction, it was for me a real pleasure to read.
The story is extremely linear and episodic (which is faithful to Morris's medieval inspirations). The hero is amusingly named 'Ralph'—and the hero of 'The Wood Beyond the World' is 'Walter', fortunately Tolkien didn't let the influence extend to naming! Everywhere Ralph goes his essential goodness and guileless nature are obvious to everyone, and all women fall in love with him as he is so beautiful. He has two lovers in the course of the story, both of whom are so beautiful that all men fall in love with them on sight. This makes it a little hard to believe in him as a character, but again, the influence on Tolkien is clear—there's a bit of Ralph in Frodo, and a bit of him in Aragorn.
While it's often very clear how the book has shaped later fantasy fiction, it rarely resembles a modern fantasy book. The setting is one in which the people speak English, and worship Jesus under the guidance of a benevolent church, but Morris's most enduring innovation is that the story is set in a wholly invented geography (his last book, the posthumous 'The Sundering Flood' even featured that genre staple, a map). The landscape is described with a realism and particularity that is not found in Medieval romances, and the important quality of immersion is sometimes present as a result.
The things that are wrong with Medieval romances (racism, sexism, glorification of violence), are all here in spades, and the things that are wrong with Victorian attitudes are also to be found in the book, but Morris was a pretty unconventional man, and the overall effect is not ideologically obnoxious. This is a fantasy of a rural, craft-based society, in which all classes are valued, and inequalities are not huge pronounced. This is consistent with Morris's advocacy of such a society, and his attempts to help move towards one in his working life. It's a beautiful piece of writing, an intricate, decorative, broad cloth of carefully crafted language, and although it doesn't offer the same pleasures as later fantasy fiction, it was for me a real pleasure to read.
November 29, 2018
Just finished volume 1 of The Well at the World's End the other day. For a moment I was afraid I wasn't going to like it that much, partly because of some of the reviews I read here, partly because there aren't really a lot of fantasy elements. As other reviewers have indicated, it's more of a chivalric romance than a fanstasy novel. Yet I found myself captivated by the story. The faux-archaic style is not really distracting in my opinion. At the beginning I was getting real fairy tale vibes because of the tropes used in the telling and as the story went on I was very curious about where the adventure would take the protagonist.
Reading it directly after finishing a second reading of The Hobbit, it did suffer somewhat by comparison. Mainly because Tolkien has a way, in my opinion, of giving very cozy descriptions. I didn't find the environment of Morris's tale particularly immersive. It felt a bit more functional than anything else. The strength of the book lies mainly in building interest in the strivings and desires of the main characters and making the reader desire to see how they will turn out.
Since I have only read the first part at this point, I can't give a complete judgement on how satisfying the entire work is, but I will say that this work does have an epic feeling mainly because of the scale of the adventure. Readers may want to decide whether they are up for chivalric novel with little to no magic and no monsters or creatures before taking it on, especially since it is a fairly lengthy work if you consider both volumes together.
Reading it directly after finishing a second reading of The Hobbit, it did suffer somewhat by comparison. Mainly because Tolkien has a way, in my opinion, of giving very cozy descriptions. I didn't find the environment of Morris's tale particularly immersive. It felt a bit more functional than anything else. The strength of the book lies mainly in building interest in the strivings and desires of the main characters and making the reader desire to see how they will turn out.
Since I have only read the first part at this point, I can't give a complete judgement on how satisfying the entire work is, but I will say that this work does have an epic feeling mainly because of the scale of the adventure. Readers may want to decide whether they are up for chivalric novel with little to no magic and no monsters or creatures before taking it on, especially since it is a fairly lengthy work if you consider both volumes together.
February 14, 2021
Nella storia che ha sancito la nascita dell'high fantasy ed è stata un'inesauribile fonte di ispirazione per i principali scrittori di questo genere, William Morris - un artista a tutto tondo che si è dedicato all'arte in tutti i suoi aspetti - ci narra dell'esistenza di una fonte, nota come Fonte ai Confini del Mondo, in grado di guarire ogni dolore, fisico e mentale, e di rinvigorire giovani e anziani.
Ed è sulle tracce di questa misteriosa fonte che si mette il Principe Ralph di Upmeads, che come tutti i giovani sente forte il desiderio di avventura che lo porta ad abbandonare i propri genitori e intraprendere così un vero e proprio viaggio di iniziazione ed esperienza che lo porta crescere da giovane ribelle ad adulto maturo e responsabile, re e condottiero, che, seguendo la struttura circolare del libro, alla fine del suo viaggio ritorna nel luogo da lui abbandonato per poterlo proteggere ora che ha raggiunto nuova consapevolezza.
Consapevolezza che poteva acquisire solo attraversando il mondo sconosciuto al di fuori del recinto del suo regno, attraverso avventure e personaggi che incarnano tutti gli ostacoli, i dubbi e le tentazioni della giovinezza, come l'amore, il dolore della perdita e la crudeltà e insensatezza della realtà al di fuori delle mura domestiche:
"ho avuto avventure e ho perso piuttosto che vinto, ma almeno sono un uomo libero".
In questa frase è racchiusa in parte l'essenza di ciò che il libro e il viaggio verso la fonte ai confini del mondo vogliono trasmettere, ossia l'importanza di crescere facendo esperienze anche dolorose, ma per conto proprio, vivendo delle proprie scelte e non di quelle degli altri.
Ed è sulle tracce di questa misteriosa fonte che si mette il Principe Ralph di Upmeads, che come tutti i giovani sente forte il desiderio di avventura che lo porta ad abbandonare i propri genitori e intraprendere così un vero e proprio viaggio di iniziazione ed esperienza che lo porta crescere da giovane ribelle ad adulto maturo e responsabile, re e condottiero, che, seguendo la struttura circolare del libro, alla fine del suo viaggio ritorna nel luogo da lui abbandonato per poterlo proteggere ora che ha raggiunto nuova consapevolezza.
Consapevolezza che poteva acquisire solo attraversando il mondo sconosciuto al di fuori del recinto del suo regno, attraverso avventure e personaggi che incarnano tutti gli ostacoli, i dubbi e le tentazioni della giovinezza, come l'amore, il dolore della perdita e la crudeltà e insensatezza della realtà al di fuori delle mura domestiche:
"ho avuto avventure e ho perso piuttosto che vinto, ma almeno sono un uomo libero".
In questa frase è racchiusa in parte l'essenza di ciò che il libro e il viaggio verso la fonte ai confini del mondo vogliono trasmettere, ossia l'importanza di crescere facendo esperienze anche dolorose, ma per conto proprio, vivendo delle proprie scelte e non di quelle degli altri.
October 25, 2017
The Well at the World's End, Volume I (actually comprising volumes 1 & 2 of the original published 4 volume work) by William Morris is considered one of the first "pure" fantasies--previous fantasies being set in "exotic" places (similar to Arabian Nights), rather than being set in entirely created settings. William Morris was a Pre-Raphaelite artist, socialist, poet, furniture maker, philosopher, as well as having written the first pure fantasies. (This is actually his second one.) Both C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien admired and claimed to have been influenced by his work. So far it has been a pleasant and fairly entertaining work, but these two volumes are obviously only part of a whole and there is really no even minor conclusion. For a review of the book as a whole, please see my review of Volume II.
January 17, 2020
I can't get over how old-english is soo damn hard to read.
If Tolkien wrote his greatest series in old-english like this book then I would say he was the best of fantasy writers, but Morris was before Tolkien. But if Morris wrote like Tolkien in plain English then I would think the Well series would have garnered more attention.
The first book in the Well series was in a way like the start of other classic adventure books, the hero/protagonist leaves to go on an adventure. With perils and meeting Friends along the way. It's his quest that he continuously hears all throughout his journey.
Morris knows how to describe the people in the story but is a little lacking in the scenery and battle scenes. But I think using old-english is somewhat hard to paint a fuller picture of what is going on. It was for me.
If you're trying to compare this book with The Fellowship, don't.
If Tolkien wrote his greatest series in old-english like this book then I would say he was the best of fantasy writers, but Morris was before Tolkien. But if Morris wrote like Tolkien in plain English then I would think the Well series would have garnered more attention.
The first book in the Well series was in a way like the start of other classic adventure books, the hero/protagonist leaves to go on an adventure. With perils and meeting Friends along the way. It's his quest that he continuously hears all throughout his journey.
Morris knows how to describe the people in the story but is a little lacking in the scenery and battle scenes. But I think using old-english is somewhat hard to paint a fuller picture of what is going on. It was for me.
If you're trying to compare this book with The Fellowship, don't.
November 21, 2017
So this book influence the likes of Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. It is High Fantasy. Reminding one of the tales of Arthur and his Knights. This is a book that H. G. Wells compared to Thomas Malory. In it you have a King Gandolf and a King Peter, there is also a white horse named "Silverfax." It is a relatively obscure book by today's standards. But it was a significant influence on many fantasy writers. One thing I did find lacking is how it flowed. Unlike the fantasy of La Morte de Arthur, it is a littel more dry and has an uneven flow.
February 19, 2021
I liked this - Mallory-esque fantasy about a knight who goes questing. Part 1 just gets him to the Wood Perilous, but its a pretty good tale, and I will listen to the rest.
March 8, 2021
Un fantasy classico con tutti i suoi elementi che lo caratterizzano, bello. Un lettura lenta, dovuta anche all'epoca in cui è stata scritta
January 23, 2024
Unreadable.
September 14, 2016
The strangeness and "sense of wonder" and all that stuff people say they like about fantasy is piled up pretty high in this weird book.
I have recently decided I need to know a lot more about William Morris and the door-stopper biography by E.P. Thompson William Morris: Romantic to Revolutionary is on my desk, mocking me with it's Stephen King "It" sized massiveness. I only knew that Morris was one of these utopians from before Marx crushed a lot of the imagination out of most socialists. I hadn't known that he'd written fantasy novels until I read Lin Carter's wonky history of the genre. Apparently William Morris was also a part of the Arts and Crafts Movement, which I have been interested in since reading To Hell with Culture and so Morris is also known for his patterns and designs.
So with all that baggage, I had some expectations for this book. Some of those were met, for example, the whole thing feels like you stepped into a John William Waterhouse painting, or something from The Pre-Raphaelites. Lin Carter had plugged the hell out of Morris in his book, and the kind of manly, episodic quest, anglophile stuff Carter likes is boiling over in "The Well." This also means a lot of archaic language, not just "forsooth," "nigh," and "wherefore" but also "rede," "hight," and other words not in my spell-checker. It's not like you need an OED, but it does slow a reader down.
An obvious expectation is that somewhere there is going to be some kind of social message, or even a full-on utopia. The story covers a lot of ground in this fantasy world, and everywhere there is slavery and weird gender stuff. It is clear enough that the protagonist is all for a just peace and equality, but even when he seems to find pockets of that, there seems to be something amiss, or even sinister, about it.
There are probably hundreds of characters who fall into the "threshold guardian" category. Every where Ralph, our hero, goes, he runs into people who are either warning him about the dangers ahead or confirming the rewards beyond those dangers. Many of these cats are not to be trusted and the ones who are, aren't telling the whole story. This makes for a lot more puzzling and anticipation than the action-packed dungeon-crawl stories of Moorcock or Howard. There is action, too, don't get me wrong... but this book is more about, "Wait, is he fighting the right people, or should he be on the other side?" Also... tons of blushing. Because there are many characters who everyone can't help but fall in love with. Lots of love, but nothing too steamy.
Well, we're still not at the World's End, let alone the Well, because this was only Volume I. I kind of expect Volume II to be even better, but I get it why 1970s Ballantine divided it up into two slim paperbacks. Luckily for me, Villa Fantastica, the science fiction and fantasy library in Vienna has the second part, so I'll get to that sooner rather than later.
I have recently decided I need to know a lot more about William Morris and the door-stopper biography by E.P. Thompson William Morris: Romantic to Revolutionary is on my desk, mocking me with it's Stephen King "It" sized massiveness. I only knew that Morris was one of these utopians from before Marx crushed a lot of the imagination out of most socialists. I hadn't known that he'd written fantasy novels until I read Lin Carter's wonky history of the genre. Apparently William Morris was also a part of the Arts and Crafts Movement, which I have been interested in since reading To Hell with Culture and so Morris is also known for his patterns and designs.
So with all that baggage, I had some expectations for this book. Some of those were met, for example, the whole thing feels like you stepped into a John William Waterhouse painting, or something from The Pre-Raphaelites. Lin Carter had plugged the hell out of Morris in his book, and the kind of manly, episodic quest, anglophile stuff Carter likes is boiling over in "The Well." This also means a lot of archaic language, not just "forsooth," "nigh," and "wherefore" but also "rede," "hight," and other words not in my spell-checker. It's not like you need an OED, but it does slow a reader down.
An obvious expectation is that somewhere there is going to be some kind of social message, or even a full-on utopia. The story covers a lot of ground in this fantasy world, and everywhere there is slavery and weird gender stuff. It is clear enough that the protagonist is all for a just peace and equality, but even when he seems to find pockets of that, there seems to be something amiss, or even sinister, about it.
There are probably hundreds of characters who fall into the "threshold guardian" category. Every where Ralph, our hero, goes, he runs into people who are either warning him about the dangers ahead or confirming the rewards beyond those dangers. Many of these cats are not to be trusted and the ones who are, aren't telling the whole story. This makes for a lot more puzzling and anticipation than the action-packed dungeon-crawl stories of Moorcock or Howard. There is action, too, don't get me wrong... but this book is more about, "Wait, is he fighting the right people, or should he be on the other side?" Also... tons of blushing. Because there are many characters who everyone can't help but fall in love with. Lots of love, but nothing too steamy.
Well, we're still not at the World's End, let alone the Well, because this was only Volume I. I kind of expect Volume II to be even better, but I get it why 1970s Ballantine divided it up into two slim paperbacks. Luckily for me, Villa Fantastica, the science fiction and fantasy library in Vienna has the second part, so I'll get to that sooner rather than later.
November 5, 2016
This is the first volume, comprising Books 1 and 2 of 4. In the Introduction Lin Carter and L Sprague de Camp, distinguished 20th century fantasy writers, make the case that ‘The Well at the World’s End’, William Morris’ lengthiest tome, published in 1896, pioneered the heroic fantasy novel format. This is certainly true if the criterion of dimensional grandiosity (i.e. grand in an imposing or impressive way) is applied. J R R Tolkien took inspiration from this work to develop his famous ‘Lord of the Rings’ epic fantasy. (Incidentally, a character in this work is named ‘Gandalf’.) Terry Brooks, Katherine Kurtz and Ursula K LeGuin, and countless others, later contributed numerous works in the heroic fantasy quest genre.
In this book we follow Ralph, the youngest son of King Peter of the humbly modest kingdom of Upmeads, on his quest for adventure. Actually his brothers had been assigned individual quests by their father in contrast with Ralph who was told to stay home and look after his old folks. But Ralph, itchy for adventure, went AWOL. He is set on exploring the myth of ‘The Well at the World’s End’. Does it exist? Where is it located? What are the benefits of quaffing its pure elixir? Soon on his journey he rescues the most comely of maidens and becomes besotted with her angelic ethereal charms. So, the pursuit of this damsel, who proves to be a chimera of supernormal qualities, becomes his second obsession. The two obsessions frequently compete for priority. Many are his quandaries, obstacles and trials on his quest. His wish for adventures are fulfilled but by the end of this volume he is still in pursuit of his two goals. I am sure the second volume, Books 3 and 4, will provide fulfillment.
A caution: Readers may be challenged by the language. If you are going to buy this book (or one of many reproductions) be prepared to put some work into getting its full enjoyment. Early and Late Middle English, and Early Modern English, was used by Morris to lend the work a semblance of Medieval authenticity. This does give the novel atmosphere and charm but, unfortunately, at the cost of incomprehension. A glossary would have been helpful but single word searches in www.dictionary.com will provide translations for most words. Failing that, go to www.librarius.com/gy.htm for an alphabetical glossary.
In this book we follow Ralph, the youngest son of King Peter of the humbly modest kingdom of Upmeads, on his quest for adventure. Actually his brothers had been assigned individual quests by their father in contrast with Ralph who was told to stay home and look after his old folks. But Ralph, itchy for adventure, went AWOL. He is set on exploring the myth of ‘The Well at the World’s End’. Does it exist? Where is it located? What are the benefits of quaffing its pure elixir? Soon on his journey he rescues the most comely of maidens and becomes besotted with her angelic ethereal charms. So, the pursuit of this damsel, who proves to be a chimera of supernormal qualities, becomes his second obsession. The two obsessions frequently compete for priority. Many are his quandaries, obstacles and trials on his quest. His wish for adventures are fulfilled but by the end of this volume he is still in pursuit of his two goals. I am sure the second volume, Books 3 and 4, will provide fulfillment.
A caution: Readers may be challenged by the language. If you are going to buy this book (or one of many reproductions) be prepared to put some work into getting its full enjoyment. Early and Late Middle English, and Early Modern English, was used by Morris to lend the work a semblance of Medieval authenticity. This does give the novel atmosphere and charm but, unfortunately, at the cost of incomprehension. A glossary would have been helpful but single word searches in www.dictionary.com will provide translations for most words. Failing that, go to www.librarius.com/gy.htm for an alphabetical glossary.
February 18, 2013
I knew that William Morris designed wallpaper - I've seen examples of it in National Trust houses - but somehow I'd missed that he was also a novelist until I found The Well at the World's End.
First published in 1896 and written in the style of a medieval quest legend, the four volumes of the book tell the story of Ralph of Upmeads, the youngest son of the king, who sets off to explore the lands beyond his home and to travel beyond the Wall of the World to drink from the waters of the Well at the World's End which are reputed to bestow long life and health.
I found the book fascinating and easy to read. It took a while, but it is a long book and I was never tempted to give up on it part way through. It held my attention and I was eager to get back to it each day.
Ralph faces many adventures along the way with brigands, slave traders and evil rulers to contend with. But there are also true friends and romance as he journeys to the end of his quest and back to Upmeads.
Although the novel is obscure it is said to have influenced both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein. Having read all three writers I think I enjoyed this one the best - although I may be biased by my love of all things medieval.
The descriptive prose is beautiful and I was drawn into the landscapes that Morris so vividly describes. And Ralph? Well, who wouldn't fall in love with Ralph along the way? I think that one reason I enjoyed this story so much is that Morris is more 'in touch with his feminine side' than some of the later fantasy writers who tried to emulate him.
If you enjoy historical novels then I can recommend this. It repays the time spent reading it and for those who don't want to commit to all four volumes I think this book is crying out to be made into a film.
First published in 1896 and written in the style of a medieval quest legend, the four volumes of the book tell the story of Ralph of Upmeads, the youngest son of the king, who sets off to explore the lands beyond his home and to travel beyond the Wall of the World to drink from the waters of the Well at the World's End which are reputed to bestow long life and health.
I found the book fascinating and easy to read. It took a while, but it is a long book and I was never tempted to give up on it part way through. It held my attention and I was eager to get back to it each day.
Ralph faces many adventures along the way with brigands, slave traders and evil rulers to contend with. But there are also true friends and romance as he journeys to the end of his quest and back to Upmeads.
Although the novel is obscure it is said to have influenced both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein. Having read all three writers I think I enjoyed this one the best - although I may be biased by my love of all things medieval.
The descriptive prose is beautiful and I was drawn into the landscapes that Morris so vividly describes. And Ralph? Well, who wouldn't fall in love with Ralph along the way? I think that one reason I enjoyed this story so much is that Morris is more 'in touch with his feminine side' than some of the later fantasy writers who tried to emulate him.
If you enjoy historical novels then I can recommend this. It repays the time spent reading it and for those who don't want to commit to all four volumes I think this book is crying out to be made into a film.
Read
October 25, 2016 Ralph is a son of the king of Upmeads, last one of four (4) sons. The king wants to sen them off so they can experience the world, but he wants one to stay behind to comfort him and the Queen, so by drawing straws, Ralph is chosen to stay. The King did a quick explanation of the qualities of each son, and Ralph is quite the best, though the youngest. The others go off, and Ralph goes home, but he absconds with a horse and travels the way not passed out by his father, South. He was not to be kept home, all protected and coddled.
He gets going, meeting people, doing deeds, etc., & he is well received and liked by all he meets. He hears of the well at the end of the world, a drink of which gives youth and immortality and happiness and other wonderful stuff. Ralph figures it would be neat to go there, so starts to talk it up, meets companions who help him and introduce him to the Lady of Abundance, who had drunk of the well. This gives him the strong notion that it truly is possible to go there and drink of the well at the end of the world.
Ralph is “over lucky” and so is his wife, Ursula. The Lady of Abundance met and gave his wife the knowledge to go to the well, but the Lady felt she was over shadowed by Ursula's beauty, though not to Ralph. Ralph was one of those who all the women wanted to bed; Ursula was one who all the men wanted to wed. A couple made in heaven.
The story is written in a style of Old English, so some words are to be interpreted, and it is almost poetry to listen to. It reminds me of Lord Dunsany's writing, though it predates his.
He gets going, meeting people, doing deeds, etc., & he is well received and liked by all he meets. He hears of the well at the end of the world, a drink of which gives youth and immortality and happiness and other wonderful stuff. Ralph figures it would be neat to go there, so starts to talk it up, meets companions who help him and introduce him to the Lady of Abundance, who had drunk of the well. This gives him the strong notion that it truly is possible to go there and drink of the well at the end of the world.
Ralph is “over lucky” and so is his wife, Ursula. The Lady of Abundance met and gave his wife the knowledge to go to the well, but the Lady felt she was over shadowed by Ursula's beauty, though not to Ralph. Ralph was one of those who all the women wanted to bed; Ursula was one who all the men wanted to wed. A couple made in heaven.
The story is written in a style of Old English, so some words are to be interpreted, and it is almost poetry to listen to. It reminds me of Lord Dunsany's writing, though it predates his.
December 29, 2014
Se chiedete ai muri chi ha inventato il genere fantasy come lo conosciamo oggi, questi risponderanno: Tolkien! È un fatto universalmente riconosciuto, se non altro perché, nella maggior parte delle classifiche di “Migliori fantasy di tutti i tempi”, svetta Il Signore degli Anelli.
Dico questo non per scalzarlo dalla sua posizione, ma per fare una precisazione: Tolkien non ha inventato il genere fantasy. Casomai lo ha diffuso e lo ha reso un genere amatissimo. Colui che ha inventato il fantasy è il misconosciuto William Morris, poliedrico artista inglese nato nel 1834 e morto quattro anni dopo la nascita di Tolkien.
Tolkien stesso ha ammesso (e C.S. Lewis con lui) di essere stato molto influenzato dall'opera di Morris. Infatti, leggendo La Fonte ai confini del mondo si colgono numerose affinità con Il Signore degli Anelli: è stato un piacere trovarle, come rivedere un vecchio amico.
Naturalmente, il valore de La Fonte ai confini del mondo non va visto unicamente in relazione con la sua influenza sulle opere successive. È un romanzo dal sapore medievale, ma depurato di quegli elementi moralisti che lo renderebbero noioso.
Ha anche il sapore della fiaba, percepibile proprio all'inizio, quando il vecchio Re di Upmeads fa scegliere alla sorte la direzione che dovranno prendere i suoi figli. E fiabeschi sono anche i riferimenti a luoghi pieni di un'antica magia che sembra preesistente al cristianesimo e destinata a durare per sempre.
Dico questo non per scalzarlo dalla sua posizione, ma per fare una precisazione: Tolkien non ha inventato il genere fantasy. Casomai lo ha diffuso e lo ha reso un genere amatissimo. Colui che ha inventato il fantasy è il misconosciuto William Morris, poliedrico artista inglese nato nel 1834 e morto quattro anni dopo la nascita di Tolkien.
Tolkien stesso ha ammesso (e C.S. Lewis con lui) di essere stato molto influenzato dall'opera di Morris. Infatti, leggendo La Fonte ai confini del mondo si colgono numerose affinità con Il Signore degli Anelli: è stato un piacere trovarle, come rivedere un vecchio amico.
Naturalmente, il valore de La Fonte ai confini del mondo non va visto unicamente in relazione con la sua influenza sulle opere successive. È un romanzo dal sapore medievale, ma depurato di quegli elementi moralisti che lo renderebbero noioso.
Ha anche il sapore della fiaba, percepibile proprio all'inizio, quando il vecchio Re di Upmeads fa scegliere alla sorte la direzione che dovranno prendere i suoi figli. E fiabeschi sono anche i riferimenti a luoghi pieni di un'antica magia che sembra preesistente al cristianesimo e destinata a durare per sempre.
February 24, 2015
At the end of Volume One, it's hard to say where all this is going. Ralph's somewhat-bildungsroman travels takes him through several lands. Each is beset by some social injustice (a harsh lord, war-torn, extreme economic disparity, and so forth) and each crying out for resolution or at least beacons entanglement for the hero. But Ralph's journey always takes him away. He floats above, intent on his nebulous quest for THE WELL AT THE WORLD'S END (which is inconsistently capitalized in the Ballantine edition).
There are many unexpected reverses and threads that seem to dangle
Despite the plot cul-de-sacs and an occasionally slow pace--detailing the picayune matters of travel and the daily business of it all--I found myself pleasantly carried along by Ralph's strange wandering.
There are many unexpected reverses and threads that seem to dangle
Despite the plot cul-de-sacs and an occasionally slow pace--detailing the picayune matters of travel and the daily business of it all--I found myself pleasantly carried along by Ralph's strange wandering.
December 28, 2012
I remember finding this book at a vintage book sale and was strongly drawn to the title and the book cover. I began reading this book back when I was a fresh college graduate and was surprised to find it a very engaging adventure. What made it really special is that it was written by William Morris, one of the remarkable Pre-Raphaelite artists I admire. That is, it was because of this book that I learned more about Morris and his art. It later became an even bigger surprise that J.R.R. Tolkien was influenced by him. How amazing!
To this day, I have not found, nor read, the second volume of the book. So that's something worth putting in my wishlist.
To this day, I have not found, nor read, the second volume of the book. So that's something worth putting in my wishlist.
January 18, 2014
The Well at World's End is hailed as being a masterpiece of fantasy fiction, praised by HG Wells and influencing the likes of Tolkien. Personally I found it's Medieval English style painful to follow, and so any poetic intention of the prose was lost on me. However I struggled on in hopes of some redeeming plot or character element. Sadly I found the characters to be very one dimensional and the romance highly superficial, although I understand that this was written in a different time and for a different purpose. So, while the journey to the Well at World's End had me read to the end of this book, it wasn't engaging enough to have me rushing to pick up volume 2 any time soon.
May 13, 2012
This is the first William MOrris Book I ever read when I was about 17 years old. I'm now 56 and remain firmly addicted to William Morris. It's the fantasy books of Morris that gave Tolkien his inspiration and when reading Morris you can certainly see that to be the case, the only noticable difference between the two is that Morris is a bit more mysterious and misty. You do need both volumes though as it is one story. If you want to get lost in an alien land there's no better one than one of Morris's and this could well be the best of them.
March 8, 2013
After reading William Morris’s The Well At World’s End, I can feel every aching step, every maddening mile of Prince Ralph’s epic quest to drink the magic draught and save the kingdom from the wiles of wicked men. I can feel the chafe of the bridle, the callous from the bit, my chair-bound behind as sore as if I’d been riding on his saddle, spent arms and weary legs wrapped tight around his armoured knighthood.
read more here: http://blog.gw-1.com/2013/03/08/shelf...
read more here: http://blog.gw-1.com/2013/03/08/shelf...
April 5, 2010
Sometimes you read a book for its plot, sometimes you read a book for its writing - sometimes for its words. Greensward, greenwood, thrall, Wood Perilous...? This book is like a tapestry come to life. I took notes while reading it, made a list of the words I liked, had to look up a few in the dictionary. This book has flavor. It may not be strong on excitement, but you'll never find anything quite like it. (I hated that the heroes' name was Ralph, but whatever.)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews