Promo Posts by Himring  

The Fall of Arthur

Summary: The Fall of Arthur is a narrative poem in alliterative metre by Tolkien. It takes elements from different Arthurian works and sources and recombines them in a way that is all Tolkien's own. As the title says, the subject is the collapse of Arthur's rule through betrayal and his death. It is not complete but reached quite a fair length (a bit less than 1000 lines, in 5 cantos), and there are some of Tolkien's working notes for the unwritten end included in the edition.

Why should I check out this canon: As a kind of crossover, this work is likely to be especially interesting to those who have an interest in Arthur, Gawain, and the other Arthurian characters more generally. Tolkien is partly inspired by some less well-known medieval sources, so it may be a fresh angle on Arthurian lore to readers for that reason, too. Particularly interesting and original is the complex shading of Tolkien's portrait of Guinevere. The work will also appeal to those who like Tolkien's other narrative poems or read works in modern alliterative verse. There is some great storm imagery and description in there, for instance. The piece is also interesting as demonstrating one of the sources of inspiration for Tolkien that have received less attention than the Germanic tradition. The poem could both inspire further Arthuriana and crossovers with Tolkien’s non-Arthurian works.

Chapter End Notes

Link to the full promo post, as posted to Tumblr on 20 July 2025.