William Morris
The Earthly Paradise: A Poem (Part II)
"The Earthly Paradise: A Poem (Part II)" by William Morris is an epic poem published between 1868 and 1870. The work features a frame story about medieval Norse wanderers who, failing to find eternal life, settle among Greek colonists. Together they exchange tales—twelve from classical mythology and twelve from Norse and medieval legends—across monthly feasts following the seasons. This ambitious collection of retellings established Morris as a leading Victorian poet and later influenced Tolkien's use of frame narratives in his legendarium.