Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892),
English poet often regarded as the
chief representative of the Victorian age in poetry. Tennyson succeeded
Wordsworth as Poet Laureate in 1850.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson was born on August 5, 1809 in Somersby, Lincolnshire. His father,
George Clayton Tennyson, a clergyman and rector, suffered from depression and
was notoriously absentminded. Alfred began to write poetry at an early age in
the style of Lord Byron. After spending four unhappy years in school he was
tutored at home. Tennyson then studied at Trinity
College, Cambridge, where he joined the literary club
'The Apostles' and met Arthur Hallam, who became his closest friend. Tennyson
published Poems, Chiefly Lyrical, in 1830, which included the popular
"M 16316l1124q ariana".
His next book, Poems (1833), received unfavorable reviews,
and Tennyson ceased to publish for nearly ten years. Hallam died suddenly on
the same year in Vienna.
It was a heavy blow to Tennyson. He began to write "In Memoriam", an
elegy for his lost friend - the work took seventeen years. "The Lady of
Shalott", "The Lotus-eaters" "Morte d'Arthur" and
"Ulysses" appeared in 1842 in the two-volume Poems and established
his reputation as a writer.
After marrying Emily Sellwood, whom he had already met in
1836, the couple settled in Farringford, a house in Freshwater on the Isle of Wight in 1853. From there the family moved in
1869 to Aldworth, Surrey. During these later
years he produced some of his best poems.
Among Tennyson's major poetic achievements is the elegy mourning
the death of his friend Arthur Hallam, "In Memoriam" (1850). The
patriotic poem "Charge of the Light Brigade", published in Maud
(1855), is one of Tennyson's best known works, although at first
"Maud" was found obscure or morbid by critics ranging from George
Eliot to Gladstone.
Enoch Arden (1864) was based on a true story of a sailor thought drowned at sea
who returned home after several years to find that his wife had remarried.
Idylls Of The King (1859-1885) dealt with the
Arthurian theme.
In the 1870s Tennyson wrote several plays, among them the
poetic dramas Queen Mary (1875) and Harold (1876). In 1884 he was created a
baron.
Tennyson died at Aldwort on October 6, 1892 and was buried in the Poets'
Corner in Westminster Abbey.
Alfred Tennyson
(1809-1892) was born in Somersby, Lincolnshire.
His father, George Clayton Tennyson, a clergyman and rector, suffered from
depression and was notoriously absentminded. Alfred began to write poetry at an
early age in the style of Lord Byron. After spending four unhappy years in
school he was tutored at home. Tennyson then studied at Trinity
College, Cambridge, where he joined the literary club
'The Apostles' and met Arthur Hallam, who became his closest friend. The
undergraduate society discussed contemporary social, religious, scientific, and
literary issues. Encouraged by 'The Apostles', Tennyson published
POEMS, CHIEFLY LYRICAL, in 1830, which included the popular 'Mariana'. He
travelled with Hallam on the Continent. By 1830, Hallam had become engaged to
Tennyson's sister Emily. After his father's death in 1831
Tennyson returned to Somersby without a degree.
His next book, POEMS (1833), received unfavorable reviews,
and Tennyson ceased to publish for nearly ten years. Hallam died suddenly on
the same year in Vienna.
It was a heavy blow to Tennyson. He began to write 'Im Memorian' for his lost
friend - the work took seventeen years. A revised volume of
Poems, which included the 'The Lady of Shalott' and 'The Lotus-eaters'.
'Morte d'Arthur' and 'Ulysses' appeared in 1842 in the two-volume POEMS, and
established his reputation as a writer. In 'Ulysses Tennyson portrayed the
Greek after his travels, longing past days: "How dull it is to pause, to
make an end, / To rust unburnished, not to shine in
use!"
After marrying Emily Sellwood, whom he had already met in
1836, the couple settled in Farringford, a house in Freshwater on the Isle of
Wright in 1853. From there the family moved in 1869 to Aldworth, Surrey. Tennyson's life was then uneventful. In London he was a regular
guest of the literary and artistic salon of Mrs Prinsep at Little Holland
House. During these later years he produced some of his best poems.
Among Tennyson's major poetic achievements is the elegy
mourning the death of his friend Arthur Hallam, In Memoriam (1850). The
personal sorrow led the poet to explore his thoughts on faith, immortality, and
the meaning of loss: "O life as futile, then, as frail! / O for thy voice
to soothe and bless! / What hope of answer, or redress? / Behind
the veil, behind the veil." Among its other passages is a symbolic voyage
ending in a vision of Hallam as the poet's muse. Some critics have seen in the
work ideas, that anticipated Darwin's theory of natural selection.
"Who trusted God was love indeed / And love
Creation's final law - / Tho' Nature, red in tooth and claw / With ravine,
shriek'd against his creed - ", the poet wrote. He was born in the same
year as Darwin,
but his view about natural history, however, was based on catastrophe theory,
not evolution. The patriotic poem 'Charge of the Light Brigade', published in
MAUD (1855), is one of Tennyson's best known works, although first Maud was
found obscure or morbid by critics ranging from George Eliot to Gladstone.
Later the poem about the Light Brigade inspired Michael Curtiz's film from
1936, starring Errol Flynn. Historically the fight during the Crimean war
brough to light the incompetent organization of the English army. However, the
stupid mistake described in the poem honored the soldier's courage and heroic
action.
ENOCH ARDEN (1864) was based on a true story of a sailor
thought drowned at sea who returned home after several years to find that his
wife had remarried. In the poem Enoch Arden, Philip Ray and Annie Lee grow up
together. Enoch wins her hand. He sails abroad and is shipwrecked for 10 years
on a deserted island. Meanwhile Annie has been reduced to poverty. Philip asks
her to marry him. Enoch returns and witnesses their happiness, but hides that
he is alive and sacrifices his happiness for theirs. An Enoch Arden has come to
mean a person who truly loves someone better than himself. The poem ends
banally: "So past the strong heoic soul away. / And
when they buried him, the little port / Had seldom seen a costlier
funeral." IDYLLS OF THE KING (1859-1885) dealt with the Arthurian theme,
and THE ANCIENT SAGE (1885) and AKBAR'S DREAM (1892) testified his faith in the
redemption offered by love. Despite his pessimism about the human condition,
the poet believed in God.
In the 1870s Tennyson wrote several plays, among them poetic
dramas QUEEN MARY (1875) and HAROLD (1876). In 1884 he was created a baron.
Tennyson died at Aldwort on October
6, 1892 and was buried in the Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey.
Soon he became the favorite target of attacks of many English and American
poets who saw him as a representative of narrow patriotism and sentimentality.
Later critics have praised again Tennyson. T.S. Eliot has called him 'the great
master of metric as well as of melancholia' and that he possessed the finest
ear of any English poet since Milton.
