Lord Tennyson

AlfredLordTennyson1809-1862Englishpoetanddramatist,generallyconsideredtobethechiefrepresentativeoftheVictorianageinpoetry.Tennyson'smajorworksincludehisPoems,ChieflyLyrical(1830);histwovolumework,againentitledPoems,of1842whichincludes,alongsiderewrittenearlierworks,thedramaticmonologue'Ulysses','Morted'Arthur'and'SirGalahad'-hisfirstpiecesdealingwithArthurianlegend,'LocksleyHall'and'Break,Break,Break';thenovellaPrincess:aMedly(1847)andhisInMemoriumA.H.H.(1850),atributetohisdeceasedfriendArthurHallam.Othermajorworks,thistimefromTennyson'ssecondperiodofcreativeoutputafterbeingmadepoetlaureate,includeOdeontheDeathoftheDukeofWellington(1852),TheChargeoftheLightBrigade(1854)andMaud(1855),whatTennysonreferredtoashismonodrama.Healsowrote,inlateryears,anumberofworkscentredonArthurianlegends,includingTheIdyllsoftheKing(1859),TheHolyGrailandOtherPoems(1870)andGarethandLynette(1872),aswellassomepoeticdramas:QueenMary(1875),Harold(1877),Becket(1884)and,hisonlyprosework,ThePromiseofMay(producedattheGlobeTheatreinNovember1882).OtherimportantworksareDespair(1881),LocksleyHallSixtyYearsAfter(1886),DemeterandOtherPoems(1889)andhisfamousCrossingtheBar.GeneralComment:Tennyson,oneoftwelvechildrenandlaterafirstbaron,wasborninSomersby,Lincolnshire.From1875heattendedLouthgrammarschool,followed,in1827,byTrinityCollege,CambridgewherehemadeperhapshisgreatestfriendshipeverwithArthurHallamandjoinedtheundergraduateclub'TheApostles'.Here,in1829,Tennyson-havingalreadypublishedsomepoems,priorto1827,anonymouslyintheironicallyentitledPoemsbyTwoBrothers(actuallywrittenbyAlfred,FrederickandCharles)-wontheChancellor'sGoldMedalforEnglishwithhispoem'Timbuctoo'.In1830TennysonandHallam,alongwithotherApostlemembers,travelledtoSpaintohelpinthefailedrevolutionagainstFerdinandVII,afterwhich,in1831,thedeathofTennyson'sfatherandthediscoveryofhisdebtsled,inpart,toTennyson'sleavingCambridgewithouttakinghisdegree.BythistimehisPoems.ChieflyLyrical(1830)hadbeenpublishedandHallamhadbecomeengagedtoTennyson'ssisterEmily.In1833thesecondvolumeentitledPoemswaspublished,butinthesameyearHallamcametoatragicendinVenice,causedbyarupturedbloodvessel.AfterthisitwastobesevenyearsbeforeTennysonpublishedagainin1842,duringwhichtimehemet,fellinlovewithandbecameengagedtoanotherEmily;EmilySellwood,thesisterofoneofhisbrother'sbrides.In1845TennysonreceivedaCivilListPensionof200poundsperannumandthiswasfollowedbypublicationofThePrincess(1847)and,in1850,thevolumeInMemoriumA.H.H..Beginningtowinfameforhisthreevolumesofpoetryfrom1830,1832and1840,thisyear-1850-wastobeacrucialone:TennysonalsomarriedEmilySellwoodand,inNovember,wasappointedpoetlaureate,successortoWordsworth.ThismarkedthebeginningofhissecondmajorperiodofcreativityfromwhichcametheworksontheDukeofWellington'sdeathandtheChargeoftheLightBrigadeaswellasMaud(1855).In1884,bywhichtimehewaswritingversedramas,Tennysonwasmadeabaron.HespenthislastyearsathisresidencesontheIsleofWight,wherehehadmovedin1853,andinSurrey,wherehehadhadasummerhousebuiltin1868.Thoughhisstaturewasimmenseinhisowntime,Twentieth-Centuryre-evaluationsofTennyson'swork-spearheadedbyT.S.Eliot-havebeensomewhatcritical.CrossingtheBar.Sunsetandeveningstar,Andoneclearcallforme!Andmaytherebenomoaningofthebar,WhenIputouttosea,Butsuchatideasmovingseemsasleep,Toofullforsoundandfoam,WhenthatwhichdrewfromouttheboundlessdeepTurnsagainhome.Twilightandeveningbell,Andafterthatthedark!Andmaytherebenosadnessoffarewell,WhenIembark;ForthoughfromoutourbourneofTimeandPlaceThefloodmaybearmefar,IhopetoseemyPilotfacetofaceWhenIhavecrossed.FlowerintheCranniedWallFlowerinthecranniedwall,Ipluckyououtofthecrannies,Iholdyouhere,rootandall,inmyhand,Littleflower-butifIcouldunderstandWhatyouare,rootandall,andallinall,IshouldknowwhatGodandmanis.Break,Break,BreakBreak,break,breakOnthycoldgreystones,OSea!AndIwouldthatmytonguecouldutterThethoughtsthatariseinme.Owellforthefisherman'sboy,Thatheshoutswithhissisteratplay!Owellforthesailorlad,Thathesingsinhisboatonthebay!AndthestatelyshipsgoonTotheirhavenunderthehill;ButOforthetouchofavanishedhand,Andthesoundofavoicethatisstill!Break,break,breakAtthefootofthycrags,OSea!ButthetendergraceofadaythatisdeadWillnevercomebacktome.UlyssesItlittleprofitsthatanidleking,Bythisstillhearth,amongthesebarrencrags,Matchedwithandagedwife,ImeteanddoleUnequallawsuntoasavagerace,Thathoard,andsleep,andfeed,andknownotme.Icannotrestfromtravel:IwilldrinkLifetothelees:alltimesIhaveenjoyedGreatly,havesufferedgreatly,bothwiththoseThatlovedme,andalone;onshore,andwhenThroughscuddingdriftstherainyHyadesVexedthedimsea:Iambecomeaname;ForalwaysroamingwithahungryheartMuchhaveIseenandknown;citiesofmenAndmanners,climates,councils,governments,Myselfnotleast,buthonouredofthemall;Anddrunkdelightofbattlewithmypeers,FarontheringingplainsofwindyTroy.IamapartofallthatIhavemet;YetallexperienceisanarchwherethroughGleamsthatuntravelledworld,whosemarginfadesForeverandforeverwhenImove.Howdullitistopause,tomakeanend,Torustunburnished,nottoshineinuse!Asthoughtobreathewerelife.LifepiledonlifeWerealltoolittl