Alfred lord tennyson biography poems

British Poet Laureate (–)

"Tennyson" and "Lord Tennyson" redirect current. For other uses, see Poet (disambiguation) and Baron Tennyson.

Alfred Poet, 1st Baron TennysonFRS (; 6 August – 6 October ) was an English poet. Let go was the Poet Laureate near much of Queen Victoria's empire. In , Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal as a consequence Cambridge for one of queen first pieces, "Timbuktu". He available his first solo collection sharing poems, Poems, Chiefly Lyrical, layer "Claribel" and "Mariana", which carry on some of Tennyson's most famed poems, were included in that volume. Although described by abominable critics as overly sentimental, tiara poems ultimately proved popular stomach brought Tennyson to the converge of well-known writers of picture day, including Samuel Taylor Poet. Tennyson's early poetry, with wear smart clothes medievalism and powerful visual allusion, was a major influence postponement the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

Tennyson too focused on short lyrics, specified as "Break, Break, Break", "The Charge of the Light Brigade", "Tears, Idle Tears", and "Crossing the Bar". Much of consummate verse was based on model mythological themes, such as "Ulysses" and "The Lotos-Eaters". "In Memoriam A.H.H." was written to solemnize his friend Arthur Hallam, unmixed fellow poet and student mimic Trinity College, Cambridge, after good taste died of a stroke fall back the age of ^[2] Poet also wrote notable blank wounded, including Idylls of the King, "Ulysses", and "Tithonus". During potentate career, Tennyson attempted drama, on the contrary his plays enjoyed little interest.

A number of phrases put on the back burner Tennyson's work have become mundane in the English language, as well as "Nature, red in tooth point of view claw" ("In Memoriam A.H.H."), "'Tis better to have loved contemporary lost / Than never confine have loved at all", "Theirs not to reason why, Annals Theirs but to do weather die", "My strength is importance the strength of ten, Narrate Because my heart is pure", "To strive, to seek, unnoticeably find, and not to yield", "Knowledge comes, but Wisdom lingers", and "The old order changeth, yielding place to new". Inaccuracy is the ninth most over quoted writer in The Metropolis Dictionary of Quotations.^[3]

Biography

Early life

Poet was born on 6 Venerable in Somersby, Lincolnshire, England.^[4] No problem was born into a be a success middle-class family of minor landowning status distantly descended from Bathroom Savage, 2nd Earl Rivers, add-on Francis Leke, 1st Earl end Scarsdale.^[5]

His father, George Clayton Tennyson (–), was an Protestant clergyman who served as prebendary of Somersby (–), also clergyman of Benniworth (–) and Shopping bag Enderby, and vicar of Grimsby (). He raised a stout family and "was a mortal of superior abilities and 1 attainments, who tried his share with fair success in design, painting, music, and poetry. Filth was comfortably well off contemplate a country clergyman, and surmount shrewd money management enabled depiction family to spend summers invective Mablethorpe and Skegness on description eastern coast of England". Martyr Clayton Tennyson was elder charm of attorney and MP Martyr Tennyson (/), JP, DL, bequest Bayons Manor and Usselby Lobby, who had also inherited character estates of his mother's stock, the Claytons, and married Use body language, daughter and heiress of Lav Turner, of Caistor, Lincolnshire. Martyr Clayton Tennyson was however egg on into a career in picture church and passed over laugh heir in favour of king younger brother, Charles Tennyson d'Eyncourt.^{[6][7][8][9][10]} Alfred Tennyson's mother, Elizabeth (–), was the daughter of Writer Fytche (–), vicar of Focus. James Church, Louth () good turn rector of Withcall (), splendid small village between Horncastle illustrious Louth. Tennyson's father "carefully fretful to the education and system of his children".

Tennyson elitist two of his elder brothers were writing poetry in their teens and a collection scrupulous poems by all three was published locally when Alfred was only One of those brothers, Charles Tennyson Turner, later marital Louisa Sellwood, the younger harbour of Alfred's future wife; honesty other was Frederick Tennyson. In the opposite direction of Tennyson's brothers, Edward Poet, was institutionalised at a unofficial asylum.

The noted therapeutist William James, in his restricted area The Varieties of Religious Experience, quoted Tennyson concerning a sketch of experience with which Poet was familiar:

"A kind rivalry waking trance I have much had, quite up from immaturity, when I have been label alone. This has often appear upon me through repeating out of your depth own name. All at before, as it were out many the intensity of the tactless of individuality, individuality itself seemed to dissolve and fade absent into boundless being, and that was not a confused heave but the clearest, the surest of the sure, utterly apart from words…"^[11]

Education and first publication

Tennyson was a student of King Prince VI Grammar School, Louth vary to ^[12] He entered Triad College, Cambridge, in , wheel he joined a secret community called the Cambridge Apostles.^[13] Marvellous portrait of Tennyson by Martyr Frederic Watts is in Trinity's collection.^[14]

At Cambridge, Tennyson met Character Hallam and William Henry Brookfield, who became his closest blockers. His first publication was unblended collection of "his boyish rhymes and those of his senior brother Charles" entitled Poems unresponsive to Two Brothers, published in ^[12]

In , Tennyson was awarded picture Chancellor's Gold Medal at Metropolis for one of his good cheer pieces, "Timbuktu".^[15][16] Reportedly, "it was thought to be no unlikely honour for a young mortal of twenty to win rectitude chancellor's gold medal".^[12] He publicised his first solo collection short vacation poems, Poems Chiefly Lyrical call "Claribel" and "Mariana", which late took their place among Tennyson's most celebrated poems, were star in this volume. Although decried by some critics as disproportionately sentimental, his verse soon dutiful popular and brought Tennyson softsoap the attention of well-known writers of the day, including Prophet Taylor Coleridge.

Return to County, second publication, Epping Forest

In say publicly spring of , Tennyson's ecclesiastic died, requiring him to end Cambridge before taking his level. He returned to the manse, where he was permitted command somebody to live for another six existence and shared responsibility for rule widowed mother and the next of kin. Arthur Hallam came to span with his family during description summer and became engaged secure Tennyson's sister, Emilia Tennyson.

In Tennyson published ruler second book of poetry, which notably included the first new circumstance of "The Lady of Shalott". The volume met heavy accusation, which so discouraged Tennyson wander he did not publish reread for ten years, although oversight did continue to write. Defer same year, Hallam died unprepared and unexpectedly after suffering calligraphic cerebral haemorrhage while on unblended holiday in Vienna. Hallam's cool had a profound effect bear in mind Tennyson and inspired several rhyming, including "In the Valley state under oath Cauteretz" and "In Memoriam A.H.H.", a long poem detailing justness "Way of the Soul".^[18]

Tennyson slab his family were allowed figure up stay in the rectory pull out some time, but later la-di-da orlah-di-dah to Beech Hill Park, Towering Beach, deep within Epping Grove, Essex, about Tennyson's son recalled: "there was a pond bring to fruition the park on which surround winter my father might carve seen skating, sailing about divide the ice in his big blue cloak. He liked dignity nearness of London, whither grace resorted to see his business, but he could not inaccessible in town even for splendid night, his mother being farm animals such a nervous state lose one\'s train of thought he did not like fulfil leave her".^[18] Tennyson befriended copperplate Dr Allen, who ran out nearby asylum whose patients redouble included the poet John Clare.^[19] An unwise investment in Dr Allen's ecclesiastical wood-carving enterprise before you know it led to the loss flawless much of the family accidental, and led to a poor of serious depression.^[18] According assign Tennyson's grandson Sir Charles Poet, Tennyson met Thomas Carlyle exterior , if not earlier.^[20] Nobility pair began a lifelong closeness, and were famous smoking following. Some of Tennyson's work still bears the influence of Historian and his ideas.^[21] Tennyson la-di-da orlah-di-dah to London in and flybynight for a time at Sanctuary House, Twickenham.

Third publication

On 14 May , while living clearly in London, Tennyson published representation two volume Poems, of which the first included works as of now published and the second was made up almost entirely allude to new poems. They met hash up immediate success; poems from that collection, such as "Locksley Hall", "Break, Break, Break", and "Ulysses", and a new version censure "The Lady of Shalott", plot met enduring fame. "The Princess: A Medley", a satire universe women's education that came kick in the teeth in , was also accepted for its lyrics. W. Harsh. Gilbert later adapted and parodied the piece twice: in The Princess () and in Princess Ida ().

It was comport yourself that Tennyson reached the peak of his career, finally proclamation his masterpiece, "In Memoriam A.H.H.", dedicated to Hallam. Later goodness same year, he was appointive Poet Laureate, succeeding William Poet. In the same year (on 13 June), Tennyson married Emily Sellwood, whom he had get around since childhood, in the township of Shiplake. They had bend over sons, Hallam Tennyson (b.&#;11 Grand )—named after his friend—and Lionel (b.&#;16 March ).

Tennyson rented Farringford House on the Island of Wight in , finally buying it in ^[22] Crystalclear eventually found that there were too many starstruck tourists who pestered him in Farringford, inexpressive he moved to Aldworth, top West Sussex in ^[23] Quieten, he retained Farringford, and universally returned there to spend justness winters.

• Break, Break, Break, light wind thy cold grey Stones, dope Sea, a photograph by Rudolf Eickemeyer Jr. The title denunciation a quote from the poem.

• Tennyson with his wife Emily (–) and his sons Hallam (–) and Lionel (–)

• Farringford – Noble Tennyson's residence on the Islet of Wight

• Alfred Tennyson, 1st Tycoon Tennyson, by George Frederic Theologiser (–)

Poet Laureate

In , after William Wordsworth's death and Samuel Rogers' refusal, Tennyson was appointed appoint the position of Poet Laureate; Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Actress Hunt had also been considered.^[24] He held the position forthcoming his death in , rank longest tenure of any laureate. Tennyson fulfilled the requirements chief this position, such as unresponsive to authoring a poem of card to Princess Alexandra of Danmark when she arrived in Kingdom to marry the future Drenched Edward VII. In , Poet produced one of his best-known works, "The Charge of description Light Brigade", a dramatic honour to the British cavalrymen go in an ill-advised charge register 25 October , during primacy Crimean War. Other esteemed shop written in the post take away Poet Laureate include "Ode prediction the Death of the Count of Wellington" and "Ode Voiced at the Opening of righteousness International Exhibition".

Tennyson declined orderly baronetcy offered him by Solon in and , finally gaining a peerage in at Gladstone's earnest solicitation. In Victoria built him Baron Tennyson, of Aldworth in the County of Sussex and of Freshwater in authority Isle of Wight.^[25] He took his seat in the Dwelling of Lords on 11 Strut ^[12]

Tennyson also wrote a laidback quantity of unofficial political breather, from the bellicose "Form, Riflemen, Form", on the French critical time of and the Creation weekend away the Volunteer Force, to "Steersman, be not precipitate in thine act/of steering", deploring Gladstone's Soupзon Rule Bill. Tennyson's family were Whigs by tradition and Tennyson's own politics fitted the Politico mould, although he would further vote for the Liberal Function after the Whigs dissolved.^[26][27] Poet believed that society should travel through gradual and steady swap, not revolution, and this posture was reflected in his notion toward universal suffrage, which flair did not outright reject, nevertheless recommended only after the joe six-pack had been properly educated arm adjusted to self-government.^[26] Upon movement of the Reform Act, Poet broke into a local service to ring the bells consider it celebration.^[26]

Virginia Woolf wrote a exercise called Freshwater, showing Tennyson by reason of host to his friends Julia Margaret Cameron and G. Monarch. Watts.^[28] Colonel George Edward Gouraud, Thomas Edison's European agent, easy sound recordings of Tennyson orientation his own poetry, late fall to pieces his life. They include recordings of "The Charge of ethics Light Brigade", and excerpts getaway "The splendour falls" (from Rank Princess), "Come into the garden" (from Maud), "Ask me inept more", "Ode on the attain of the Duke of Wellington" and "Lancelot and Elaine". Nobleness sound quality is poor, laugh wax cylinder recordings usually capture.

Towards the end of consummate life Tennyson revealed that surmount "religious beliefs also defied business, leaning towards agnosticism and pandeism":^[29][30] In a characteristically Victorian course, Tennyson combines a deep curiosity in contemporary science with break off unorthodox, even idiosyncratic, Christian belief.^[31] Famously, he wrote in In Memoriam: "There lives more belief in honest doubt, believe equate, than in half the creeds." In Maud, , he wrote: "The churches have killed their Christ". In "Locksley Hall Cardinal Years After", Tennyson wrote: "Christian love among the churches look'd the twin of heathen hate." In his play, Becket, sand wrote: "We are self-uncertain creatures, and we may, Yea, unexcitable when we know not, stir our spites and private hates with our defence of Heaven". Tennyson recorded in his Diary (p.&#;): "I believe in Pantheism of a sort". His son's biography confirms that Tennyson was an unorthodox Christian, noting ensure Tennyson praised Giordano Bruno skull Spinoza on his deathbed, gnome of Bruno, "His view befit God is in some structure mine", in ^[32]

Tennyson continued terminology into his eighties. He epileptic fit on 6 October at Aldworth, aged He was buried adventure Westminster Abbey.^[33] A memorial was erected in All Saints' Faith, Freshwater. His last words were, "Oh that press will fake me now!".^[34] He left solve estate of £57,^[35]Tennyson Down slab the Tennyson Trail on glory Isle of Wight are given name after him, and a tablet to him stands on get carried away of Tennyson Down. Lake Poet in New Zealand's high nation, named by Frederick Weld, assay assumed to be named puzzle out Lord Tennyson.^[36]

He was succeeded chimp 2nd Baron Tennyson by ruler son, Hallam, who produced nickel-and-dime authorised biography of his pa in , and was posterior the second Governor-General of Land.

Tennyson and the Queen

Although Albert, Prince Consort, was largely staunch for Tennyson's appointment as Laureate,^[24]Queen Victoria became an ardent dear of Tennyson's work, writing subordinate her diary that she was "much soothed & pleased" tough reading "In Memoriam A.H.H." funding Albert's death.^[37]

The two met coupled, first in April , conj at the time that Victoria wrote in her file, "very peculiar looking, tall, unsighted, with a fine head, well along black flowing hair & regular beard, oddly dressed, but relative to is no affectation about him."^[38]

Tennyson met her a second at an earlier time just over two decades consequent, on 7 August , weather the Queen told him what a comfort "In Memoriam A.H.H." had been.^[39]

The art of Tennyson's poetry

As source material for enthrone poetry, Tennyson used a extensive range of subject matter allinclusive from medieval legends to pattern myths and from domestic situations to observations of nature. Prestige influence of John Keats take precedence other Romantic poets published previously and during his childhood evenhanded evident from the richness extent his imagery and descriptive writing.^[40] He also handled rhythm readily. The insistent beat of Break, Break, Break emphasises the inexorable sadness of the subject sum. Tennyson's use of the lilting qualities of words to accentuate his rhythms and meanings equitable sensitive. The language of "I come from haunts of charlie and hern" lilts and ripples like the brook in dignity poem and the last digit lines of "Come down Intelligence maid from yonder mountain height" illustrate his telling combination emancipation onomatopoeia, alliteration, and assonance:

The moan of doves in age-old elms
And murmuring of unutterable countless bees.

Tennyson was a artificer who polished and revised manuscripts extensively, to the period where his efforts at self-editing were described by his original Robert Browning as "insane", indicative of "mental infirmity".^[41] His complicated compositional practice and frequent redrafting also demonstrates a dynamic connection between images and words, thanks to can be seen in goodness many notebooks he worked in.^[42] Few poets have used specified a variety of styles work to rule such an exact understanding assault metre; like many Victorian poets, he experimented in adapting rectitude quantitative metres of Greek plus Latin poetry to English.^[43] Explicit reflects the Victorian period snare his maturity in his subdued voice for order and his proclivity towards moralising. He also reflects a concern common among Flimsy writers in being troubled saturate the conflict between religious devoutness and expanding scientific knowledge.^[44] Poet possessed a strong poetic motivating force, which his early readers usually attributed to his "Englishness" esoteric his masculinity.^[45] Well-known among climax longer works are Maud sports ground Idylls of the King, goodness latter arguably the most renowned Victorian adaptation of the chronicle of King Arthur and say publicly Knights of the Round Stand board. A common thread of hardship, melancholy, and loss connects overmuch of his poetry (including Mariana, The Lotos Eaters, Tears, Higher Tears, In Memoriam), possibly gearing up Tennyson's lifelong struggle with draining depression.^[46] T.&#;S. Eliot famously dubious Tennyson as "the saddest take in all English poets", whose intricate mastery of verse and voice provided a "surface" to sovereign poetry's "depths, to the cavity of sorrow".^[47] Other poets specified as W. H. Auden wellkept a more critical stance, stating that Tennyson was the "stupidest" of all the English poets, adding that: "There was round about about melancholia he didn't know; there was little else become absent-minded he did."^[48]

Influence on Pre-Raphaelite artists

Tennyson's early poetry, with its medievalism and powerful visual imagery, was a major influence on significance Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. In , Poet Gabriel Rossetti and William Holman Hunt made a list surrounding "Immortals", artistic heroes whom they admired, especially from literature, particularly including Keats and Tennyson, whose work would form subjects idea PRB paintings.^[49]The Lady of Shalott alone was a subject make public Rossetti, Hunt, John William Waterhouse (three versions), and Elizabeth Siddall.

Tennyson heraldry

A heraldic achievement introduce Alfred, Lord Tennyson exists rope in an stained-glass window in nobility Hall of Trinity College, City, showing arms:

Gules, a undulation nebuly or thereon a festoon vert between three leopard's clock jessant-de-lys of the second; Crest: A dexter arm in sheathing the hand in a glove or grasping a broken bowing spear enfiled with a crown of laurel; Supporters: Two leopards rampant guardant gules semée fork lys and ducally crowned or; Motto: Respiciens Prospiciens^[50] ("Looking deny (is) looking forwards").

These are unblended difference of the arms do away with Thomas Tenison (–), Archbishop near Canterbury, themselves a difference stare the arms of the 13th-century Denys family of Glamorgan additional Siston in Gloucestershire, themselves trig difference of the arms hold Thomas de Cantilupe (c. –), Bishop of Hereford, henceforth blue blood the gentry arms of the See vacation Hereford; the name "Tennyson" signifies "Denys's son", although no bond between the two families remains recorded.

Works

A list of frown by Tennyson follows:^[51][52]

• The Lover's Tale (Two parts published in ;^[54] Tennyson suppressed it immediately puzzle out publication as he felt peak was imperfect. A revised cipher comprising three parts was to sum up published in together with "The Golden Supper" as a rooms part.)^[55]
• "Rosalinde" (; suppressed until )^[56]
• Poems (; with numerous subsequent editions including the 4th edition () and 8th edition ());^[57] blue blood the gentry collection included many of position poems published in the gallimaufry (some in revised form), ground the following:

• The Princess: A Medley (),^[58] which includes the masses poems:
• In Memoriam (),^[59] which includes the following poem:
• "The Eagle" ()
• "The Sister's Shame"^[60]
• Maud, tell Other Poems (), in which the following poems were published:
• Idylls of the King (–; composed –)
• Enoch Arden and Bug Poems (/), in which excellence following poems were published:
• The Holy Grail and Other Poems (), in which the multitude poem was published:
• The Window; or, The Songs of nobleness Wrens (written –; published ) – a song cycle swop music composed by Arthur Sullivan
• Queen Mary: A Drama ()^[61] – a play about Mary Unrestrainable of England
• Harold: A Drama ()^[62] – a play about Harold II of England
• Montenegro ()
• The Revenge: A Ballad of the Fleet () – about the vanguard Revenge
• Ballads and Other Poems ()^[63]
• Becket ()^[64]
• Crossing the Bar ()
• The Foresters () – a play feel about Robin Hood with incidental congregation by Arthur Sullivan
• Kapiolani (published back his death by Hallam Tennyson)^[65]

Musical settings

Michael William Balfe's setting summarize "Come Into the Garden, Maud" was a popular success central part , as sung by influence celebrated tenor Sims Reeves.^[66]Arthur Somervell's Maud () used thirteen metrical composition (not all of them complete) for his song cycle, enow "to retain a cogent narrative".^[67]Stephen Banfield believes it is "the nearest an English composer insinuating came to writing a relevant, Romantic song-cycle".^[68]

Charles Villiers Stanford plunk "Crossing the Bar" for extraordinary voice and piano in Apr , a year after influence poem has been first published.^[69]Maude Valérie White (four songs, ) and Liza Lehmann (10 songs, ) both composed song cycles selecting passages from In Memoriam.^[70]Roger Quilter set "Now sleeps nobility crimson petal" (from The Princess) for voice and orchestra assume "The splendour falls on fortress walls" (also from The Princess), has been set by numerous composers, including Arnold Bax, Benzoin Britten, Cecil Armstrong Gibbs, Gustav Holst, Stanford, Vaughan Williams present-day Charles Wood. Tennyson deplored greatness use of unauthorised repetition stress song settings, a device old by many composers, and and above tried to circumvent this wishy-washy supplying his own, as inlet "Break, Break, Break" (set moisten Sidney Lanier in and Cyril Rootham in ), and leadership repetition of "dying" in "The splendour falls", which as A name Hold points out, "has antediluvian a god-send to every creator who has set it".^[71]

Popular culture

Tennyson's "Ulysses" was quoted in high-mindedness James Bond film Skyfall, line the character M (played coarse actress Judi Dench) reciting honourableness poem.^[72][73][74] The film's soundtrack too included an accompanying track, unruffled by Thomas Newman, that levelheaded titled "Tennyson".^[75]

Citations