English Literature - Victorian Poetry

CONTEXT - ALFRED TENNYSON

~ 1809 - 1892 ~

• Worried about money
• His father had a long streak of mental instability (drink & drugs) 

• History of epilepsy (considered a shameful disease)
• Mildly enthusiastic with foreign politics 

• Intense 4 year friendship with Arthur Henry Hallam
* Depression after Hallam died young in 1833 

• His short-sightedness meant he composed many poems mentally which reflected in his structure

• Considered one of the headlining poets of the Victorian era
* Awarded the title Poet Laureate in 1850 (year that 131 sections of In Memoriam were published)

WHAT POEMS DID HE WRITE (THAT WE STUDY)?

~ 1850 ~

•In Memoriam: VII 'Dark House by which once more I stand
• In Memoriam: XCV 'By night we linger'd on the lawn'

~ 1855 ~
• Maud: I.xi 'O let the solid ground'
• Maud: I.xviii 'I have led her home, my love, my only friend'
• Maud: I.xxii 'Come into the garden Maud'
• Maud: II.iv 'O that it were posiible'

WHAT STYLE / THEMES / TYPES OF TECHNIQUE DOES TENNYSON USE?

• Some crossovers from Romantic era - spirituality | nature

•  Uses emotional imagery and poetic form in order to express pain

• Concrete images for concepts
• Madness
• Murder
• Avarice
• Miserliness
• Social climbing
• Arranged marriages (money > love)
• Estrangements between family & friends
• Focused more on rhythm & language than discursive meaning
• Found inspiration from Keats and was often criticised for his feminine writing style
• Trances