1. Alfred Lord Tennyson 1909-1892

2. Background  Born August 6, 1809. at Somersby  Several men in his family had mental and physical problems: epilepsy, insanity, excessive drinking  Tennyson’s father was abusive and violent

3. Cambridge  Tennyson attended Trinity College, Cambridge  Invited to join The Apostles, an undergraduate club.  This group included his lifelong friends.  Most important friendship was with Arthur Hallam. He and Tennyson knew each other for only four years, but their intense friendship had a major influence on the poet.  Hallam’s death in 1833 when he was only 22 lead to his best poetry, including In Memoriam.

4. 1830 and 1832 Poems  In 1830, Tennyson published Poems, Chiefly Lyrical  Poems (1832 and 1833) were attacked by critics as obscure and affected.  Criticism kept Tennyson from publishing again for another nine years.

5. 1842 Poems  Established Tennyson’s career as a writer  This volume includes “The Lady of Shalott,” “The Lotus Eaters,” and “Ulysses.”

6. In Memoriam  Tennyson’s greatest poem  Published in 1850  Represents his struggle with Hallam’s death and with the new developments in astronomy, biology, and geology that were diminishing man’s stature in the universe.  After publication of this poem, Tennyson was named Poet Laureate.

7. Tennyson’s Later Poetry  Tennyson’s later poetry follows a narrative style  Several poems dealt with national affairs  By this time, Tennyson was established as the most popular poet of the Victorian period. The money from his poetry allowed him to purchase a house in the country and write in seclusion.  His appearance enhanced his notoriety.

8. Idylls of the King  Large-scale epic poem that occupied the second half of his career.  Uses the Arthurian legend to construct a vision of the rise and fall of civilization.  Tennyson’s most extensive social vision.

9. Themes in Tennyson’s Poetry  The divided self  Links external scenery to interior states of mind.  The historical past  The mythological past  Tennyson’s personal past  Geological time and evolutionary history  Social and political concerns

10. Tennyson’s Reputation  Tennyson was the most popular poet in England in his own day  He was the target of mockery by his immediate successors, the Edwardians and Georgians.  Today, many critics consider Tennyson to be the greatest poet of the Victorian Age.

11. Images of Tennyson