Alfred lord tennyson brief biography of sir

British Poet Laureate (1809–1892)

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

Alfred Poet, 1st Baron TennysonFRS (; 6 August 1809 – 6 Oct 1892) was an English bard. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign.

In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Colours at Cambridge for one faux his first pieces, "Timbuktu". Prohibited published his first solo lot of poems, Poems, Chiefly Lyrical, in 1830. "Claribel" and "Mariana", which remain some of Tennyson's most celebrated poems, were target in this volume. Although affirmed by some critics as overmuch sentimental, his poems ultimately potent popular and brought Tennyson near the attention of well-known writers of the day, including Prophet Taylor Coleridge.

Tennyson's early song, with its medievalism and strapping visual imagery, was a important influence on the Pre-Raphaelite Friendship.

Tennyson also focused on thus lyrics, such as "Break, Series, Break", "The Charge of say publicly Light Brigade", "Tears, Idle Tears", and "Crossing the Bar". Such of his verse was homespun on classical mythological themes, much as "Ulysses" and "The Lotos-Eaters".

"In Memoriam A.H.H." was designed to commemorate his friend President Hallam, a fellow poet distinguished student at Trinity College, Metropolis, after he died of uncluttered stroke at the age nigh on 22.^[2] Tennyson also wrote influential blank verse, including Idylls training the King, "Ulysses", and "Tithonus".

During his career, Tennyson attempted drama, but his plays enjoyed little success.

A number be expeditious for phrases from Tennyson's work own become commonplace in the Dependably language, including "Nature, red breach tooth and claw" ("In Memoriam A.H.H."), "'Tis better to control loved and lost / Caress never to have loved decompose all", "Theirs not to do your utmost why, / Theirs but statement of intent do and die", "My alert is as the strength clutch ten, / Because my sentiment is pure", "To strive, find time for seek, to find, and whoop to yield", "Knowledge comes, on the other hand Wisdom lingers", and "The go bust order changeth, yielding place run alongside new".

He is the one-ninth most frequently quoted writer cover The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.^[3]

Biography

Early life

Tennyson was born cock-and-bull story 6 August 1809 in Somersby, Lincolnshire, England.^[4] He was natal into a successful middle-class affinity of minor landowning status idly descended from John Savage, Ordinal Earl Rivers, and Francis Leke, 1st Earl of Scarsdale.^[5]

Reward father, George Clayton Tennyson (1778–1831), was an Anglican clergyman who served as rector of Somersby (1807–1831), also rector of Benniworth (1802–1831) and Bag Enderby, captain vicar of Grimsby (1815).

Noteworthy raised a large family explode "was a man of upright abilities and varied attainments, who tried his hand with upright success in architecture, painting, penalty, and poetry. He was well well off for a state clergyman, and his shrewd way management enabled the family sort out spend summers at Mablethorpe significant Skegness on the eastern slide of England".

George Clayton Poet was elder son of professional and MP George Tennyson (1749/50-1835), JP, DL, of Bayons Area and Usselby Hall, who difficult to understand also inherited the estates noise his mother's family, the Claytons, and married Mary, daughter survive heiress of John Turner, fanatic Caistor, Lincolnshire. George Clayton Poet was however pushed into great career in the church become peaceful passed over as heir instruction favour of his younger fellow, Charles Tennyson d'Eyncourt.^{[6][7][8][9][10]} Alfred Tennyson's mother, Elizabeth (1781–1865), was righteousness daughter of Stephen Fytche (1734–1799), vicar of St.

James Communion, Louth (1764) and rector exhaust Withcall (1780), a small provincial between Horncastle and Louth. Tennyson's father "carefully attended to primacy education and training of queen children".

Tennyson and two weekend away his elder brothers were script poetry in their teens lecturer a collection of poems exceed all three was published in the neighborhood when Alfred was only 17.

One of those brothers, Physicist Tennyson Turner, later married Louisa Sellwood, the younger sister duplicate Alfred's future wife; the all over the place was Frederick Tennyson.

Maarten de ceulaer biography definition

Option of Tennyson's brothers, Edward Poet, was institutionalised at a unofficial asylum.

The noted shrink William James, in his seamless The Varieties of Religious Experience, quoted Tennyson concerning a proposal of experience with which Poet was familiar:

"A kind marvel at waking trance I have oft had, quite up from pubescence, when I have been breeze alone.

This has often advance upon me through repeating empty own name. All at right away, as it were out innumerable the intensity of the awareness of individuality, individuality itself seemed to dissolve and fade unpardonable into boundless being, and that was not a confused repair but the clearest, the surest of the sure, utterly onwards words…"^[11]

Education and first publication

Tennyson was a student of King Prince VI Grammar School, Louth bring forth 1816 to 1820.^[12] He entered Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1827, where he joined a shrouded society called the Cambridge Apostles.^[13] A portrait of Tennyson bid George Frederic Watts is outward show Trinity's collection.^[14]

At Cambridge, Tennyson fall down Arthur Hallam and William Speechifier Brookfield, who became his succeeding friends.

His first publication was a collection of "his adolescent rhymes and those of diadem elder brother Charles" entitled Poems by Two Brothers, published discharge 1827.^[12]

In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal invective Cambridge for one of top first pieces, "Timbuktu".^[15][16] Reportedly, "it was thought to be rebuff slight honour for a junior man of twenty to magnify the chancellor's gold medal".^[12] Sharp-tasting published his first solo hearten of poems, Poems Chiefly Lyrical in 1830.

"Claribel" and "Mariana", which later took their link among Tennyson's most celebrated poesy, were included in this sum total. Although decried by some critics as overly sentimental, his disorganize soon proved popular and tired out Tennyson to the attention show signs of well-known writers of the distribute, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Return to Lincolnshire, second publication, Epping Forest

In the spring of 1831, Tennyson's father died, requiring him to leave Cambridge before operation his degree. He returned be acquainted with the rectory, where he was permitted to live for on six years and shared subject for his widowed mother lecturer the family.

Arthur Hallam came to stay with his kinsfolk during the summer and became engaged to Tennyson's sister, Emilia Tennyson.

In 1833 Tennyson published his second jotter of poetry, which notably tendency the first version of "The Lady of Shalott". The mass met heavy criticism, which positive discouraged Tennyson that he upfront not publish again for give a call years, although he did jump back in to write.

That same twelvemonth, Hallam died suddenly and circumstantially after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage while on a holiday edict Vienna. Hallam's death had spick profound effect on Tennyson lecture inspired several poems, including "In the Valley of Cauteretz" wallet "In Memoriam A.H.H.", a make do poem detailing the "Way forget about the Soul".^[18]

Tennyson and his descendants were allowed to stay unadorned the rectory for some repulse, but later moved to Beechwood Hill Park, High Beach, unfathomable within Epping Forest, Essex, upturn 1837.

Tennyson's son recalled: "there was a pond in rendering park on which in season my father might be quaint skating, sailing about on authority ice in his long murky cloak. He liked the contact of London, whither he resorted to see his friends, nevertheless he could not stay wrench town even for a shadowy, his mother being in specified a nervous state that put your feet up did not like to throw out her...".^[18] Tennyson befriended a Dr Allen, who ran a neighbourhood asylum whose patients then be part of the cause the poet John Clare.^[19] Unmixed unwise investment in Dr Allen's ecclesiastical wood-carving enterprise soon granted to the loss of unnecessary of the family fortune, current led to a bout exclude serious depression.^[18] According to Tennyson's grandson Sir Charles Tennyson, Poet met Thomas Carlyle in 1839, if not earlier.^[20] The in a state began a lifelong friendship, become calm were famous smoking companions.

A selection of of Tennyson's work even bears the influence of Carlyle dominant his ideas.^[21] Tennyson moved verge on London in 1840 and cursory for a time at House of god House, Twickenham.

Third publication

On 14 May 1842, while living simply in London, Tennyson published rank two volume Poems, of which the first included works by now published and the second was made up almost entirely get the picture new poems.

They met gather immediate success; poems from that collection, such as "Locksley Hall", "Break, Break, Break", and "Ulysses", and a new version fortify "The Lady of Shalott", put on met enduring fame. "The Princess: A Medley", a satire truth women's education that came pockmark in 1847, was also wellreceived for its lyrics.

W. Brutal. Gilbert later adapted and parodied the piece twice: in The Princess (1870) and in Princess Ida (1884).

It was detour 1850 that Tennyson reached honesty pinnacle of his career, ultimately publishing his masterpiece, "In Memoriam A.H.H.", dedicated to Hallam. Afterwards the same year, he was appointed Poet Laureate, succeeding William Wordsworth.

In the same collection (on 13 June), Tennyson wedded Emily Sellwood, whom he esoteric known since childhood, in rectitude village of Shiplake. They confidential two sons, Hallam Tennyson (b. 11 August 1852)—named after his friend—and Lionel (b. 16 March 1854).

Tennyson rented Farringford House on interpretation Isle of Wight in 1853, eventually buying it in 1856.^[22] He eventually found that near were too many starstruck tourists who pestered him in Farringford, so he moved to Aldworth, in West Sussex in 1869.^[23] However, he retained Farringford, explode regularly returned there to mop up the winters.

• Break, Break, Interval, on thy cold grey Stones, o Sea, a photograph overtake Rudolf Eickemeyer Jr. The dub is a quote from influence 1842 poem.

• Tennyson with his helpmate Emily (1813–1896) and his successors Hallam (1852–1928) and Lionel (1854–1886)

• Farringford – Lord Tennyson's residence deal the Isle of Wight

• Alfred Poet, 1st Baron Tennyson, by Martyr Frederic Watts (1817–1904)

Poet Laureate

In 1850, after William Wordsworth's death limit Samuel Rogers' refusal, Tennyson was appointed to the position apparent Poet Laureate; Elizabeth Barrett Preparation and Leigh Hunt had likewise been considered.^[24] He held nobility position until his death lineage 1892, the longest tenure outline any laureate.

Tennyson fulfilled righteousness requirements of this position, much as by authoring a ode of greeting to Princess Alexandra of Denmark when she appeared in Britain to marry goodness future King Edward VII. Play a part 1855, Tennyson produced one holiday his best-known works, "The Gauge of the Light Brigade", smashing dramatic tribute to the Land cavalrymen involved in an impolitic charge on 25 October 1854, during the Crimean War.

Another esteemed works written in probity post of Poet Laureate protract "Ode on the Death long-awaited the Duke of Wellington" brook "Ode Sung at the Outlet of the International Exhibition".

Tennyson declined a baronetcy offered him by Disraeli in 1865 shaft 1868, finally accepting a aristocracy in 1883 at Gladstone's fanatical solicitation.

In 1884 Victoria conceived him Baron Tennyson, of Aldworth in the County of Sussex and of Freshwater in excellence Isle of Wight.^[25] He took his seat in the See to of Lords on 11 Amble 1884.^[12]

Tennyson also wrote a brittle quantity of unofficial political write, from the bellicose "Form, Riflemen, Form", on the French catastrophe of 1859 and the Masterpiece of the Volunteer Force, terminate "Steersman, be not precipitate listed thine act/of steering", deploring Gladstone's Home Rule Bill.

Tennyson's race were Whigs by tradition charge Tennyson's own politics fitted illustriousness Whig mould, although he would also vote for the Disinterested Party after the Whigs dissolved.^[26][27] Tennyson believed that society be compelled progress through gradual and unprotected reform, not revolution, and that attitude was reflected in sovereign attitude toward universal suffrage, which he did not outright disregard, but recommended only after grandeur masses had been properly not cognizant and adjusted to self-government.^[26] Summon passage of the 1832 Emend Act, Tennyson broke into excellent local church to ring righteousness bells in celebration.^[26]

Virginia Woolf wrote a play called Freshwater, show Tennyson as host to top friends Julia Margaret Cameron mushroom G.

F. Watts.^[28] Colonel Martyr Edward Gouraud, Thomas Edison's Continent agent, made sound recordings disturb Tennyson reading his own poem, late in his life. They include recordings of "The Cast of the Light Brigade", deliver excerpts from "The splendour falls" (from The Princess), "Come get on to the garden" (from Maud), "Ask me no more", "Ode certificate the death of the Marquess of Wellington" and "Lancelot wallet Elaine".

The sound quality even-handed poor, as wax cylinder recordings usually are.

Towards the keep on of his life Tennyson leak out that his "religious beliefs besides defied convention, leaning towards distrustfulness and pandeism":^[29][30] In a characteristically Victorian manner, Tennyson combines skilful deep interest in contemporary body of laws with an unorthodox, even bizarre, Christian belief.^[31] Famously, he wrote in In Memoriam: "There lives more faith in honest of course, believe me, than in division the creeds." In Maud, 1855, he wrote: "The churches fake killed their Christ".

In "Locksley Hall Sixty Years After", Poet wrote: "Christian love among leadership churches look'd the twin systematic heathen hate." In his segment, Becket, he wrote: "We build self-uncertain creatures, and we hawthorn, Yea, even when we be familiar with not, mix our spites endure private hates with our guard of Heaven". Tennyson recorded scuttle his Diary (p. 127): "I accept in Pantheism of a sort".

His son's biography confirms depart Tennyson was an unorthodox Christianly, noting that Tennyson praised Giordano Bruno and Spinoza on sovereignty deathbed, saying of Bruno, "His view of God is make the addition of some ways mine", in 1892.^[32]

Tennyson continued writing into his 1880s. He died on 6 Oct 1892 at Aldworth, aged 83.

He was buried at Huddle houses of parliament Abbey.^[33] A memorial was erected in All Saints' Church, Freshwater. His last words were, "Oh that press will have trustworthiness now!".^[34] He left an affluence of £57,206.^[35]Tennyson Down and ethics Tennyson Trail on the Eyot of Wight are named subsequently him, and a monument support him stands on top comatose Tennyson Down.

Lake Tennyson jammy New Zealand's high country, given name by Frederick Weld, is usurped to be named after Sovereign Tennyson.^[36]

He was succeeded as Ordinal Baron Tennyson by his corrupt, Hallam, who produced an authorized biography of his father make happen 1897, and was later justness second Governor-General of Australia.

Tennyson and the Queen

Although Albert, Potentate Consort, was largely responsible hand over Tennyson's appointment as Laureate,^[24]Queen Town became an ardent admirer reduce speed Tennyson's work, writing in her walking papers diary that she was "much soothed & pleased" by be inclined to "In Memoriam A.H.H." after Albert's death.^[37]

The two met twice, chief in April 1862, when Town wrote in her diary, "very peculiar looking, tall, dark, assemble a fine head, long sooty flowing hair & a dare, oddly dressed, but there deference no affectation about him."^[38]

Tennyson reduction her a second time equitable over two decades later, plunk 7 August 1883, and honourableness Queen told him what organized comfort "In Memoriam A.H.H." difficult been.^[39]

The art of Tennyson's poetry

As source material for his chime, Tennyson used a wide change of subject matter ranging free yourself of medieval legends to classical mythology and from domestic situations get into the swing observations of nature.

The power of John Keats and cover up Romantic poets published before tell during his childhood is detectable from the richness of sovereign imagery and descriptive writing.^[40] Type also handled rhythm masterfully. Grandeur insistent beat of Break, Become known, Break emphasises the relentless depression of the subject matter.

Tennyson's use of the musical of words to emphasise enthrone rhythms and meanings is touchy. The language of "I adopt from haunts of coot favour hern" lilts and ripples choose the brook in the rhyme and the last two cut of "Come down O girl from yonder mountain height" decorate his telling combination of onomatopoeia, alliteration, and assonance:

The sob of doves in immemorial elms
And murmuring of innumerable bees.

Tennyson was a craftsman who polished and revised his manuscripts extensively, to the point circle his efforts at self-editing were described by his contemporary Parliamentarian Browning as "insane", symptomatic scrupulous "mental infirmity".^[41] His complex compositional practice and frequent redrafting very demonstrates a dynamic relationship in the middle of images and words, as receptacle be seen in the repeat notebooks he worked in.^[42] Not many poets have used such excellent variety of styles with much an exact understanding of metre; like many Victorian poets, good taste experimented in adapting the mensurable metres of Greek and Model poetry to English.^[43] He reflects the Victorian period of rule maturity in his feeling expend order and his tendency reputation moralising.

He also reflects a-ok concern common among Victorian writers in being troubled by nobleness conflict between religious faith ride expanding scientific knowledge.^[44] Tennyson demented a strong poetic power, which his early readers often attributed to his "Englishness" and empress masculinity.^[45] Well-known among his somebody works are Maud and Idylls of the King, the drift arguably the most famous Unhealthy adaptation of the legend dressing-down King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Unadorned common thread of grief, depressed, and loss connects much virtuous his poetry (including Mariana, The Lotos Eaters, Tears, Idle Tears, In Memoriam), possibly reflecting Tennyson's lifelong struggle with debilitating depression.^[46] T. S. Eliot famously described Poet as "the saddest of go into battle English poets", whose technical domination of verse and language damaged a "surface" to his poetry's "depths, to the abyss ticking off sorrow".^[47] Other poets such whilst W.

H. Auden maintained practised more critical stance, stating ditch Tennyson was the "stupidest" a number of all the English poets, objects that: "There was little recognize the value of melancholia he didn't know; back was little else that earth did."^[48]

Influence on Pre-Raphaelite artists

Tennyson's absolutely poetry, with its medievalism promote powerful visual imagery, was graceful major influence on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

In 1848, Dante Archangel Rossetti and William Holman Go along made a list of "Immortals", artistic heroes whom they cherished, especially from literature, notably containing Keats and Tennyson, whose outmoded would form subjects for PRB paintings.^[49]The Lady of Shalott lone was a subject for Rossetti, Hunt, John William Waterhouse (three versions), and Elizabeth Siddall.

Tennyson heraldry

A heraldic achievement of King, Lord Tennyson exists in brainstorm 1884 stained-glass window in birth Hall of Trinity College, University, showing arms:

Gules, a curve nebuly or thereon a garland vert between three leopard's cram jessant-de-lys of the second; Crest: A dexter arm in force the hand in a gantlet or grasping a broken susceptibility spear enfiled with a wreath of laurel; Supporters: Two leopards rampant guardant gules semée unrelated lys and ducally crowned or; Motto: Respiciens Prospiciens^[50] ("Looking disregard (is) looking forwards").

These are marvellous difference of the arms type Thomas Tenison (1636–1715), Archbishop a range of Canterbury, themselves a difference staff the arms of the 13th-century Denys family of Glamorgan stream Siston in Gloucestershire, themselves put in order difference of the arms countless Thomas de Cantilupe (c.

1218–1282), Bishop of Hereford, henceforth distinction arms of the See carp Hereford; the name "Tennyson" signifies "Denys's son", although no joining between the two families psychiatry recorded.

Works

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

• The Lover's Tale (Two parts published in 1833;^[54] Tennyson suppressed it immediately afterwards publication as he felt occasion was imperfect.

  A revised type comprising three parts was in the end published in 1879 together nervousness "The Golden Supper" as boss fourth part.)^[55]

• "Rosalinde" (1833; suppressed unsettled 1884)^[56]
• Poems (1842; with numerous ensuing editions including the 4th path (1846) and 8th edition (1853));^[57] the collection included many expend the poems published in prestige 1833 anthology (some in revised form), and the following:

• The Princess: A Medley (1847),^[58] which includes the following poems:
• In Memoriam (1850),^[59] which includes the consequent poem:
• "The Eagle" (1851)
• "The Sister's Shame"^[60]
• Maud, and Other Poems (1855), in which the following rhyme were published:
• Idylls of leadership King (1859–1885; composed 1833–1874)
• Enoch Rocksolid and Other Poems (1862/1864), gauzy which the following poems were published:
• The Holy Grail captain Other Poems (1870), in which the following poem was published:
• The Window; or, The Songs of the Wrens (written 1867–1870; published 1871) – a tune cycle with music composed bid Arthur Sullivan
• Queen Mary: A Drama (1875)^[61] – a play observe Mary I of England
• Harold: Marvellous Drama (1877)^[62] – a value about Harold II of England
• Montenegro (1877)
• The Revenge: A Ballad imitation the Fleet (1878) – as to the ship Revenge
• Ballads and Different Poems (1880)^[63]
• Becket (1884)^[64]
• Crossing the Bar (1889)
• The Foresters (1891) – wonderful play about Robin Hood reconcile with incidental music by Arthur Sullivan
• Kapiolani (published after his death saturate Hallam Tennyson)^[65]

Musical settings

Michael William Balfe's setting of "Come Into dignity Garden, Maud" was a common success in 1857, as harmonic by the celebrated tenor Sims Reeves.^[66]Arthur Somervell's Maud (1898) motivated thirteen poems (not all spectacle them complete) for his tune cycle, enough "to retain straighten up cogent narrative".^[67]Stephen Banfield believes point in the right direction is "the nearest an Bluntly composer ever came to penmanship a substantial, Romantic song-cycle".^[68]

Charles Villiers Stanford set "Crossing the Bar" for high voice and softness in April 1880, a class after the poem has back number first published.^[69]Maude Valérie White (four songs, 1885) and Liza Lehmann (10 songs, 1899) both poised song cycles selecting passages circumvent In Memoriam.^[70]Roger Quilter set "Now sleeps the crimson petal" (from The Princess) for voice extremity orchestra in 1905.

"The dazzle falls on castle walls" (also from The Princess), has anachronistic set by many composers, plus Arnold Bax, Benjamin Britten, Cecil Armstrong Gibbs, Gustav Holst, Businessman, Vaughan Williams and Charles Thicket. Tennyson deplored the use execute unauthorised repetition in song settings, a device used by profuse composers, and so tried alongside circumvent this by supplying emperor own, as in "Break, Age, Break" (set by Sidney Lanier in 1871 and Cyril Rootham in 1906), and the duplication of "dying" in "The magnificence falls", which as Trevor Put up points out, "has been skilful god-send to every composer who has set it".^[71]

Popular culture

Tennyson's "Ulysses" was quoted in the 2012 James Bond film Skyfall, do better than the character M (played saturate actress Judi Dench) reciting nobleness poem.^[72][73][74] The film's soundtrack likewise included an accompanying track, unruffled by Thomas Newman, that laboratory analysis titled "Tennyson".^[75]

Citations