Alfred Lord Tennyson

1809 - 1892

Tennyson - Timeline1809 -- Born at Somersby rectory,

Lincolnshire, fourth son of the rector.1827 -- Poems by Two Brothers with Charles and Edward.-- Enters Trinity College, Cambridge.1829 -- Friendship with Arthur Henry Hallam.-- Member of the "Apostles," a group of young men, at Cambridge.-- Receives chancellor's Gold Medal for prize poem "Timbuctoo".1830 -- Poems Chiefly Lyrical published.1831 -- Father dies.-- Hallam reviews of Poems Chiefly Lyrical.1832 -- Poems published.-- His brother Edward goes insane.1833 -- Hallam dies.1838 -- Engaged to Emily Sellwood.1840 -- Engagement broken off.-- Family moves to Tunbridge Wells.1842 -- Poems revised; his fame established.1843 -- Entire fortune, 3500 pounds, lost on a project to make wood carvings by steam, and his brothers and sisters lose an additional8,000 pounds.1844 -- Has an emotional breakdown.1845 -- Receives Civil List pension of 200 pounds/year.1847 -- "The Princess" published.1849 -- Renews correspondence with Emily Sellwood.

1850 -- In Memoriam published anonymously.-- Marries Emily Sellwood.-- Appointed Poet Laureate.1852 -- Son Hallam born.1853 -- Moves to Farringford, Isle of Wight.1854 -- Son Lionel born.1855 -- Maud; a Monodrama published.1859 -- Idylls of the King published.1862 -- New edition of Idylls dedicated to the memory of Prince Albert.-- Has first audience with Queen Victoria.1869 -- The Holy Grail and Other Poems published.1872 -- Verse novelettes Gareth and Lynette published.1875 -- Queen Mary, a play, published.1880 -- Ballads and Other Poems published.1881 -- The Cup produced, starring Henry Irving and Ellen Terry.1883 -- Accepts barony.1885 -- Tiresias and Other Poems published.1886 -- Locksley Hall Sixty Years After published.-- Son Lionel dies. 1892 -- Dies.

Brief Biography

Alfred Tennyson was born August 6th, 1809, at Somersby, Lincolnshire:

Parents: George and Elizabeth (Fytche) Tennyson.

fourth of twelve children Grandfather made his younger uncle

heir and skipped over Tennyson’s father

Wanted George to enter ministry Not impoverished, but the sight of his

uncle living in a castle made Alfred worry about money all his life

Lifelong fear of mental illness several men in his family had a mild form

of epilepsy thought a shameful disease.

His father and brother Arthur made their cases worse by excessive drinking

Father became paranoid and abusive and violent in the late 1820s

brother Edward had to be confined in a mental institution after 1833

1827 Tennyson he followed his two older brothers to Trinity College, Cambridge

1829 - The Apostles an undergraduate club remainedTennyson's friends all his life met to discuss major philosophical and

other issues

Bio - Hallam

Arthur Hallam most important of these

friendships. knew each other only four

years intense friendship had major

influence on the poet Hallam met and later became

engaged to Emily Tennyson the two friends looked

forward to a life-long companionship

1833 Hallam's death from illness at 22

shocked Tennyson profoundly

grief lead to most of his best poetry:

In Memorium “Passing of

Arthur” “Ulysses” “Tithonus

Bio - Conclusion

Late 1830s: Mental Health worries: visited a sanitarium 1844 as an emotional breakdown.

1842 Poems a success Made him popular 1845 Gained a Civil List (government) pension of £200 a year

1850: Married Emily Sellwood made Poet Laureate

Declined it several times until the Queen herself begged him to accept

Made his the most popular poet of the Victorian era. Even Prince Albert (a big fan) would sometimes drop by

unannounced Long-lived like most of his family (no matter how unhealthy

they seemed Tennyson died on October 6, 1892, at the age of 83.

Themes

Having faith and Keeping faith Faith and loyalty are essential Keeping them is hard

tenuous Subjective irrational

men and their societies must be founded on many faiths: between ruler and ruled man and woman to each other worshipper and God In and to one’s self

Themes

Tennyson is sceptical about man's capacity to have and keep faith: the destruction of an ideal when men

do not keep faith: "The Passing of Arthur,“

makes it quite clear how the Round Table failed

offers some cause for hope: presents the trials, triumphs, and

conversion of the ordinary man: Sir Bedivere.

Themes

The problem of Science: In this matter, Tennyson is a typical

Victorian: deep interest in contemporary science vs. an

unorthodox, often contradictory, Christian belief.

Tennysonian ideas of evolution: Ie: passage from “Idylls…”:The old order changeth, yielding place to new,

And God fulfills Himself in many ways,Lest one good custom should corrupt the world,

Themes

A nearly self-conscious sense of public responsibility: Example : “Charge of the Light Brigade”

"an eagerness [on the part of British public opinion] to find heroes in a wasteful war.

a victory for courage rather than a defeat through stupidity and blunder

Tennyson’s account: "was written after reading the first report of the

Times correspondent . . . my poem is dactylic, and founded on the phrase, 'Some one had blundered.' " (Poems, II, 369).

Tennyson made it quite clear that the charge was the result of someone's foolish mistake,

Public nonetheless took it as a great piece of poetic glorification

Did You Know?

Tennyson was extremely near-sighted

He had trouble even seeing to eat without the aid of a monocle

Would compose most of his work in his head

Would only write them down at the urging of others