tennyson.htm

Tennyson was born in Somersby Rectory, Lincolnshire, August 5th, 1809 to the Reverend and Mrs. George Clayton Tennyson LL.D. He was one of twelve children, three of which were poets: Frederick Tennyson, Charles Tennyson-Turner and (himself) Alfred Baron Tennyson. The lineage of this poetically talented family traces back to the Tennysons d'Eyncourt. Both of his parents were considered to have poetic blood.

He was brought up on dreams and books and as a child he played imaginatively at being chivalrous knights, which was then transferred onto slates in the form of poems. Alfred was a huge fan of Byron and despaired when he died. Even going so far as to carve "Byron is dead!" on the sandstone to mark what he saw as the end of the world.

Tennyson's first poem: "The Flowers in the Garden", was instigated by his brother Charles and based on Thomson's "Seasons". It was the first time he realised that he could write poetry. Ironically, when a child, his grandfather told him his poetry never would earn him money. Little did his grandfather know how revered Alfred would become. He was successful from the beginning and earned ten pounds for his first volume of poetry (a lot of money in the early 19th century - certainly unheard of for a first volume). It was published by J and J Jackson, of Louth.

He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge and in 1828 he earned a prize for "Timbuctoo" there. Whilst at college he became friends with Arthur Hallum (an invaluable alliance for his future promotion). Also he wrote "The Lover's Tale" (published 1879) whilst studying.

"Poems, chiefly lyrical," 1830 was the first work that contained the characteristics of Tennyson that he is known for today. Hallam wrote about this particular piece in "Englishman's Magazine" in 1831, which undoubtedly gave Tennyson the exposure he needed so early on in his career.

He was admired for his genius by such writers as Carlyle, Thackeray, Sterling, Landor as well as many other famous literary men of his time. Wordsworth even went so far as to say that he was the first of their living poets.

In 1842 the public were awakened to the fact that Tennyson was in their midst by two volumes of poems that were published at this time. The volumes contained some reprints from previous volumes married with new poems such as "The two voices", "Dora", "Lady Clare" and "Ulysses". As a result of the success of these works, Tennyson was granted a pension of £200 a year by Sir Robert Peel. This success brought out more critics of Tennyson such as Lord Lytton who said that he 'out-babied Wordsworth and out glittered Keats'. Tennyson was not bothered but merely suggested that the jealousy that Lord Lytton held because of his "stillborn "King Arthur" " [Tennyson]

In 1850 three major events took place in Tennyson's life. Firstly he published "In Memoriam" (one of his most successful volumes), Secondly he married Miss Emily Sellwood (niece of Sir John Franklin) and finally he was appointed his Laureateship on November 19th.

Later Tennyson's work had music written to it and was performed on stage at The Globe Theatre, London. He also wrote plays: eg. "The Foresters".

In 1883 Tennyson embarked on a sea voyage with Mr. Gladstone on which he was entertained by royalty such as the King and Queen of Denmark, the Czar and Czarina, the King and Queen of Greece and the Princess of Wales. He was later honoured to the highest degree of any poet in England with the title: Baron of Aldworth and Farringford, which he gained on January 18th 1884.

He was compared with Shakespeare who was considered to be the only person whose comprehensiveness could be compared to Tennyson. He was also known as the most learned poet since Milton. He was seen as one of the 'immortals' of literature along with Homer, Dante, Chaucer, Spenser, Shakespeare, Milton, Shelley, Keats and Wordsworth.

He wrote in dialects appropriate to the poem written. He could write in 'flowery' English as well as in 'uncouth' dialects and applied them accordingly showing the genius with which he wrote. His only real limitation was the fact that he had an inability to express the dramatic. However, Tennyson became a master of bitter satire as well as writing accomplished works about faeries and beauty.

Tennyson was a teacher, he balanced the old with the new and acted as a mediator between them. He was not a traditionalist but he understood the value of traditional writing. He was interested in the scientific movements of the time but was not absorbed by it (although science is akin to art in its nature of discovery). He embraced change but believed that it should be built on the basis of the old and progress slowly, therefore more completely.

He was a spiritual man who was said to be acquainted with his soul and saw the world clearly enough to interpret it in such a successful manner, a manner which anyone could understand. He saw the passionate and picturesque aspects of life whilst signifying the moral and spiritual significance of it.

His modesty and humility were evident in the way that he would read all his criticisms and where appropriate he would compliment the writer without hesitation. For example he wrote to the Rev. Professor Rentoul of Melbourne, Australia saying that a lecture by him was the best estimate of his poems that he had ever read.

Tennyson's success was perhaps due to the passion he possessed along with his ability to express, using poetry, the intricacies of life clearly. He still had an artist's soul which is a rarity in itself let alone that it should be recognised and cherished by so many during his lifetime. He is one person of whom it can be said that he was a poet by birth, and once a poet he was always a poet. He has been an inspiration to many creative people even in his death for example Forestier drew a picture entitled "The Late Lord Tennyson: The Last Idyll." Also the poets from the Laureateship wrote poems (perhaps too swiftly in some cases) dedicated to his memory.

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