‘Tennyson is at His Best in His Lyrical and Descriptive Poems’. -Explain with Illustrations.

    Alfred Lord Tennyson is known as one of the greatest poets of the Victorian era. His works are varied and range from long narrative poems to short lyrical pieces. However, it can be argued that Tennyson is at his best in his lyrical and descriptive poems. In this article, we will explore Tennyson's life and works to explain why this is the case, with illustrations from some of his most famous poems.

    Tennyson was born in 1809 in Somersby, Lincolnshire, England. He was the fourth of twelve children and grew up in a family that valued literature and the arts. Tennyson's early poetry was heavily influenced by the Romantic poets, particularly William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. However, as he matured as a poet, Tennyson developed his own distinctive style.

The Lyrical Excellence of Tennyson’s Poetry:

     One of Tennyson's most famous lyrical poems is "The Lady of Shalott." The poem tells the story of a young woman who is cursed to weave a tapestry in a tower and is forbidden to look out at the world. However, she eventually sees Sir Lancelot riding by and is so entranced by him that she leaves her tower and dies. The poem is characterized by its vivid imagery and lyrical language. For example, in the opening stanza, Tennyson describes the Lady of Shalott's tower as

"Four gray walls, and four gray towers,

Overlook a space of flowers,

And the silent isle imbowers

The Lady of Shalott."

The use of alliteration and repetition creates a sense of rhythm and musicality that is characteristic of Tennyson's lyrical style. Similarly, in the final stanza, Tennyson describes the Lady of Shalott's death in lyrical and evocative language. He writes:

"And at the closing of the day

She loosed the chain, and down she lay;

The broad stream bore her far away,

The Lady of Shalott."

The use of repetition and the simple, declarative sentences create a sense of finality and closure that is both poignant and beautiful.

    Another of Tennyson's famous lyrical poems is "Crossing the Bar." The poem is a meditation on death and the afterlife, and is characterized by its simple yet powerful language. For example, in the opening stanza, Tennyson writes:

"Sunset and evening star,

And one clear call for me!

And may there be no moaning of the bar,

When I put out to sea."

The use of repetition and the simple, declarative sentences create a sense of calm and acceptance that is characteristic of Tennyson's lyrical style. Similarly, in the final stanza, Tennyson describes his own death in simple and evocative language. He writes:

"I hope to see my Pilot face to face

When I have crost the bar."

 The use of metaphor and the simple, declarative sentences create a sense of peace and acceptance that is both moving and powerful.

    In addition to his lyrical poems, Tennyson is also known for his descriptive poetry. One of his most famous descriptive poems is "The Eagle." The poem is a short, powerful description of an eagle in flight, and is characterized by its vivid imagery and precise language. For example, Tennyson writes:

"He clasps the crag with crooked hands;

Close to the sun in lonely lands,

Ring'd with the azure world, he stands."

The use of alliteration and vivid imagery creates a sense of the eagle's power and majesty. Similarly, in "The Brook," Tennyson uses descriptive language to create a vivid picture of a small stream. He writes:

"I chatter over stony ways,

In little sharps and trebles,

I bubble into eddying bays,

I babble on the pebbles."

The use of onomatopoeia and vivid imagery creates a sense of the brook's movement and vitality.

    In conclusion, Alfred Lord Tennyson is at his best in his lyrical and descriptive poems. His works are characterized by their vivid imagery, precise language, and musicality. Whether he is describing the flight of an eagle or the death of a poet, Tennyson's poetry is always evocative and powerful. His works continue to be celebrated today as some of the greatest examples of Victorian poetry.