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Last edited by Tom Morris
February 12, 2024 | History

Alfred Lord Tennyson

6 August 1809 - 6 October 1892

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS, much better known as "Alfred, Lord Tennyson," was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular poets in the English language.

Tennyson excelled at penning short lyrics, "In the valley of Cauteretz", "Break, Break, Break", "The Charge of the Light Brigade", "Tears, Idle Tears" and "Crossing the Bar". Much of his verse was based on classical mythological themes, such as Ulysses, although In Memoriam A.H.H. was written to commemorate his best friend Arthur Hallam, a fellow poet and fellow student at Trinity College, Cambridge, who was engaged to Tennyson's sister, but died from a cerebral hemorrhage before they were married. Tennyson also wrote some notable blank verse including Idylls of the King, Ulysses, and Tithonus. During his career, Tennyson attempted drama, but his plays enjoyed little success.

Tennyson wrote a number of phrases that have become commonplaces of the English language, including: "Nature, red in tooth and claw", "'Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all", "Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die", "My strength is as the strength of ten, / Because my heart is pure", "Knowledge comes, but Wisdom lingers", and "The old order changeth, yielding place to new". He is the second most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations after Shakespeare.1

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  • Cover of: Selections from the poems of Tennyson.

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  • Cover of: Select poems of Alfred Tennyson: with memoir, introduction and annotations

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  • Cover of: Seven poems and two translations

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  • Cover of: Alfred, lord Tennyson's men and women
    First published in 1898 3 editions in 1 language — 2 previewable Cover of edition alfredlordtennys00tennuoft

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  • Cover of: Idylls of the King, and other Arthurian poems.

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  • Cover of: Select poems of Alfred lord Tennyson
    First published in 1885 3 editions in 1 language — 1 previewable

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  • Cover of: Select poems of Tennyson
    First published in 1894 3 editions in 1 language — 2 previewable Cover of edition cihm_94111

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  • Cover of: Lancelot and Elaine, and other Idylls of the king

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  • Cover of: A day with the poet Tennyson
    First published in 1905 3 editions in 1 language — 2 previewable Cover of edition daywithpoettenny00tennuoft

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  • Cover of: Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Silver Level

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  • Cover of: In memoriam
    First published in 1862 3 editions in 1 language

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  • Cover of: Poems
    First published in 1833 3 editions in 1 language

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  • Cover of: The Complete Works of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate

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  • Cover of: The Day-dream: With Numerous Original Illus. By W. St. John Harper

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  • Cover of: The Complete Poetical Works of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate

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  • Cover of: Locksley Hall Sixty Years After, The Promise Of May, Tiresias And Other Poems

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  • Cover of: Prentice Hall Literature: Platinum

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  • Cover of: Idylls of the King and a Selection of Poems (Signet Classics)

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  • Cover of: Locksley hall sixty years after
    First published in 1886 3 editions in 1 language — 2 previewable Cover of edition locksleyhallsixt01tenn

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  • Cover of: Selections from the Idylls of the King

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Download catalog record: RDF / JSON
February 12, 2024 Edited by Tom Morris Remove bad AKAs
September 13, 2023 Edited by Tom Morris merge authors
September 3, 2023 Edited by David Scotson Added new photo
March 21, 2022 Edited by JeneeWhitney merge authors
April 1, 2008 Created by an anonymous user initial import