Tennyson – Page 3 – Interesting Literature

A Short Analysis of Tennyson’s ‘The Kraken’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-92) didn’t write many sonnets, despite being a prolific poet (the definitive edition of his Poems spans three thick volumes). But ‘The Kraken’ is probably his most resounding success with the sonnet form, though whether it is a sonnet is open to debate. In this post we offer a brief analysis of ‘The Kraken’ in terms of its language, form, meaning, and imagery.

The Kraken

Below the thunders of the upper deep,
Far, far beneath in the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep
The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee
About his shadowy sides; above him swell
Huge sponges of millennial growth and height;

A Short Analysis of Tennyson’s ‘Break, Break, Break’

Dr Oliver Tearle’s summary of one of Tennyson’s greatest short poems

‘Break, break, break’: as opening lines go, it’s memorable for repeating the same word three times and allowing no variation on the rhythm or metre. Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) wrote many of his greatest poems in response to the sudden death of a close friend in 1833. ‘Break, Break, Break’ is one such poem. Below is the poem, followed by a few words of analysis, addressing the poem’s language, meaning, imagery, and structure.

10 Classic Tennyson Poems Everyone Should Read

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

Alfred, Lord Tennyson lived a long time, and wrote a great deal of poetry. The definitive edition of his Poems stretches to three large volumes. Nevertheless, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to choose ten of the best Tennyson poems, ranging from his narrative poems to lyrics and elegies and everything in between.

For those who wish to learn more about Tennyson, we’ve previously treated his interesting life and work here. To enter a world of myth, magic, and emotional depth, follow the links we’ve provided to each poem. Are these the greatest poems Tennyson wrote? Obviously any link will be subjective to a point, so we welcome your thoughts below.

A Short Analysis of Tennyson’s ‘The Eagle’

An introduction to a short gem of a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)

‘The Eagle’ is one of Tennyson’s shortest poems – probably the shortest of his famous poems. (We include it in our pick of the best short Victorian poems.) Running to just six lines, the poem seems to require no additional analysis; but for those who are interested, we append to the poem (below) a few thoughts on its meaning and language.

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ring’d with the azure world, he stands.

A Short Analysis of Tennyson’s ‘Nature Red in Tooth and Claw’ Poem

‘So careful of the type?’ A brief summary of Tennyson’s In Memoriam LVI

The so-called ‘dinosaur cantos’ or ‘dinosaur sections’ from Alfred, Lord Tennyson‘s long poem In Memoriam A. H. H. (1850) are among the most popular cantos from this elegy for Tennyson’s friend, Arthur Hallam, who had died suddenly in 1833. Hallam’s death had a profound effect on the young Tennyson, and close contextual analysis shows that many of his most celebrated poems were inspired, whether directly or indirectly, by this early tragedy. The stanzas below, comprising Canto LVI of In Memoriam, meditate on Tennyson’s personal loss by reflecting on the meaning and impact of the scientific discoveries of the day, and feature his famous description of Nature as ‘red in tooth and claw’: