Write a note on Tennyson as a poet.

Is Tennyson a representative Poet? Discuss.

Ans.

Introduction

Tennyson stands in the same relation to his age as Chaucer stands for fourteenth century and Pope stands to the early eighteenth century. He is typical Victorian poet voicing in his poetry the hopes and aspirations, he doubts and scepticism and the refined culture of religious liberalism of his age. Like an intent spectator he closed examined the political social and moral values of his age. He presented Victorian qualities in his poetry in varied aspects. He was not only a poet but a man too concerning with the different kinds of voice of the people of his age. He is a highly representative poet in the sense that he narrates the contemporary national voice of his age.

Age of Peace

Tennyson’s age was an age of peace and political stability. Victorians did not want any kind of excitement and disorder of law. Politicians wanted to do something adventurous. They had love for law, order and peace. Tennyson expresses his desire for law and peace. He wants to make people civilized through the reign of his son and leaves the empire as explained in the poem Ulysses. He showers praise on his country because he finds it “a land of settled government where freedom is ever broadening.” Tennyson believed in slow but steady progress of the country.

Patriotism and Democracy

Victorian people found the tide of democracy in the world. People were demanding equal rights and political freedom. Political freedom was being granted for the people but there was a respect also for democracy. The poet presents a compromising spirit to his age through his poetry. He had the sympathy for democracy and demand of equality and support for the claims of aristocracy. On the other hand, there was a notion for patriotism in his age. The people took pride in the national glories and ancient achievements. His expression of his country is the voice of a Victorian – patriot, who considered his country superior to other nations. Speaking of England Tennyson remarks –

“It is a land that free men still,

A man may speak the thing he will,

A land of settle i government

A land of just and old renown.”

Tennyson’s Women

Tennyson has his specific concept of women The Victorian people did not like much freedom for women. She should have subordinate position to man. She was basically for the domestic duties.

“Man for the field and woman for the hearth,

Man for the sword and for the needle she

Man to command and woman to obey

All else confusion.” (The Princess 1847)

According to him true love can be found in married life only. In his poetry these is a strong sense of moral preaching and ethical edification.

Moral Value of this Poetry

Victorian poetry was highly didactic to any specific idealism. People upheld the moral virtues in domestic harmony. They wanted to teach moral lessons to younger persons as well as old people. The poet turned to Greek legends in his poetry for both reasons: literary beauty and moral education for the people. In ‘Ulysses’ he urges the people “To strive, to seek; to find and not to yield.” His aim was to teach a lesson through his poetry alongwith the aesthetic pleasure. He takes Beauty, pleasure and moral together.

Religion and Science-We find much progress of science and religion in Victorian era. Scientific development was having an adverse effect on religion. It caused anxieties in the belief of soul and God. Tennyson tried to make a relation between science and God. One result of the advance of science was the disappearance of emotion from life. This lack of imagination is found frequently in Tennyson’s poetry. Everything is examined through the eye of a scientist. In his poem In Memoriam he writes- “Let knowledge grow from more to more

And more If reverence in us dwell

That mind and soul according well

May make one music as before.”

Thus Tennyson presented in his poetry all the essential features of the Victorian life. He is truly the most representative poet of his age.