Alfred Lord Tennyson(August 6, 1809 – October 6, 1892)

Mrs. Cogswell, AP Eng. IV, Per. 6

By: Colleen Blanco-Chacon, Jon Claude ColbertAbby Batuyong, & Navid Choudhury

Tennyson Quick Facts

Victorian era British writer, novelist, poet.

Poet Laureate of the UK during much of Queen Victoria's reign.

Remains one of the most popular poets in the English language.

Works include, “Crossing The Bar,” and “The Eagle.”

Early Life

Born in Somersby, Lincolnshire,

George and Elizabeth Tennyson’s son & fourth of 12 children.

Derived from a middle-class line of Tennysons, with noble and royal ancestry.

Life in Full

Time Period

United Kingdom Victoria Era Queen Victoria's reign from June

1837 until her death on the 22nd of January 1901.

The reign was a long period of prosperity for the British people: • Profits gained from the overseas British

Empire, • & from industrial improvements at

home.

Surrounding Death

Achievements of Alfred Lord Tennyson

Literary Contributions of Alfred Lord Tennyson

Summary of Work

Summary of Work

“The Eagle”

“The Eagle” — TPCASTT

Title: “The Eagle” sounds as if it would be about birds, perhaps about nature and how dominant the eagle is.

Paraphrase: The poem is about death also. It doesn’t seem like the person was happy with the “azure world” and with like “crawl”. Possibly about someone who used to be strong but something happened and it changed their life and then he died.

“The Eagle” — TPCASTT (CONT.) Connotations: Words like “clasps”

describe the eagle’s tight hold. Also “lonely” describes the eagle’s isolation from the world. The words, “

“The Eagle” — Soapstone

“Crossing The Bar”

“Crossing The Bar”— TPCASTT

Title: Crossing The Bar: Entering into a new persona. Paraphrase: The ocean & tide with sunsets crossing

spirits crossing over into heaven. Connotations: “Sunset & evening star”= transition.

“Put out to sea” & “When I embark”= dying. “Flood”= Noah and the ark. “Pilot”= God.

Attitude: Sadness but without mourning- pride in death, acceptance to meet God. [Not Afraid!]

Shifts: 1st 3 Stanzas: Contemplating voyage. Last Stanza: Contemplating Destination.

Title (After Reading): No new meaning. Theme: Death be not afraid, for the ocean brings

new tides of life.

“Crossing The Bar”— Soapstone Subject: (Title) Crossing Over from dying as a

human to going to heaven as a spirint. Occasion: Passing away of a relative or personal

struggle for life. Audience: General, grieving over death. Purpose: The speaker wants the audience to not

mourned over his death & say that the ocean calms the spirits.

Speaker: The writer’s life is coming to an end & he is proud & doesn’t want his audience to mourn his death.

Tone:

ComparisonThe Poet vs. The Time Period

ComparisonThe Poet vs. Surrounding Death