Alfred, Lord Tennyson

a l f r e d  l o r d

t e n n y s o n

Alfred, Lord Tennyson was the most renowned poet 

of the Victorian era.

His work includes 'In Memoriam,' 

'The Charge of the Light Brigade' and 'Idylls of the King'.

Born on August 6, 1809, in Somersby, Lincolnshire, England, 

Alfred Tennyson is one of the most well-loved Victorian poets. 

In 1850, with the publication of In Memoriam, 

Tennyson became one of Britain’s most popular poets. 

He was selected Poet Laureate in succession to Wordsworth. 

In 1859, Tennyson published the first poems of Idylls of the Kings, 

which sold more than 10,000 copies in one month. 

In 1884, he accepted a peerage, becoming Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Tennyson died on October 6, 1892.

ALFRED LORD TENNYSON

The famous quote from Alfred Lord Tennyson, 

"'tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" 

is particularly relevant. 

Although romantic regret can be difficult to handle,

 it also serves an important purpose: 

it shapes the way you handle future relationships.

Many of his poems are about the temptation 

to give up and fall prey to pessimism, 

but they also extol the virtues of optimism 

and discuss the importance of struggling on with life. 

The need to persevere and continue is the central theme of 

In Memoriam and “Ulysses” (1833),

Tennyson wrote both in memory of his friend Arthur Hallam.

The central theme of “Ulysses” is that 

there is a search for adventure, 

experience and meaning which makes life worth living.

The name Ulysses means 'Wounded In The Thigh'

Tennyson used Ulysses as the old adventurer, 

unwilling to accept the settling of old age, longing for one more quest.