About
Alfred Tennyson, born on 6 August 1809 at Somersby in Lincolnshire, is one of the most celebrated Victorian poets. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he formed a deep friendship with Arthur Henry Hallam, whose sudden death in 1833 inspired his major elegy, In Memoriam A.H.H. (1850). Appointed Poet Laureate in 1850, he held the post until his death, the longest tenure of any British laureate. His works, such as Idylls of the King and The Charge of the Light Brigade, explore mythical and patriotic themes. He was raised to the peerage in 1883 and died in 1892, buried in Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey.
* 1809-08-06 — † 1892-10-06
Major works
- Poems by Two Brothers (1827)poetry collection
- The Princess (1847)narrative poem
- In Memoriam A.H.H. (1850)elegy
- Maud (1855)narrative poem
- Idylls of the King (1859)poetic cycle
Key milestones
- 1828Enters Trinity College, Cambridge, and wins the Chancellor's Gold Medal for his poem Timbuctoo.
- 1850Appointed Poet Laureate, succeeding William Wordsworth, and marries Emily Sellwood.
- 1883Raised to the peerage as 1st Baron Tennyson of Aldworth and Freshwater.
Themes
Grief and lossNature and landscapeMyth and Arthurian legendPatriotism and warDoubt and faith
Sources: archivesearch.lib.cam.ac.uk · britannica.com · poetryfoundation.org
