Alfred Lord Tennyson

LitCharts guides for works by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Explore LitCharts poetry guides for works by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Each guide offers line-by-line analysis, exploration of poetic devices, and helpful resources for studying Alfred Lord Tennyson's poetry.

Break, Break, Break

Alfred, Lord Tennyson composed "Break, Break, Break" in 1835, two years after the death of his close friend and fellow poet, Arthur Hallam. Because the poem's speaker laments the death of a close a... view guide

Crossing the Bar

"Crossing the Bar" is a poem by the British Victorian poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The poem, written in 1889, is a metaphorical meditation on death, which sees the speaker comparing dying—or a certa... view guide

Tears, Idle Tears

"Tears, Idle Tears" is a lyric poem by the Victorian poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson. It was originally embedded in his 1847 narrative poem The Princess, where it is sung by a court maiden. The poem is... view guide

The Brook

British poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson penned “The Brook” in 1886, just six years before his death. The poem is a ballad in which the speaker—the brook, or stream, itself—undertakes a long and winding ... view guide

The Charge of the Light Brigade

“The Charge of the Light Brigade” was written by the English poet Alfred Lord Tennyson in response to a battle during the Crimean War (1853-1855). In this battle, a British cavalry unit—the “Light ... view guide

The Eagle

"The Eagle" is Alfred, Lord Tennyson's short-but-forceful appreciation of a mighty predator. Marveling at the grandeur of an eagle and at its stunning speed and strength as it swoops on its prey, t... view guide

The Kraken

Alfred, Lord Tennyson published "The Kraken" in 1830 in Poems, Chiefly Lyrical. A sonnet with an extra line, the poem is about the mythical sea monster known as the "Kraken," a legendary beast that... view guide

The Lady of Shalott

Tennyson's famous "The Lady of Shalott" (1842) is a haunting tale of magic and art. In this poem, a mysterious woman lives alone on the island of Shalott. Just down the river from her is King Arthu... view guide

Tithonus

"Tithonus" is Alfred, Lord Tennyson's haunting retelling of a Greek myth. The poem's speaker is Tithonus himself: a legendary prince of Troy who fell in love with Eos (a.k.a. Aurora), goddess of th... view guide

Ulysses

"Ulysses" was written in 1833 by Alfred Lord Tennyson, the future Poet Laureate of Great Britain. The poem takes the form of a dramatic monologue spoken by Ulysses, a character who also appears in ... view guide