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Last edited by Tom Morris
February 12, 2024 | History

Alfred Lord Tennyson

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS, much better known as "Alfred, Lord Tennyson," was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular poets in the English language.

Tennyson excelled at penning short lyrics, "In the valley of Cauteretz", "Break, Break, Break", "The Charge of the Light Brigade", "Tears, Idle Tears" and "Crossing the Bar". Much of his verse was based on classical mythological themes, such as Ulysses, although In Memoriam A.H.H. was written to commemorate his best friend Arthur Hallam, a fellow poet and fellow student at Trinity College, Cambridge, who was engaged to Tennyson's sister, but died from a cerebral hemorrhage before they were married. Tennyson also wrote some notable blank verse including Idylls of the King, Ulysses, and Tithonus. During his career, Tennyson attempted drama, but his plays enjoyed little success.

Tennyson wrote a number of phrases that have become commonplaces of the English language, including: "Nature, red in tooth and claw", "'Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all", "Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die", "My strength is as the strength of ten, / Because my heart is pure", "Knowledge comes, but Wisdom lingers", and "The old order changeth, yielding place to new". He is the second most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations after Shakespeare.1

British Poet Laureate (1809–1892)

Born 6 August 1809
Died 6 October 1892

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  • Cover of: Poems
    First published in 1850 1 edition in 1 language — 1 previewable

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  • Cover of: In memoriam.: Annotated by the author.

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  • Cover of: What time I wasted youthful hours ...

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  • Cover of: In memorian.
    First published in 1851 2 editions in 1 language — 1 previewable

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  • Cover of: The poetical works of Alfred Lord Tennyson, poet laureate

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  • Cover of: The princess
    First published in 1851 2 editions in 1 language

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  • Cover of: Ode on the death of the duke of Wellington

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  • Cover of: Poems of Alfred Tennyson
    First published in 1853 5 editions in 1 language — 2 previewable Cover of edition poemsofalfredten13tenn

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  • Cover of: Poems
    First published in 1853 1 edition in 1 language — 1 previewable

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  • Cover of: Maud, and other poems

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  • Cover of: The poetical works of Alfred Tennyson, poet laureate, etc

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  • Cover of: The poetical works of Alfred Tennyson, poet laureate, etc

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  • Cover of: Poems by Alfred Tennyson, Poet Laureate.

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  • Cover of: Poems
    First published in 1857 2 editions in 1 language — 2 previewable Cover of edition poems00tenn_3

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  • Cover of: The Poetical Works of Alfred Tennyson, Poet Laureate, Etc: Complete in One Volume

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  • Cover of: The miller's daughter.
    First published in 1858 5 editions in 1 language — 1 previewable

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  • Cover of: De molenaars dochter

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  • Cover of: Idyls of the King
    First published in 1859 1 edition

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  • Cover of: Tennyson's Idylls of the king: The coming of Arthur; Gareth and Lynette; Lancelot and Elaine; Guinevere; The passing of Arthur

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  • Cover of: The May queen
    First published in 1860 1 edition in 1 language — 1 previewable

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British Poet Laureate (1809–1892)

Born 6 August 1809
Died 6 October 1892

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Download catalog record: RDF / JSON
February 12, 2024 Edited by Tom Morris Remove bad AKAs
September 13, 2023 Edited by Tom Morris merge authors
September 3, 2023 Edited by David Scotson Added new photo
March 21, 2022 Edited by JeneeWhitney merge authors
April 1, 2008 Created by an anonymous user initial import