It looks like you're offline.
Donate
English (en) Change Website Language
Open Library logo
additional options menu
Last edited by WikidataBot
August 1, 2025 | History
Edit

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

Photo of Alfred Lord Tennyson

British Poet Laureate (1809–1892)

Born 6 August 1809
Died 6 October 1892

1116 works Add another?

Sorting by Most Editions Most Editions First Published Most Recent Top Rated Reading Log Trending Random
Details Grid — Show everything by this author?
Photo of Alfred Lord Tennyson

British Poet Laureate (1809–1892)

Born 6 August 1809
Died 6 October 1892

Subjects

Poetry English poetry Poetry (poetic works by one author) Adaptations Arthurian romances English literature Tennyson, alfred tennyson, baron, 1809-1892 Illustrations Knights and knighthood Drama Criticism and interpretation English Manuscripts Specimens Manuscripts Facsimiles Fiction Readers (Secondary) Forgeries Kings and rulers Literary forgeries and mystifications Literature Mystery and detective stories detective fiction American literature English Poets

Places

England London Cambridge Amazon rainforest Baker Street Calcutta Caribbean India Italy Ship-Trap Island Surrey Tibet Verona Araby Araby bazaar Massachusetts North Richmond Street California Great Britain New York (State) Austin Connecticut Developing countries France Helen's Tower (Clandeboye, Northern Ireland)

People

Alfred Tennyson Tennyson Baron (1809-1892) Arthur King Arthur Henry Hallam (1811-1833) John H. Watson Sherlock Holmes Abram Archie Balthasar Benvolio Duncan Ross Escalus Friar John Friar Lawrence General Zaroff Gregory Grimesby Roylott Helen Stoner Ivan Jabez Wilson John Clay Juliet Capulet Lady Capulet Lady Montague Mercutio Mr. Merryweather

Time

19th century 1890 20th century 1912 Henry II, 1154-1189

Add to List

My Reading Lists:

Create a new list

ID Numbers

Links outside Open Library

No links yet. Add one?

Alternative names

  • Alfred Tennyson
  • Alfred Tennyson Tennyson
  • Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson Baron
  • Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, Baron
  • Alfred Tennyson, Baron Tennyson
  • Tennyson
  • Lord Alfred Tennyson
  • Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson Baron.
  • Baron Alfred Tennyson Tennyson
  • [Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson Baron,]
  • Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson baron
  • ALFRED TENNYSON
  • Lord Tennyson
  • Lord Alfred, Tennyson
  • Tennnyson, Alfred Tennyson Baron
  • Tennyson, Alfred Baron
  • TENNYSON, Alfred Baron.
  • TENNYSON, ALFRED TENNYSON, BARON, 1809-1892.
  • Lord Tennyson Alfred
  • [Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson Baron]
  • Alfred Tennyson Baron 1809-1 Tennyson
  • Alfred Tennyson Baron Tennyson 1809-1
  • Lord Alfred Tennyson Baron
  • Alfred Tennyson Baron Tennyson
  • Baron Alfred Tennyson
  • Tennyson Alfred
  • Alfred TENNYSON
  • Tennyson A
  • ALFRED LORD TENNYSON
  • A.L. Tennyson
Download catalog record: RDF / JSON