Tennyson as the Representative Poet of the Victorian Era

Colonial Spirit – Tennyson’s writings has depicted the colonial power of the British Empire. England during the Victorian age reached its pinnacle of colonialism. Ulysses projects the dynamic spirit of King Ulysses who wants to reach out to the world and seek new knowledge and discover lands. His statement regarding his way of life before he came back to Ithaca is filled with adventures where he had visited many places, men, towns and cities form all over the world and fought with many monsters for he carry the Victorian spirit of “hungry heart”. His spirit to discover new lands and knowledge shows the colonial spirit of the age and Tennyson clearly establishes it in his poem. The last lines can be interpreted as such to strive for new lands, to seek knowledge , to find new kingdoms , and not to yield in searching for something new which also reflects the colonial power of the Victorian age.

Impact of Reform Bills– The Reform Bills of 1832 has a strong impact on Victorian literature. Tennyson’s Ulysses projects the same impact where the lowest strata of society including the mariners were shown in the poem. Ulysses calls upon the mariners and calls them as his own brothers and companions who have waged a war and fought against many odds and battles in the war clearly reflects the reform bills of 1832. It is also seen in The Lady of Shalott where the lady of Shalott is able to perceive the outer reality through the window where she sees the shepherds, peasants working in the fields. The depiction of shepherds and peasants reflects the more inclusive representation of all strata of society which came about due to the Reform bills of 1832.

Multiple Depictions of Life– Tennyson’s major writing style is multiple projections of life. This writing style was later adapted by the Pre-Raphaelites in their poems and it is to bring a sense of balance between natural world and realism. Tennyson’s Nothing Will Die poem projects the idea of natural world which does not decay and dies out naturally but continuously changes with time. Tennyson projects that nature is progressing and continuously changing with time but he is indirectly addressing the spirit of Victorian age which is also dynamic and progressing as it is passing by with time. Ulysses poem also projects the mythology of Homer’s The Odyssey but Tennyson also indirectly establishes the socio-political and spirit of the Victorian age.

Spirit of Inquiry– The Victorian literature projects the Victorian spirit of Inquiry and Tennyson poem shows the spirit of inquiry in Ulysses perfectly that fit the age. Ulysses carries the “hungry heart” and it reflects the spirit of the Victorian souls who has a high desire to achieve their dreams. Ulysses inability to rest and stay idle and urge to go back on a journey also projects the spirit of Victorian age where the Victorians are constantly progressing and inquiring the knowledge and passions they are dreaming about. Ulysses also states that he wants to discover knowledge and realm which is “beyond the utmost bound of human thought”. This clearly reflects that the spirit of inquiry is not limited to physical knowledge of discovery but also of knowledge which is beyond physical or simply say metaphysics intriguing the spirit of Renaissance as portrayed in Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus.

Inner Conflict – The most important style of Tennyson is the inner conflict where Tennyson’s speaker are struggling within and fighting with themselves. Ulysses poem also reveals the speaker Ulysses who is fighting within himself and the inner conflict to remain idle or to progress is a battle for him. His heart desires to progress and achieve more in his life and he does not want to remain idle in life forever. It is also seen in In Memoriam where the speaker struggles from inner conflict. The speaker is struggling internally where the pain and sorrow creates inner conflict for him from the outside world as he becomes susceptible to it. His inner conflict is between doubt and faith in God and he highlights that Sorrow brings doubt in God and the reality become susceptible to the speaker. This inner conflict to doubt and have faith in God is a battle throughout the poem where the speaker finally reconciles faith in God in the poem where the Bible actually soothes his aching soul and pain immediately resurrecting his faith in God.

Personal Flow of Emotions and Victorian Compromise – In Memoriam and Ulysses shows the personal flow of emotions or subjectivity of poet’s feelings in the poem. Tennyson has dedicated the two poems to his friend Arthur Hallam who had a sudden death. His poems are personal and he even calls Arthur Hallam in In Memoriam as his friend when he talks about the faith crisis and tells his friend to revere God even at the times of uncertainty to free his soul. Ulysses reflects the friendship between Ulysses and Achilles is a symbol of Tennyson and Hallam itself. Tennyson seems to compromise with his own life and poetic career as he wants to progress in life and stop the mourn for his deceased friend Hallam in Ulysses and Ulysses also compromises his own Kingdom for the sake of knowledge that he entrusts his own son Telemachus to look after the Kingdom. This is the Victorian compromise that Tennyson depicts in the poem.

Post-Darwinism , Marxism and Religion– Tennyson poems also reflect the Post-Darwinism life of faith crisis and religious crisis. There were so many texts that described the idea of evolution before Darwin and it has already created instability among the Victorians. Marxism is one classic example who believes in subtracting religion from the society as it is an “opium of all the common masses”. This scientific and political statements affected the personal space of every Victorians who seems to struggle with faith in God and In Memoriam clearly talks about human knowledge of Victorians which is completely limited and finite to understand God and Tennyson is projecting the spirit of inquiry of science trying to disapprove the existence of God and prove the Biblical creation of life as falsity. According to the speaker, man is suppose to use their knowledge to serve the infinite (God) and man cannot reach God because he limited and finite. The poem reflects the faith crisis in God but Tennyson is optimistic at the end and able to reconciles with God and faith when Bible was able to soothe his pain and sorrow and also knowing that he will meet his friend Hallam soon in the next life.