Write how Tennyson highlights the Victorian spirit in his poems

Question: Write how Tennyson highlights the Victorian spirit in his poems.

Or, Tennyson highlights the Victorian spirit in his poems. Discuss.

Or, What view of the Victorian values can you derive from the poems of Tennyson?

Answer: In every age, there is someone either a poet or other who represents in his writing the very spirit of that age. Lord Alfred Tennyson is one such poet. In his poetry, he expresses the very spirit of the Victorian Age (1832-1901). He is the representative poet of the period. His poetry represents the social, political, moral, philosophical, and religious problems of his time. He has highlighted the Victorian spirit in them.

The poetry of Tennyson is an epitome of the Victorian Age. It exhibits the spiritual problems of the time. It also highlights the ideas, feelings, and manners of that period. For nearly half a century, the poet serves as the spokesman of the British people. He expresses their doubt and faith, griefs and triumphs. In fact, the Victorian Period was a period of peace and prosperity at home and abroad. In this very period, the expansion of the British Empire spread over a very large portion of the world. The English nation was prospering and growing richer and richer every day. This prosperity occurred particularly in the industrial and scientific fields. All these material things as well as the growth of education and learning are vividly reflected in Tennyson's poetry.

Tennyson glorified the Victorian spirit in his poems. He deals with traditional myths and legends. He uses classical myth in his poem, "Tithonus”. He infuses the Victorian sense of morality in this poem. He argues reasonably with the spirit of the age here. Thitonus gets immortality but not immortal youth. So his life becomes burdensome to him. As a result, he wants to go back to his mortal life. The poet urges the Victorians not to be afraid of death. He thinks that death is conquerable. In “The Lotos-Eaters”, he urged the Victorian people, not to be like the lotus-eaters. They must not be idle and unwilling to move as the eaters of lotos.

The degenerated morality of the Victorian Age is found in the exquisite narrative poem, “Morte D'Arthur”. In this poem, the poet shows that Sir Bedivere who is the favorite knight of King Arthur disobeys him twice. Two times Arthur orders the knight to cast away his magical sword, Excalibur into the lake. But twice Bedivere hides the sword in the bush. He tells the king that he has done the task given to him. Here we see that he breaks honesty and morality. He is fascinated by the beauty of the hilt of the sword made of numerous diamonds and gems. So his lust for the diamond hilt means the desire for worldly materials. The Victorian people were also very mad about wealth. The age is known as the age of the Mammon warship. It is a materialistic age. Therefore, the poet has exposed Sir Bedivere as the representative of the Victorian people.

Tennyson does not like the negative attitude of the Victorians. His age is actually the age of adventure and heroism. But many Victorians thought it baseless and unnecessary. This is beautifully painted in his great dramatic monologue, “The Lotos-Eaters”. He shows that the war of Troy is over. The Greek hero Ulysses is returning home along with his fellow mariners. One day in the afternoon, they reached an island. After reaching there, the mariners are charmed by the beauty of the land. On this island, they ate lots of fruits. Having eaten them, they do not want to move.

On the Lotos-island, the mariners are now leading a happy life. They are free from the toil and cares of life. They have observed that all objects of nature take a rest. All things enjoy the pleasure of rest. So they no longer want to take up fresh actions. They think that it is better to stay on the island for the rest of their life. They do not want to lose their present happiness in exchange for anything. They express their attitude in the following way

“Why are we weighed upon with heaviness?

And utterly consumed with sharp distress,

While all things else have rests from wariness?

All things have rest: why should we toil alone,

We only toil.”

Thus the poet draws a contrast between human life and all other things on this earth. The mariners want to rationalize their plan to live on this island in a state of permanent rest, peace, and tranquility. In this way, Tennyson has shown the degenerated morality of his time.

Tennyson is aware of the changes taking place during his period. This is apparent in this poem, “Morte D'Arlthur”. The poem illustrates the truth that change is inevitable. No rule or order is permanent in the universe. The poet says through the mouth of King Arthur

"The old order changeth, yielding place to new,

And God fulfills Himself in many ways,

Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.”

Tennyson may have said it to the conservatives of his own time. He appears to advise them to adapt themselves to the changing circumstances. Because the conservatives attached them to the past in a blind manner.

The Victorian Period is a period of imperialism. Tennyson has expressed his attitude to it in his poem, "Locksley Hall”. He at first wants to escape from the busy world of England. He desires to go to remote islands of the Pacific and take some savage woman. But immediately, he rejects his idea. He declares that he counts the grey barbarian lower than the Christian child. He calls himself an heir of all ages. The speaker of the poem moves between hope and hopelessness. His hopelessness comes from the Victorian sense of morality. He is frustrated and in love by Amy. Yet he wants to cherish the hope that the world will be running apace with trade, commerce, and even aerial warfare for the scientific discovery. He also hopes that the Federation of the World will be built. This will bring a lasting peace all over the world.

However, it is almost transparent that Tennyson holds a faithful mirror of his age before his readers. His poems reflect the general spirit of his age. He accepts the new theory of evolution and the modern science and its discoveries. He shows the hope, doubt, belief, aspiration, and achievement of the Victorian people. Thus he highlights the spirit of the Victorian Period to a great extent.