Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) born on August 6, 1809, remains one of Britain’s most popular poets; he served as the Poet Laureate from 1850 until his death in 1892, the longest tenure of any English Poet Laureate. In 1883, he was elevated to the peerage, after twice declining the honour. In 1884, Queen Victoria created him Baron Tennyson, of Aldworth in the County of Sussex and of Freshwater in the Isle of Wight. Tennyson was the first author to be raised to the British peerage for his writing. His father was an Anglican clergyman and his mother was a vicar’s daughter. Tennyson’s first major award, the Chancellor’s Gold Medal, was bestowed in 1829 while he was a student at Cambridge, for his poem ‘Timbuktu” when he was 20 years old.  But he had to leave Cambridge before taking his degree because of the death of his father in 1831. He spent the next six years looking after his widowed mother and his brothers and sisters. In 1833, Tennyson published his second book of poems, which included the original version “The Lady of Shalott,” but it met with such heavy criticism that he published nothing for the next ten years. The family’s fortunes declined, and they moved to more modest housing. In 1842, Tennyson’s two-volume Poems, which included the revised version of “The Lady of Shalott,” as well as some of his best-loved poems: “Locksley Hall.” “Ulysses,” and “Break, Break, Break.” This established him as a successful poet. In 1850, William Wordsworth, the Poet Laureate, died. Samuel Rogers refused the appointment, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Leigh Hunt were considered, but Tennyson was chosen. He served for 42 years until his death in 1892 at age 83. He was buried in Poets’ Corner, at Westminster Abbey. Lady Tennyson wrote music for her husband’s last poem “The Silent Voices” which was sung by the choir. He was laid between John Dryden and Robert Browning in front of Chaucer’s monument.

To read Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem “Ulysses” click:

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