Bloom's Classic Critical Views - Alfred Lord Tennyson (2010) (239p) [Inua].pdf

Title: Alfred, Lord Tennyson (Bloom's Classic Critical Views)
Editor: Harold Bloom
Series: Bloom's Classic Critical Views
Library Binding: 218 pages
Publisher: Chelsea House Pub (L) (July 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1604136405
ISBN-13: 978-1604136401

Description:
Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-92) was born in Lincolnshire, the sixth of eleven children of a clergyman. After a childhood marked by trauma, he went up to Cambridge in 1828, where he met Arthur Hallam, whose premature death had a lasting influence on Tennyson's life and writing. His two volumes of Poems (1842) established him as the leading poet of his generation, and of the Victorian period. He was created Poet Laureate in 1850 and in 1883 accepted a peerage. In T. S. Eliot's words, 'He has three qualities which are seldom found together except in the greatest poets: abundance, variety and complete competence. He had the finest ear of any English poet since Milton.

From Booklist
From the Poetry for Young People series, this effective, large-format book provides a highly illustrated introduction to the poems of Tennyson. Maynard's introduction gives a vivid picture of the poet: his childhood and youth, the pivotal relationships and events in his life, his particular skills as a poet, the background of his most famous works, and his unusually strong acclaim during his lifetime. The selections that follow are generally taken from longer works but stand on their own, particularly with a few lines from the editor setting the stage and a key on each page to words that might be unknown or unclear. The paintings that illustrate each poem are richly colored, imaginative, and impressionistic interpretations of the verse. - Carolyn Phelan


Review
Some of the finest Victorian poetry grew out of Tennyson's troubled personal life - he and all his eleven siblings suffered some kind of mental health problems, and his beloved friend Hallam died at 22. He succeeded in echoing deep emotions in simple words - 'But a for the touch of a vanish'd hand, / And the sound of a voice that is still!' - and in creating tremendous rhythmic narratives - 'Forward the Light Brigade! / Charge for the guns!' he said. The narration of the 24 poems here does Tennyson proud. - Rachel Redford, The Oldie There's no need to dip into the lesser works in a collection of Tennyson, and Naxos has made a fine selection here, mixing the best known (The Charge of the Light Brigade, The Lady of Shalott, Ulysses, The Lotus-Eaters) with others that will be less familiar to casual readers. One might quibble with some of Michael Pennington's line readings, but he has made thoughtful interpretations, and his voice is quite capable of meeting the musical demands of the poetry. There's nothing new here for Tennyson's fans, but the presentation is a strong introduction to a master's range of style and emotion. - D.M.H., AudioFile