Showing results by author "Lord Alfred Tennyson" in All Categories

Alfred Tennyson was Poet Laureate of Great Britain from 1850 until his death in 1892. Please enjoy this collection of selected poems by him. (Summary by Alan Mapstone)

In Memoriam is Tennyson's elegiac tribute to his friend Arthur Henry Hallam, who died in 1833 at the age of 22. Tennyson wrote this long poem over 17 years as a chronicle of his mourning process. The poem became a favorite of Queen Victoria when she was grieving for her husband, and was one of the most popular and artistically influential poems of the Victorian period. (Summary by gloriana).This show includes AI-generated content.

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first...

Poems, Chiefly Lyrical, issued in 1830, is the first major published collection by Tennyson. It addresses many of the themes and stylistic signatures that would define his career and help establish him as one of the major figures of Victorian poetry. The volume gathers a range of short lyric...

A dramatic reading of Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s classic poem Ulysses. A powerful meditation on aging, perseverance, and the enduring desire to seek knowledge and adventure. This timeless work follows the legendary Odysseus as he reflects on a life of exploration and resolves to continue striving...

Delve into the hauntingly beautiful world of "Maud, and Other Poems (Version 2)," where love intertwines with madness and obsession in a lyrical exploration of the human psyche. This podcast invites listeners to engage with themes of longing, despair, and the darker facets of desire, as expressed through a collection of related works that echo the emotional depth found in Tennyson's iconic poem. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, offering a fresh perspective on the complexities of love and loss, as well as the fragility of sanity. The rotating collection showcases unique ...

Immerse yourself in the poignant exploration of love, sacrifice, and the complexities of human relationships, as reflected in the themes of "Enoch Arden." This podcast delves into narratives that celebrate the resilience of the human spirit against the backdrop of profound emotional struggles. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, weaving together tales of individuals faced with the heart-wrenching dilemmas of loyalty, loss, and the passage of time. Through these unique explorations, listeners are invited to ponder the depths of devotion and the bittersweet nature of life's choices. ...

Delve into the hidden realms of literary expression with "Suppressed Poems of Alfred Lord Tennyson," a captivating exploration of the poet's lesser-known works that were deemed unsatisfactory during his prolific career. This podcast invites listeners to engage with a rotating collection of Tennyson's suppressed verses, shedding light on the complexities of artistic creation and the often-unforgiving nature of literary judgment. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, presenting a unique opportunity to appreciate the depth and nuance of Tennyson’s craft beyond the celebrated pieces. ...

Delve into the emotional depths of love, loss, and the complexities of the human experience, as suggested by the evocative title "Maud, and Other Poems." This podcast presents a rotating collection of poignant poetry that captures the essence of courtship, grief, and existential purpose through the lens of deeply felt emotions. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, inviting listeners to explore the intricate landscape of the poet's mind and heart. With a focus on the nuances of emotional turmoil and the search for meaning, this series offers unique explorations that resonate with ...

This collection contains several of Tennyson’s best-known poems and shows his mastery of both lyricism and epic narrative.

This collection of sixteen poems features several notable examples of his early work, including “Oenone” and “The May Queen”, as well as two of his most iconic works, “The Lady of Shalott” and “The Lotus Eaters."

Lovers of legends know that this is the finest retelling of the story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table; lovers of literature know that this is the greatest of all 19th-century narrative poems. In Tennyson’s gloriously written tale of swashbuckling feats on and off the jousting field, the honour of maidens, knights, queens and kings is won or lost. Above all, the Quest for the Holy Grail spurs the bravest of knights on to deeds of terrifying foolhardiness and courage.

The lyrical ballad The Lady of Shalott is one of Tennyson's best-known and best-loved poems. It is based on the story of Elaine of Astolat, a figure from Arthurian legend, who dies from her unrequited love for Sir Lancelot. The subject matter provided inspiration for many of the Pre-Raphaelite painters. Tennyson published two versions of the poem, both of which are included in this recording. The first was written in 1832, and the second—the better-known of the two versions—in 1842.

The selection of eighteen poems is taken from Tennyson's first collection, published in 1830. The most famous poem in the collection is Mariana, a dramatic narrative, which, like The Lady of Shalott, describes the tragic fate of an abandoned woman. All the poems feature the elegant euphony for which Tennyson's verse has become famous.

Much of Tennyson's poetry is elegiac in nature, featuring characters who have been disempowered by isolation, age, or lack of opportunity. One of the most famous examples of this is the dramatic soliloquy, "Ulysses". "Columbus", written many years later, is also a dramatic narrative. In both cases, the narrators are elderly mariners, who have a long history of daring forays into remote regions, and who are eager to venture forth again but are hampered by lack of opportunity and the effects of aging.

This is the first of Tennyson's poems to be based on Sir Thomas Malory's Morte d'Arthur. The first draft was composed in 1834, and the finished work was published in Poems (1842). Later Tennyson incorporated the poem into the Idylls of the King (1870) under the title of "The Passing of Arthur". The narrative of this poem was drawn from the third, fourth, and fifth chapters of the 21st book of Thomas Malory's romance.

"Locksley Hall" is a dramatic monologue written in 1835 and published in 1842. Tennyson explained that the poem was not autobiographical but purely imaginary, "representing young life, its good side, its deficiences and its yearnings".

This lyrical ballad is one of Tennyson's most famous poems. The subject, the tragic passing of a reclusive noblewoman, was suggested by a 13th-century Italian romance, the Donna di Scalotta.

This evocative poem was first published in 1832 but republished in 1842 with extensive alterations.

"Enoch Arden" is a long narrative poem that is built on a theme that has been widely explored in literature and on film. A man is separated from his family due to shipwreck and marooned on an island. After several years of absence from his home, it is assumed that he has died, and his wife remarries and starts a new family. After 10 years, the man finally makes his way home and has to deal with the trauma of discovering his wife and family happily established in a new relationship.