Page 352 - DENG405_BRITISH_POETRY

Unit 30: Tennyson, Arnold and Yeats

Tennyson excelled at penning short lyrics, such as “In the Valley of Cauteretz”, “Break, Break, Notes
Break”, “and The Charge of the Light Brigade “,” Tears, Idle Tears “and” Crossing the Bar”. Much
of his verse was based on classical mythological themes, such as Ulysses, although In Memoriam
A.H.H. was written to commemorate his best friend Arthur Hallam, a fellow poet and fellow student
at Trinity College, Cambridge, who was engaged to Tennyson’s sister, but died from a brain
haemorrhage before they could marry. Tennyson also wrote some notable blank verse including
Idylls of the King, “Ulysses,” and “Tithonus.” During his career, Tennyson attempted drama, but
his plays enjoyed little success.
William Butler Yeats was born in County Dublin on June 13, 1865. Due to the demands of his father’s
career as an artist, he moved with his family to London at a young age, but he spent summers in
County Sligo, in Western Ireland. When Yeats was fifteen his family moved back to Dublin, where
he attended the Metropolitan School of Art.

30.1 Lord Tennyson: The Lady of Shallot, Ulysses
30.1.1 The Lady of Shallot: Text

Part I
On either side of the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the wold and meet the sky;
And through the field the road runs by
To many-towered Camelot;
And up and down the people go,
Gazing where the lilies blow
Round an island there below,
The island of Shalott.

Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Through the wave that runs for ever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four gray walls, and four gray towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle imbowers
The Lady of Shalott.

By the margin, willow veiled
Slide the heavy barges trailed
By slow horses; and unhailed
The shallop flitteth silken-sailed
Skimming down to Camelot:
But who hath seen her wave her hand?

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