Poetic Perceptions of Death Essay - 3253 Words

Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) and Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) are two of the most well known poets of the 19th century. Tennyson, described as â€Å"the leading poet of the Victorian Age† and Dickinson, described as â€Å"one of America’s greatest poets† both won most of acclaim thanks to their strong ideas on death. Death is a common theme in any eras but it took a particular significance in the 19th century , especially in literature. As intense poets, both Dickinson and Tennyson shared their innermost views regarding death, particularly seen in Tennyson’s â€Å"Mariana†, â€Å"Crossing the Bar† and Dickinson’s â€Å"Because I could not stop for death† and â€Å"Behind me—dips Eternity.† In â€Å"Because I could not stop for death† and â€Å"Behind me—dips Eternity†,†¦show more content†¦Hallam and Tennyson had a very deep relationship tracing back to Cambridge, 1829 and so, when Hallam died, Tennyson entered a state of perpetual sorrow. As a tribute, Tennyson â€Å"wrote In Memoriam A.H.H . for his best friend† as an attempt to come to terms with his sudden death. In some of his other poems about death, such â€Å"Mariana†, Tennyson relates the idea of desperation, and sadness with the idea of death. This is most likely because the death of Hallam had such a powerful impact on Tennyson that Tennyson constantly refers to his own desolation as a way to come to terms with the death of his friend and thus this is the connection that Tennyson makes with death. Although â€Å"Mariana† and â€Å"Crossing the Bar† do not appear in â€Å"In Memoriam A.H.H.†, they both mirror aspects found in â€Å"In Memoriam A.H.H.† such as the strong tone of dejection (in early Canto’s such as Canto VII) and acceptance (in later Canto’s such as Canto LXXXVI). For example, in â€Å"Mariana†, a poem that was partly inspired by Shakespeare’s â€Å"Measure for Measure†, Tennyson attempts to capture the persona’s inner feelings of despondency. 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