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Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Alfred, Lord Tennyson was born on August 6, 1809 and died October 6, 1892.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson attended Trinity College in Cambridge, England. He never received a degree. At college, he met his best friend, Arthur Hallam. Inseparable friends, they joined a secret society called, "The Cambridge Apostles." This was a private debating society, which met every Saturday night during term to discuss, over coffee and anchovy sandwiches, serious questions of religion, literature and society. Hallam and Tennyson wrote many poems together. On Christmas break, Hallam met Tennyson's sister, Emily, and immediately fell in love. Hallam and Emily were soon married. Not long after, Tennyson's father died and he could not afford to go to Cambridge anymore. Hallam spent all of his time away from school in order to help the Tennysons. Four years after meeting Emily, the two were on  trip to Vienna Austria, Hallam died suddenly from a cerebral hemorrhage. Tennyson was heartbroken by the death of his best friend. He spent the next 16 years writing In Memoriam, a collection of poems, to help his grieving process.

In 1850, Tennyson married Emily Sellwood. They had two sons, Hallam and Lionel. She was an avid supporter of Tennyson's work and shared a very happy marriage for 42 years until his death. After his death, Lady Tennyson worked on biographies for her late husband with her sons.

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Tennyson published three major collections as well as other works. His first publication made him very well known. However, his second publication was met with hefty critical abuse. He was so distraught by this that he did not publish any writing for a full decade. However, nearly ten years later, Tennyson published a third volume that resulted in him being one of the most prolific writers in his time. 

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In 1850, Tennyson was named Poet Laureate by Her Majesty Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria's late husband, Prince Albert, was a fan of Tennyson's work. Queen Victoria told Tennyson that In Memoriam helped her immensely through the grieving process over the death of Prince Albert.

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Tennyson spent the rest of his life enjoying a happy marriage, time with his sons, and writing poetry that is still commonly referenced today. Tennyson died peacefully in 1892. He was with his family.

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"I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all."

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"To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

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