Lord Alfred Tennyson wrote In Memoriam A.H.H. after the death of his friend, Arthur Henry Hallam (Furneaux). Despite covering various questions of human life in the elegy, Tennyson commemorates the birth of his friend in this particular poem. “CVII” develops the theme of lasting relationships that continue after the death of Hallam. Moreover, it is clear that the author is eager to show his ‘recovered happiness’ after so many years of painful sorrow (Woodhouse). Indeed, this intention could be vividly seen with the change of author’s mood as having started with mainly depressing stanzas, he decided to finish the poem on the cheerful note:
We keep the day. With festal cheer,
With books and music, surely we
Will drink to him, whate'er he be,
And sing the songs he loved to hear.
Throughout the poem, Lord Tennyson appears as a single speaker. He describes the day when his friend was born as ‘bitter’ and ‘leafless’. The first four stanzas might refer to the sentiments of the Victorian era which are characterized by nostalgia and pursuit of finding hope after the loss (Barton 2). Owing to this fact, it easy to understand that time and surrounding helped Tennyson to perceive the death of his friend as the path to find the soul. Eventually, according to two last stanzas, Tennyson is ready to be happy and commemorate the memory of his friend “with books and music.” Some of the critics believe that such devotion could be a simple representation of erotic relationships between two men (Furneaux). However, to my mind, this concept should not be applied to the elegy which covers topics on religion, existence, science, and traditions of that time.
“CVII” is the part of a fragmented lyric elegy that had been written during 17 years (Barton 2). What defines it is a regular rhyme scheme which gives an impression of narration. In fact, it also helps the reader to feel the involvement in the story as Alfred Tennyson managed to express his emotions sincerely, particularly in this poem. He shows the transition in the mood and proves that it is possible to find rest for the soul.
Works Cited
Barton, Anna. Alfred Lord Tennyson's In Memoriam: A Reading Guide. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2012. Google books. Web. 16 Apr. 2016. <https://goo.gl/yl5GjX>.
Furneaux, Holly. “An introduction to In Memoriam A.H.H.” British Library. Web. 14 Apr. 2016. <http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/in-memoriam>.
Lord Tennyson, Alfred. “In Memoriam.” Poem Hunter. PoemHunter.Com – The World’s Poetry Archive, 404. Web. 14 Apr. 2016. <http://www.poemhunter.com/i/ebooks/pdf/alfred_lord_tennyson_2012_3.pdf>.
Woodhouse, A.S.P. “In Memoriam By Alfred, Lord Tennyson.” New York: The Macmillan Company, 1907. Web. 14 Apr. 2016. <https://goo.gl/VZbQRo>.
