Robert Browning and Alfred Tennyson

Robert Browning and Alfred Tennyson

About  Alfred Tennyson:-

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson FRS 6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892 was a British poet. He was the Poet Laureate of Great Britain and Ireland during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular British poets. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of his first pieces, "Timbuktu." He published his first solo collection of poems, Poems Chiefly Lyrical in 1830. "Claribel" and "Mariana", which remain some of Tennyson's most celebrated poems, were included in this volume. Although decried by some critics as overly sentimental, his verse soon proved popular and brought Tennyson to the attention of well-known writers of the day, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Tennyson's early poetry, with its medievalism and powerful visual imagery, was a major influence on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

Tennyson also excelled at penning short lyrics, such as "Break, Break, Break", "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 friend Arthur Hallam, a fellow poet and student at Trinity College, Cambridge after he died of a stroke at the age of 22. Tennyson also wrote some notable blank verses including Idylls of the King, "Ulysses", and "Tithonus". During his career, Tennyson attempted drama, but his plays enjoyed little success. A number of phrases from Tennyson's work have become commonplaces of the English language, including "Nature, red in tooth and claw" (In Memoriam A.H.H.), "' Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all", "Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die", "My strength is as the strength of ten, / Because my heart is pure", "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield", "Knowledge comes, but Wisdom lingers", and "The old order changeth, yielding place to new". He is the ninth most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.

About Robert Browning:-

Robert Browning 7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889 was an English poet and playwright whose mastery of the dramatic monologue made him one of the foremost Victorian poets. His poems are known for their irony, characterization, dark humor, social commentary, historical settings, and challenging vocabulary and syntax.

Browning's early career began promisingly but collapsed. The long poems Pauline and Paracelsus received some acclaim, but in 1840 the difficult Sordello, which was seen as wilfully obscure, brought his poetry into disrepute. His reputation took more than a decade to recover, during which time he moved away from the Shelleyan forms of his early period and developed a more personal style. In 1846, Browning married the older poet Elizabeth Barrett and went to live in Italy. By the time of her death in 1861, he had published the crucial collection Men and Women. The collection Dramatis Personae and the book-length epic poem The Ring and the Book followed and made him a leading British poet. He continued to write prolifically, but his reputation today rests largely on the poetry he wrote in this middle period.

Robert Browning and Alfred Tennyson

Alfred Tennyson and Robert Browning belong to the Victorian age and they occupy a prominent place as a pre-eminent poet of their age. Both poets apply new techniques and styles in poetry writing. But both these poets adopt their own style in their writing.

Browning focuses on the psyche of his frantic characters and tries to look into deep inside of such characters in his writings. Browning tries to understand human nature, religion, and society properly. He studies the innermost psychology of characters. On the other hand, Tennyson draws material from external specific realities, ideas, and objects and tries to express it through ornate language.

Another significant difference between the poems of Alfred Tennyson and Robert Browning is in their nature of expression. Browning's writings are always energetic but Tennison's tone of expression is generally melancholic where he tends to give a touch of nostalgia. Their poetic concerns are hardly related. Browning systematically depicts the essence of a character whereas Tennyson gives importance in inducing and endorsing a particular mood.

Robert browning and Alfred Tennyson were two main Victorian poets. They were also famous in Dramatic monologue. It is difficult to find the difference between Browning and Tennyson. Their poetic concerns are quite similar.

Browning logically reveals the essence of a person whereas, Tennyson induce and play a particular mood.

Browning in his poetry tries to realize human nature, society, and religion. Whereas, Tennyson recalls the conscious mind of an environment through ornate language.

Tennyson as a source for his poetry used many subjects from domestic conditions to the observation of atmosphere. Whereas, Browning takes an immoral character and challenges us to find out moral excellence.

  Ø Browning is often presented simply and lovingly in human nature - and is such a poem. Between his masterpieces. However, Tennyson does more frequently and figuratively. Browning has given his original style of creative poetry.

  Ø He appears to be a real artist and in this respect, he is more interesting than Tennyson.

  Ø Browning is also negligible in terms of sweetness and uniqueness. He often sacrifices the melody for his thoughts. This paper attempts to explore the similarities.

  Ø Difference between two great poets. It sheds light on the Victorian era, their historical historiography, sense of patriotism, clarity, exclusivity, art, music and melody in their writing.