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Elegy is a sad poem, usually written to commemorate an individual's death. The term comes from the Greek elegia, which means "to lament". Typically, one hear elegies at funerals; an obituary is the prose equivalent. Elegies are also shorter. As poet Laureate for more than forty years, Tennyson was frequently asked by Queen Victoria and others to write celebratory verse. His most significant artistic work dealing with this subject is contained in the central lyrics chiefly rest on his great elegy ' In Memoriam '. 'In Memoriam' is a long poem. It was written in memory of the poet's dead friend Arthur Halam . In this poem, grief and love are expressed with an economy of words and deep intensity of feeling. Tennyson's ' Break Break Break ' is an elegy, which is a lyrical poem of lamentation. It does not tell a narrative story like Browning's short narrative poem "My Last Duchess". It is written in four quatrain stanzas (four li...

         Introduction Tennyson represents his age, not in fragment, but completely. "For nearly half century" says W.J. Long, " Tennyson was not only a man and a poet, he was a voice, the voice of a whole people, expressing in exquisite melody their doubts and their faith, their grieves and their triumphs. As a poet who expresses not so much a personal as a national spirit, he is probably the most representative literary man of the Victorian era". He also, added "Throughout entire Victorian period Tennyson stood at the summit of the poetry in England". Victorian age is also known as Renaissance. It is the age of new inventions and discoveries. Victorian age was an age of vaulting spirit in which zeal and passion towards one who works are seen. The salient feature of the age were moderation in politics, refined culture, religious liberalism checquered by doubt, a lively interest in the advance of scientific discovery coupled with the fear that it mig...

          Introduction "The study of language is the foundation of all other learning. Language defines us as human. To be human is to use language, and to talk is to be a person." Language is the medium of communication. English is a powerful vehicle of communication serves as a link language in a multicultural and multilingual society like India and also as a global linguistic mediator. Prof. Jackob Tharu says, " English is no longer some remote but a powerful mystery, lying hidden in the world of textbooks and examination ." For teaching English language in India there are many challenges but we also have many opportunities to overcome these challenges. Some of the challenges and opportunities are as follows:            Challenges 1. English is taught as a subject in schools and colleges.  In the past, students were introduced to English only in their sixth standard. Students learnt English just as an other...

          Introduction An elegy is normally defined as a short poem of lamentation or regret. It is called forth a by the death of a beloved or a revered person. A general sense of pathos of mortality can also inspire a poet to compose an elegy. In relation to poetry a pastoral is a piece evoking the blissful joys of a heavily romanticized rural life, a bucolic idyll populated by nymphs, shepherds, and cavorting wood sprites. A pastoral elegy, then combines elements of both kinds of poem to create a work that movingly laments someone recently deceased, presented in the guise of a shepherd. In the first category of elegies are Milton's "Lycidas"(on the death of Edward King), Shelly's " Adonais"(on the death of A. H. Clough). The second category deals with general sorrow, loss or pain. Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in the Country Churchyard" and Arnold's "Scholar Gipsy" come in the category.  The elegies of Arnold can be di...

          Introduction The pastoralism of the poem leads immediately to several themes. Most generally it represents, as it does for many poets, and escape from the intolerable world of court or affairs. Arnold certainly romanticizes the Oxford countryside, attributing to it his happiest days. Against this romantic background, then, Arnold places the quest for and of the scholar- gipsy, which gives added significance to the background. As a broad generalization the scholar (and Arnold) seek the meaning of the life. Since for Arnold Christianity was dead, and there seemed nothing to take its place giving meaning to life, the result is a constant search and intense loneliness and emptiness in life. Another general way of phrasing all this is that it presents the wisdom of the heart against the wisdom of the head. The head sees the true condition of the modern world, but the heart is drawn to the simpler, more unified life represented by the scholar and Oxfor...

Culture and Anarchy, major work of criticism by Matthew Arnold , published in 1869. In it Arnold contrasts culture , which he defines as " the study of perfection ", with anarchy , the prevalent moods of England's then new democracy , which lacks standards and a sense of direction. According to him, culture is the expansion of all the powers of human nature. He holds the culture above machinery. Culture is the best has been thought, known and said. For Androld sweetness and light are the two noblest things. For further definition of culture, Arnold borrows a phrase from Swift " Sweetness and light ", the first word indicating the sense of beauty and second the active intelligence. Against these ideals arrayed all the undisciplined forces of the age, faith in machinery whether governmental, economic or religious that leads to anarchy. Arnold classified English society into Barbarians (with their lofty spirit, serenity and distinguished manners and their inacces...

           Introduction  All the Romantics loved nature. There was an unfailing bond between nature and them. Among these Romantic poets, Wordsworth occupies a unique and supreme place. He is unquestionably the best among them. According to Stopberd, Wordsworth view of nature was entirely different. Wordsworth was the first to love nature with the true devotion of his heart. According to him nature is a living being and as such is capable of being loved as a man loves a friend. To the poet, the entire nature is pervaded by the divine spirit and it has the capacity to chasten all those who surrenders to her formative and educative influences. This point clarified in the light of the 'Tintern Abbey'.    A.  An autobiographical poem "Tintern Abbey" is a good specimen of his poem based on nature. Actually this poem reflects his attitude towards nature with gradual development. The poem is a product of personal experience of the...