Love is Everlasting... Wider Reading 3: In Memoriam A.H.H.

Often considered to be the greatest poem of the 19th century, "In Memoriam" is a poem of epic proportions, whose sensitive portrayal of heartache and loss tugged on the heartstrings of Victorian society. At first known only for his short, rhythmic pieces, poet Lord Tennyson satisfied critics who doubted he could produce something more strenuous and sustained, by shaping a long prophetic poem from the short personal lyrics that came naturally to him.

At the end of 1850 Tennyson succeeded William Wordsworth as Poet Laureate to Queen Victoria, and published "In Memoriam" 17 years after the death of Arthur Henry Hallam, the poet's artistic mentor and dear friend, to whom the poem is dedicated. It was an instant and resounding success, even surpassing the past popularity of great writers such as Byron. Queen Victoria also found solace in the poem after the death of Prince Albert.

One of the many reasons for "In Memoriam's" lasting effect is that the sense of loss it carries within it is something very relevant to everyone who has lost someone, whether it be a contemporary reader or one studying it today. The main theme of love is the platonic friendship between two people, which we can all relate to.

In Memoriam - Quotations