“Break Break Break” – Alfred Tennyson

“Break Break Break” – Alfred Tennyson

Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) was Poet Laureate of Great Britain and Ireland during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular British poets.In 1850, he was appointed as Poet Laureate. His short poems include short lyrics, such as "Break, Break, Break", "and The Charge of the Light Brigade “,” Tears, Idle Tears “and” Crossing the Bar".

"Break, Break, Break" is a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson written during early 1835 and published in 1842. The poem is an elegy that describes Tennyson's feelings of loss after Arthur Hallam died.

Break, break, break,

         On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!

And I would that my tongue could utter

         The thoughts that arise in me.

O, well for the fisherman's boy,

         That he shouts with his sister at play!

O, well for the sailor lad,

         That he sings in his boat on the bay!

And the stately ships go on

         To their haven under the hill;

But O for the touch of a vanish'd hand,

         And the sound of a voice that is still!

Break, break, break

         At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!

But the tender grace of a day that is dead

         Will never come back to me.

In the first stanza, the poet says that the pain of his heart is great. There is a struggle like the struggle of the sea waves on the thundery shores. The question before him is how he can express effectively the thoughts which are rushing in his mind. 

In the second stanza, the poet says that life is full of joy for the fisherman’s son and daughter, but the poet is entirely in a different mood. He is restless and grief-stricken at the death of his friend.  The sailor is also happy and sings in his boat. But such joy is not for the poet.

In the third stanza,the poet says that he has no definite plan about his life and he misses his friend Hallam. The grief of the poet is terribly intense.

In the fourth stanza, the poet asks the waves to go on splashing against the sea-shore, but the poet cannot recall the past experience which he enjoyed in the company of his friend. God had been very kind in blessing him with the tender friendship of Hallam, but the past cannot be recollected.

 The poet is in deep grief as he misses his friend.

Reference:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred,_Lord_Tennyson

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Break,_Break,_Break

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/