Topic > Death of a Friend: "In Memoriam"

“In Memoriam” is a lyrical elegy written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson in memory of his dear friend Arthur Henry Hallam. The effect of Hallam's death on Tennyson becomes clear throughout this elegy as the reader is exposed not only to Tennyson's grief, but also the effect his loss has had on spiritual and religious matters. Hallam's death brought a feeling of doubt in Tennyson regarding humanity's role here on earth. This doubt, combined with the Victorian issues of the time due to scientific advances, was of great concern to Tennyson. Just like the rest of the poem, line XLV is written in iambic tetrameter. XLV consists of four quatrains with an “ABBA” rhyme scheme, also known as envelope rhyme. Tennyson's choice to use an envelope rhyme scheme is a stylistic choice consistent with the rest of the poem; as the name suggests, however, it also serves to "envelop" the ideas within each quatrain. Likewise, the use of iambic tetrameter reminds us of a broader idea of ​​“envelopment” throughout the entire work. The structure of verse no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The first quatrain deals with innocence. The innocence associated with the very little “time” (line 2), the “new” “child” spent on this “earth and sky” (line 1). The alliteration of “time” and “tender” emphasizes the relationship between a person's innocence and how they are affected by the time they have experienced. The enjambement of lines 2 and 3 and the rhyming of the words “prest” and “against” emphasize the word “again” in “against.” This is important because Tennyson was known to have a strong interest in etymology, and the word "again" is significant to the repetitiveness and cyclical nature of mankind, as emphasized by the word "circle" (line 3). The alliteration and/or rhyme of the words “palm,” “prest,” (line 2), “against,” and “breast” (line 3) draws attention to her choice of vocabulary. Tennyson's choice of vocabulary in these two lines creates a very sensual tone that juxtaposes the innocence of a baby nursing at his mother's breast. Furthermore, in the second quatrain, the "child" (line 1) "grows and gathers much" (line 5). The alliteration in line 5 highlights the ambiguity of the word “very” (line 5), which calls into question exactly what the “child” uses and needs to “grow.” The rest of the second quatrain explains that the “child” “grows” as he “learns” the use of language such as “I” and “me” (line 6). Furthermore, the quotes “what I see” (line 7) and “things I touch” (line 8) express the development of the “child's” senses, which allows the “child” to feel and absorb knowledge from the surrounding environment. Tennyson emphasizes the importance of the relationship between feeling and language, a theme present in “In Memoriam” as he struggles to decide whether his words will ever be able to understand the feelings he experiences over Hallam's death. At this stage of development, the “child” begins to form a sense of self, but it is not until the third quatrain that the “child” becomes an individual. The third quatrain is the emergence of the individual, no longer a “child”. .” The use of the word “round” (line 9) is significant because it recalls the shape of the earth and the distinction between being on the earth, which means man and life, and not being on the earth, and the mystery of what happens to humanity after death. The word “round” also refers to the “circle of the breast” (line 2). The use of the word “circle” when the human being was 16).