Break, Break, Break by Tennyson

Text 

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.

About Author

Alfred Tennyson was the most representative poet of the Victorian Age. He was born in August 1809. He is specially recognized as poet of moods. He has written superfine lyrics. He was appointed poet laureate in 1550. After this he became popular. 'Maud', 'Idylls of the king', Enoch Arden', 'Ballads' and 'Tiresias' are his popular poems.

 

Introduction of the poem

 

This beautiful lyric was first published in 1842, nine years after the death of Arthur Henry Hallam, Tennyson’s dearest friend. The speaker of this poem mourns the demise of his friend Hallam, so the poem is an elegy written to Hallam. It is written in the background of nature. Tennyson composed the poem when he was walking at night in the lawns near Somersby. He imagines himself sitting on Hallam's grave and surveying the scene around.  Tennyson wrote this poem in a mood of grief and longing in the background of nature. This song is said to have been written in a fit of sorrow caused by sad memory of the death of his friend and the sad memory of his untimely death haunted him for years. It is an elegiac song pouring from the heart of poet. His intensity of feeling and personal loss has been expressed perfectly in this lyric.

 

Summary

 

The poet feels sad at the memory of his dead friend Hallam. He expresses the deep longing of his heart to enjoy the company of his departed friend.  The poet sees the sea striking against the cliff churchyard where his friend Hallam lies buried. The sea seems to express its sadness, but the poet did not possess adequate words to express his feelings of grief. The poet notices that a boy playing with his sister can well express his joy and delight by shouting freely and loudly and a sailor can express his joy by singing while working. The poet feels sorry because he lacks words and cannot fully express the deep rooted grief of his heart caused by the sad demise of his dear fried Hallam. The poet observes that ships are returning from form their long voyages but the dead friend Hallam will never return. The sound of a person who has died can never be heard. He wishes to enjoy a warm touch of the hand of his friend but cruel death has deprived him of his dear friend whose voice he would not be able to hear any more. The poet claims that human life is transitory and nature is lasting. Nature repeats itself but human joy once departed never returns. The poet remembers the happy days of his friend’s company and feels sorry that those blessed moments will return no more.