Alfred Tennyson's writing life spanned a period of some seventy years, from the Regency to the last decade of Victoria's reign and he is often regarded as the representative cultural figure of his age. Originally published in 1976, this account of Tennyson's life, character and work looks at him in relation to his period and the literary tradition in which he worked. It places him firmly in his intellectual and historical context and provides a clear and perceptive account of his extensive writings. This study throws light on Tennyson's eccentric personality, and his intellectual and artistic achievements in adapting literary and philosophical materials to express highly personal feelings and insights. The book counteracts the tendency of some 20th century critics to misinterpret Tennyson's poems by ignoring their conscious allusions to the classical literature in which he was educated as a child, and which he continued to read for pleasure all his life.