Criticism Over Time

The critical reception of In Memoriam was incredibly positive for the first half-century after its publication. Tennyson was regarded as a master poet, and the criticism of his work reflected this admiration. An article published in 1894, almost 50 years after the publication of In Memoriam, analyzes the poem by focusing on how it represents “the development of the poet’s own character.” (Beatty 129)  It divides the stages of development into six categories: Feeling, Thought, Memories, Communion, Apologies, and Dreams. In doing so, the article focuses primarily on the religious aspects of the poem. It does also acknowledge, however, some growing criticism of Tennyson’s work by mentioning “many philosopher-critics” who look at the poem as “a reasoned system of philosophy.” (129)  This article reacts against a more scientific view of the poem and instead relies on analyzing the emotional effect that it has on readers.

As culture changed and this emotional, more religious viewpoint fell out of favor among critics, Tennyson’s poetry began to be analyzed more harshly. John D. Rosenberg’s article, published in 1959, reflects both this harsher criticism and a move away from it. It summarizes the modernist perspective from earlier in the century, which viewed Tennyson’s poetry as “beautiful but mindless craftsmanship.” (228) Rosenberg does not completely refute this claim, but he does go on to explain the complexity of In Memoriam that modernists did not appreciate.

He begins by outlining the religious elements found in the prologue of the poem and how they reflect a legitimate struggle between faith and doubt rather than simply “an orthodox statement of Victorian faith.” (229) This analysis reflects a change in the value placed on religion. In the 1894 article Tennyson’s religious values were simply assumed, while in Rosenberg’s article faith was depicted as much more complex. This shows a shift in culture from being completely accepting of religion to viewing it with cautious cynicism. Rosenberg does not say religion is pointless or stupid, but his analysis of Tennyson’s crisis of faith implies that he views religion as something that should be accepted only after a crisis of faith.

            Allison’s article, published in 2015, approaches In Memoriam from a completely different viewpoint. Rather than focusing on the effect of the poem on the audience or on religious struggles, she views the poem from both a formalist and a psychoanalyst perspective. By focusing on the minute details of the poem rather than overarching themes, she looks at how In Memoriam reflects Tennyson’s childhood experiences. Instead of engaging in the debate about Tennyson’s faith, she takes a completely different view of the poem. This reflects a separation between religion and literature when both faith and doubt are no longer relevant. Meaning is found in the text through focus on the form itself, enabling the critic to appreciate the poem in a different way.