The Eagle by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Alfred Lord Tennyson was a poet in the Victorian era which came after Romanticism. There he

elaborated nature contrasting it with the human world. Using a powerful symbol of the eagle, he

urges to discuss the power and the harshness of it.

The Eagle

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;

Close to the sun in lonely lands,

Ring’d with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;

He watches from his mountain walls,

And like a thunderbolt he falls.

Paraphrase of the Poem

 The eagle grasps the rocky cliff with his gnarled talons, standing on a remote

mountaintop so high that it almost seems to touch the sun. He stands there at the

center of the wide blue world.

Far below him, the waves of the ocean look like wrinkles in cloth. He observes

the world from his fortress-like mountain—and then swoops down as fast as a

bolt of lightning.

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 Introduction to Tennyson and Eagles

Countries companies and institutes use the eagle as an emblem in their flags. Even motivational

speakers use this bird as a metaphor in their speeches to inspire others.

Tennyson observes this majestic bird through his poetic eye.

Tennyson was considered an embodiment of the Victorian age.

Queen Victoria found comfort in reading Tennyson’s In Memoriam after the death of her

husband Prince Albert.

He was a leading poet.

Poet laureate - a post appointed by a government or organization to write poetry to

commemorate events of people of national or cultural significance.

They write about state and public events and occasions too.

He lived in the Victorian area.

The themes in his poems included:

1. Glorification of England
2. Death
3. Nature
4. Spirituality
5. Love
6. Perseverance and Optimisim
7. Religious faith Vs. Science
8. Human courage

He was a patriot and celebrated British empire through poetry.

Tennyson’s quotes -
“Nothing in nature in unbeautiful”.
“I am a part of all that I have met!”
“Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”.

He was influenced by the beauty of nature.

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This suggests how human personality is shaped by the experience they get throughout their
lives. He celebrated love through his poetry.

Eagles
1. There are more than 60 species of eagles in the world.
2. They build nests on top of high cliffs.
3. They have a strong eyesight - Their eyesight is ten times stronger than humans/They can
see up to 3km.
4. Cunning, bold and intellectual
5. They are loyal birds and they mate for life.
6. They can turn their heads to 210 degrees.
7. There is a myth that they go through a 5 month long painful rebirth process.
8. There feathers are replaced throughout their lives - a process called molting.
9. Eagles soar above the rain clouds, that is, 10,000 feet above sea level.

They are found in open habitats such as deserts, grasslands, and forests - large birds with sharp
hooked beaks and powerful talons. They have keen eyesight and can spot prey from great
distances making them effective hunters. Known for their powerful wings and strong flight
ability. Eagles have been used as a metaphor in most motivational speeches - they speak about 5
month painful process of rebirth - but there is no scientific evidence to support this idea. Maybe
it’s a myth

They are symbols of patriotism, warrior spirit, courage, power, freedom, honour, authority,
strength
Albania, Mexico, Egypt and Kazakhstan have the eagle on their national flags. The eagle is used
in the great seal of USA and the emblem of the US air force. Some companies use the eagle in
their branding.

Stanza one - line one - he - personification, the writer has personified the bird using the 3rd
person masculine singular pronoun he - clasp - hold something tightly/firmly.
Crag -
Crooked hands - talons - twisted talons - gnarled talons
Visual imagery of twisted talons
Hands - personification
Only humans have hands

2nd line - close to the sun in lonely lands

The bird has perched on a cliff

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Close to the sun - hyperbole - unbelievable exaggeration - no creature can be close to the sun.
lonely lands - the hyperbole is used to suggest the height of the mountain range.
It's a very tall mountain.
Lonely lands - alliteration

Ring’d - apostrophe for missing e - ring’d means surrounded - azure world - bright blue colour

He stands - personification

The first stanza is a triplet/tercet

2nd stanza - the wrinkled sea beneath him crawls - wrinkles are on an old person

The sea waves are compared to wrinkles. Usually, the waves of the ocean are huge. Here the
writer has reduced the power of the ocean or the sea by using the words wrinkled and crawled.

The power of the sea is reduced here.

It also shows the height of the bird, where he has perched.

He watches from his mountain walls.

Mountain walls - a naturally built fortress not a man-made one. He is protected from the
mountain.
It is a mountainous terrain. He is protected by the mountain walls. The technique is a metaphor.

Wrinkled sea - a metaphor

He observes the world like a monarch, a king or a dictator.

A king observes his subjects - citizens of the country.

Like a thunderbolt - simile - flight of the bird is compared to the thunderbolt - very fast

*The writer doesn’t say he flies. He uses falls. This could have 2 interpretations – the eagle
swoops down to snatch his prey or he falls down dead indicating nature’s frailty and the
circle of life.

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This suggests the bird’s agility.
Swiftness- how quickly he can move.

Falls - dives down to the sea to catch its prey.

Thunderbolt suggests destructiveness. This is destructive to its prey - fish.

Paraphrase of the poem. - the meaning of the poem in our own words.

Themes -

Majesty of the bird the eagle - throughout the poem the poet describes the actions and behavior
of this royal bird. It is the king of the birds.
Glorification of nature - the eagle is a part of nature - not just the eagle, other elements of nature
are also presented here. Crag, sun, azure world, mountains, sea

All these are elements from nature.

This poem is given under the nature category.
Tennyson glorifies nature.

Inspiration from nature - he wrote this poem as a result of his frequent visits to the Pyrenees - a
mountain range. He was inspired by nature to write this poem.

Inspiration of nature is another theme,

Dual aspect of nature - the negative and the positive sides of nature
Positive aspects - beauty, comfort, glorification given by mother nature to humans.

Negative aspects - it can be destructive.

Thunderbolt is destructive to humans.

Autocratic power - he was the poet laureate.

The British Empire was at its peak - the sun never set on the British empire. It had conquered so
many countries poem suggests British patriotism. It is a symbol of dictatorship.
Autocratic power.

Transient nature of nature - nature changes all the time, it is not something fixed.

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In the first stanza - the writer gives a beautiful picture of nature - the leisurely, peaceful and
beautiful world he stands in.

Second stanza he brings out a negative image.

One minute, it is soothing and beautiful to human sight but the very next minute, it is something
destructive.

Poetic Techniques -

Simple diction language - an average person can understand it. Simple poem written with simple

diction. Personification - examples

The third-person singular masculine pronoun ‘he’ is used throughout the poem to refer to the

bird.

Hands, stands, watches - personifies the bird.

Simile - like a thunderbolt - the flight of the bird is compared to a thunderbolt.

Metaphor - a way of comparing two things.

Mountain walls, azure world, wrinkled sea

Visual imagery - mental pictures are created in the mind - the account of the eagles creates a

beautiful picture of the majestic bird and other elements of nature.

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Auditory imagery - thunderbolt - suggests the sound of thunder

Kinesthetic imagery – Write down examples -

The eagle symbolizes so many things

Sun is the symbol of power and life

Rhyme scheme - regular rhyme scheme - hands, stands, lands, crawls, walls, falls

AAA BBB

Parallelism - it’s a technique/figure of speech where the same grammatical structure is used in a

sentence or series of sentences.

He grasps - the same pattern is used in the stands

He watches - he falls

Alliteration - assonance, consonance

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS ON ‘THE EAGLE’ BY ALFRED LORD TENNYSON

Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem is a precise/accurate conceptual [based on mental concepts]

delivery of man and nature as suggested by the usage of symbols: the eagle, crag, sea and sky.
The thematic concerns are open to wide interpretation with the ambiguity [unclearness] of the
poem that invokes philosophical questioning to the cycle of life undergone by man and how the

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poet finds it difficult to think of a world excluding humans. Thus, he expresses a contentious
opinion provoking the radical debate whether man is above or below nature.

In the first stanza, the poet creates a setting where a lone eagle stands on a crag of a mountain
overlooking the sea with the sky surrounding it like a backdrop. The visual imagery is further
elaborated/detailed/explained with the color ‘azure’ describing the beauty of the sky. The terms
‘lonely lands’ could be referring to the immense stretches of sea and sky. The image is continued
in the next line with the metaphor ‘azure world’. This depicts a vast space where the bird could
fly free unopposed as we know that the eagle is a powerful creature with sharp vision and
strength as a predator.

Through the eyes of this powerful predator, the sea below him is a ‘wrinkled sea’ that ‘crawls
beneath him’. The fact that the creature stands on a crag shows how unreachable he is to man.
The poet thus creates an image that portrays the eagle as a creation of nature which is also
protected by nature. In the line “From his mountain walls’’, ‘walls’ suggest protection for the
eagle, which lives in a place almost inaccessible to humans, protected and unreachable in a
beautiful azure eyrie [large nest] of sorts with a massive space like the sky and a large area of
sea. The last line, ‘like a thunderbolt he falls’, is an understatement because an eagle does not
just fall off a cliff; it would dive to catch its prey or reach a place where his sharp vision caught
some attention. *Some interpretations say that the eagle falls of the cliff at the end because he is
old, powerless, tired or dead. Be open to this interpretation too as there could be exam questions
that require this interpretation.

Throughout the poem, however, we see that the poet has attempted to humanize the eagle
through use of pronouns ‘he’, ‘him’ and ‘his’. Instead of using ‘claws’ which seems like a more
appropriate term to describe a bird, he uses ‘hands’. Similarly, the actions of a bird are also
termed differently: ‘stands’ instead of ‘perches’ and ‘falls’ instead of ‘dives’. Thus, the poet
could be using the eagle as a symbol of masculinity; a great man powerfully portrayed as
possessing very sharp vision and strength. Man is an excellent and clever predator but, a predator
nevertheless; with the ability to destroy somebody else’s life. In the setting created by the poet,
he is passive till the climax when he dives like a great man who keeps his powers in reserve till
the right moment. This man is not just a man but he is transformed into a superhero living at a
very high vantage point secure and in control of his own world. *Vantage point is a place
affording a good view of something.

The debate between man and nature and who has the ultimate power to control is discussed
with subtlety. The sea, sky, and mountains are all elements of nature while the sea and sky
symbolize freedom. Within such limitless freedom, the ‘mountain walls’ other than offering
protection also constrain man’s freedom (unlike the bird who could fly above all). The eagle is
adapted to flying in any direction but when considering the eagle as a man, he falls off the cliff.
Ultimately what controls the man is gravity, which is a force of nature. Tennyson thus places
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nature above man. Contradicting this viewpoint, another perspective is how the poet creates an
imaginary world, but without the ability to exclude humans. Thus, humans are also integral to
nature. Then the first argument gets revived when we see how nature in turn controls man who
cannot challenge the changes he has to undergo. ‘the wrinkled sea beneath him crawls’,
Although ambiguous, it could suggest personification of man and his life cycle, because
‘wrinkled’ suggests old age and ‘crawls’ suggests infancy. Thus, the impending philosophical
debate is also then open to the reader whether man is above or below nature.

Eagle sample extracts with hints:

1. The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls (line 4)

We see a contrast between old ("wrinkled") and young ("crawls") in this line. Everything in the
world below is either too old or too young. But the eagle, in Goldilocks terms, is just right. The
eagle is a creature in the prime of its strength and vitality.

2. He watches from his mountain walls (line 5)

The eagle continues to "stand watch" over the landscape. The eagle's vision is a kind of skill – it
can see things from much farther away than can humans. Still, the poem keeps the eagle's coolest
skills in reserve, in order to build suspense.

3. And like a thunderbolt he falls (line 6)

Like a dive-bombing fighter plane, the eagle careens off the crag, and he relies on gravity to
build incredible speed. His flight is pure energy. The verb "falls" pairs with "stands" at the end of
the first stanza. "Standing" and "falling" are opposite actions.

Background Details of Alfred Lord Tennyson

Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809–1892)

Born on August 6, 1809, in Somersby, Lincolnshire, England, Alfred Lord Tennyson is still one

of the most well-loved Victorian poets. Tennyson, the fourth of twelve children, showed an early

talent for writing. At the age of twelve he wrote a 6,000-line epic poem. His father, the Reverend

George Tennyson, tutored his sons in classical and modern languages. In the 1820s, however,
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Tennyson's father began to suffer frequent mental breakdowns that were exacerbated/worsened

by alcoholism. One of Tennyson's brothers had violent quarrels with his father, a second was

later confined to an insane asylum, and another became an opium addict.

Tennyson escaped home in 1827 to attend Trinity College, Cambridge. In that same year, he and

his brother Charles published Poems by Two Brothers. Although the poems in the book were

mostly juvenilia, they attracted the attention of the "Apostles," an undergraduate literary club led

by Arthur Hallam. The "Apostles" provided Tennyson, who was tremendously shy, with much

needed friendship and confidence as a poet. Hallam and Tennyson became the best of friends;

they toured Europe together in 1830 and again in 1832. Hallam's sudden death in 1833 greatly

affected the young poet. The long elegy In Memoriam and many of Tennyson's other poems are

tributes to Hallam.

In 1830, Tennyson published Poems, Chiefly Lyrical and in 1832 he published a second volume

entitled simply Poems. Some reviewers condemned these books as "affected" and "obscure."

Obscure – not clearly expressed. Tennyson, stung by the reviews, would not publish another

book for nine years. In 1836, he became engaged to Emily Sellwood. When he lost his

inheritance on a bad investment in 1840, Sellwood's family called off the engagement. In 1842,

however, Tennyson's Poems in two volumes was a tremendous critical and popular success. In

1850, with the publication of in Memoriam, Tennyson became one of Britain's most popular

poets. He was selected Poet Laureate in succession to Wordsworth. In that same year, he married

Emily Sellwood. They had two sons, Hallam and Lionel.

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At the age of 41, Tennyson had established himself as the most popular poet of the Victorian era.

The money from his poetry (at times exceeding 10,000 pounds per year) allowed him to purchase

a house in the country and to write in relative seclusion. His appearance—a large and bearded

man, he regularly wore a cloak and a broad brimmed hat—enhanced his notoriety. He read his

poetry with a booming voice, often compared to that of Dylan Thomas. In 1859, Tennyson

published the first poems of Idylls of the Kings, which sold more than 10,000 copies in one

month. In 1884, he accepted a peerage, becoming Alfred Lord Tennyson. Tennyson died on

October 6, 1892, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Victorian Era

Victorian Era

In the history of the United Kingdom, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign,

from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. There was a strong religious drive for

higher moral standards led by the nonconformist churches, such as the Methodists, and the

Evangelical wing of the established Church of England. Britain's relations with the other Great

Powers were driven by the colonial antagonism of the Great Game with Russia, climaxing during

the Crimean War; a Pax Britannica of international free trade was maintained by the country's

naval and industrial supremacy. Britain embarked on global imperial expansion, particularly in

Asia and Africa, which made the British Empire the largest empire in history.

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Victorian Poetry

Poetry written in England during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) may be referred to as

Victorian poetry. Following Romanticism, Victorian poets continued many of the previous era’s

main themes, such as religious scepticism/doubt and valorization/enhancing value of the artist as

genius; but Victorian poets also developed a distinct sensibility. The most prolific and well-

regarded poets of the age included Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett

Browning, Matthew Arnold, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and Oscar Wilde. Browse more Victorian

poets.

Romanticism

Romanticism (also known as the Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual

movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at

its peak in the approximate period from 1800 to 1850. Romanticism was characterized by its

emphasis on emotion and individualism as well as glorification of all the past and nature,

preferring the medieval rather than the classical. It was partly a reaction to the Industrial

Revolution the aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment, and the

scientific rationalization of nature—all components of modernity. It was embodied most strongly

in the visual arts, music, and literature, but had a major impact on historiography, education, the

social sciences, and the natural sciences. It had a significant and complex effect on politics, with

romantic thinkers influencing liberalism, radicalism, conservatism and nationalism.

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 Major Themes in The Eagle –

Themes:

1. Majesty and power of Nature

2. Necessity of using the imagination

3. Masculinity

4. Freedom which is natural privilege and its opposite as suggested by the sea groveling

 The Awesome Power of Nature

This short poem describes an eagle perched watchfully above a grand landscape,

ready to hunt. When at last the bird spots its prey and attacks, it descends like a

“thunderbolt,” a figure of awe-inspiring power (and one with all sorts of

mythological connotations/interpretations, evoking the might of gods like Zeus

and Thor). Through its depiction of this astonishing eagle, the poem illustrates the

power, beauty, and ruthlessness of the natural world. *Ruthlessness – the quality

of lacking pity or compassion for others.

The poem's speaker presents the eagle as a masterful figure in a sweeping

landscape. Perched haughtily above the wide “azure world,” this eagle surveys his

terrain like a god. Just to look at a majestic bird like this, the speaker’s

wonderstruck language suggests, is to come face to face with the power of nature

itself: as the king of this mountainous landscape, the eagle seems to represent all

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 the might of the natural world. *Masterful – able to control people and situations

in a confident way.

Sweeping landscape – an expanse of scenery that can be seen in one view.

That might is majestic and compelling in part because it’s dangerous. When the

eagle plunges from its perch “like a thunderbolt”—a thunderbolt about to smite

some unsuspecting rabbit or squirrel far below—the poem suggests that being

amazed by nature also means approaching its power with respect and humility

(and a little wholesome fear). This eagle, in short, sums up all of nature’s power,

glory, and danger in one feathery body. (Perhaps the poem also hints at the power,

glory, and danger of some of the qualities eagles often symbolize, like freedom,

insight, and intellect.)

*compelling -evoking admiration, interest, attention in a powerful way.

Plunges – dives/jumps

smite - Strike

 “The Eagle” Symbols

o The Eagle

This poem's eagle could symbolize any number of things, from insight to

inspiration to God. By vividly describing a highly symbolic bird, the poem opens

up many avenues for such interpretations—without insisting that the reader

choose any one in particular.

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 Eagles are traditional symbols of intellect, so there's the possibility that this poem

describes what those qualities feel like: the eagle's power, his sharp eye, and his

sudden dive might all evoke how it feels to think deeply and freely, and then hit

on a new insight. For that matter, the eagle might symbolize the speaker's poetic

inspiration—the feeling of being suddenly struck by the idea that leads one to

write a poem like this! *Insight – capacity to get a deep understanding.

And some readers have also seen the eagle as a symbol for God—an idea the

speaker nods to through personification and "thunderbolt[s]." In this reading, the

eagle's mastery of the world and sudden, lightning-quick descent might evoke the

way that one version of God relates to creation: sitting watchfully above, then

darting down to deal out ferocious judgment.

 “The Eagle” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

o Personification

By personifying the eagle, the speaker gives it a mysterious, godlike mind of its

own.

If readers didn't know this poem was about an eagle, they might not guess for a

minute! The poem's first image is of an unknown "he" who grasps a "crag" in his

"crooked hands." There's something strange about that picture: the reader might

imagine either a gnarled old man clinging to the side of a cliff or a god holding

that entire cliff in his hands. And both of those impressions linger even as the

reader begins to get the idea. There's something of both the wise old man and the

almighty god in this eagle. The fact that the sea below the bird is also personified

as "craw[ling]" adds to the image of the eagle as the master of his domain,
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 perched high above the lowly, subservient sea.

Presenting the eagle in the form of a person—a "he"—the speaker also suggests

that the eagle has a consciousness: an identity of his own, and intentions of his

own. The eagle doesn't appear as an unthinking, instinctive force of nature, but as

an awe-inspiring character.

And perhaps this personification is a way for the speaker to identify with the

eagle, sharing in its experience, feeling how it might feel to fall from a cliffside

"like a thunderbolt," but with full human consciousness. A real live eagle, after

all, doesn't ever seem to say "Wheeeee!"—but a human can feel the exhilaration

of an eagle's flight just by imagining it from the ground. *Exhilaration – feeling of

excitement, happiness or elation.

 Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “The Eagle”

o Form

"The Eagle" is broken into two tercets (three-line stanzas). In six sparing lines, it

evokes a whole wide and dramatic landscape, full of craggy rocks and echoing

seas, and a powerful, godlike central figure: an eagle as mighty as a "thunderbolt."

This poem was first published under the title "The Eagle: A Fragment." A

fragment is a segment of a never-completed (or sometimes purely imaginary!)

longer work, published as a stand-alone poem. Fragment poems often feel rather

mysterious, hinting that there's a bigger story here just beyond a veil. (Coleridge's

"Kubla Khan" is another good example.) The sense that a longer poem is only

starting here makes this poem's brevity feel powerful, suggesting there's a whole

unspoken world of meaning behind this one image.

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o Meter

"The Eagle" uses iambic tetrameter: lines of four iambs, metrical feet with a da-

DUM rhythm. Here's what that sounds like in line 1:

He clasps | the crag | with crook- | ed hands;

This steady, pounding rhythm evokes the poem's world of soaring cliffs and

endless waves: this is a powerful meter to suit some powerful images.

The speaker also plays with this rhythm to evoke the eagle's behavior. Take a look

at the way the meter works in lines 2 and 3:

Close to | the sun | in lone- | ly lands,

Ringed with | the az- | ure world, | he stands.

Both of these lines start with a trochee—the opposite of an iamb, with a DUM-da

rhythm. Those strong initial stresses give the first words of these lines a little

extra oomph and create a swinging, sweeping, back-and-forth rhythm that mirrors

the way the eagle scans the landscape for its prey.

When the speaker returns to straightforward iambic tetrameter in the second

stanza, the change in meter matches the change in mood: as the eagle prepares to

dive, the meter gets more focused and consistent, as if the bird's eye is now fixed

firmly on the unsuspecting little furry creature below.

o Rhyme Scheme

"The Eagle" uses a striking, insistent rhyme scheme. Each of its tercets (or three-

line stanzas) uses three rhymes in a row, like this:

AAA BBB

This is a pretty dramatic and unusual choice! And it only feels more noticeable

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 because every one of these rhyme words is a strong monosyllable, falling like the

blow of an axe: "hands," "stands," "lands," boom boom boom.

That forceful feeling makes perfect sense: this is a poem about a mighty eagle

striking "like a thunderbolt," and these rhymes feel as powerful and swift as the

eagle's fall.

 “The Eagle” Speaker

o The speaker of this poem is just an anonymous, awestruck voice—with no clear

personality or identity beyond that awe. The speaker's whole role here is just to

stare at this bird in wonder.

For that very reason, there's some sense that the speaker might be imagining the

eagle, or even imagining what it might be like to be the eagle. The poem seems

able to observe the eagle from right up close, in spite of the fact that the eagle is

standing on a remote crag that seems almost to touch the sun, well out of human

reach. And when the bird at last falls "like a thunderbolt" on the world below,

there's a sense that the speaker feels swept up in its exhilarating power.

 “The Eagle” Setting

o "The Eagle" is set in grand, sweeping, wild, and mountainous terrain. Everything

here is soaringly vast: the mountaintops seem to touch the sky, and the huge

ocean is so far below that it looks like "wrinkled" fabric.

The eagle seems to be the absolute master of this domain: these are "his mountain

walls," and these "lonely lands" don't seem to be inhabited by humankind. The

setting thus makes the eagle himself seem even more awe-inspiring and powerful.

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 He's the godlike ruler of an epic landscape, standing at the very center of his own

"azure world."

 Literary and Historical Context of “The Eagle”

 Literary Context

Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) was one of the most famous, influential, and beloved

poets of the Victorian era. In fact, he was so emphatically the face of mid-19th-century

English poetry that he became Poet Laureate to Queen Victoria herself.

In some ways, Tennyson's poetry is transitional, marking the end of the earlier Romantic

era as much as it establishes a new Victorian voice. The intensity and brevity of "The

Eagle" (published in 1851) might, for instance, remind readers of Shelley's

"Ozymandias"—and the mighty, awe-inspiring eagle itself feels like a cousin to Blake's

"Tyger." Tennyson was well aware of his debt to the Romantics: he was a huge fan of

Lord Byron as a young man and was deeply shocked by Byron's tragic death. He also

directly inherited the title of Poet Laureate from arch-Romantic William Wordsworth.

But like his friends Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Tennyson was also

an innovator and a master in his own right. The concise power of "The Eagle," for

instance, demonstrates his knack for choosing just the right word.

While Tennyson fell out of popularity among the early-20th-century Modernists (who

dismissed his work as too quaint, too pretty, and too conservative), recent scholars have

given him more credit, praising his deep sense of mystery and wonder. There's no

question that he's an important and influential writer: to this day, poems like "The Lady

of Shalott," are among the best-known and best-loved in the world.

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Historical Context

Tennyson wasn't just a popular poet during his time: he was a major public figure. As

Poet Laureate to Queen Victoria, Tennyson was one face of the British Empire at its

peak. Under Victoria, Britain's power expanded worldwide. Proverbially, the "sun never

set on the British Empire": Britain had colonial holdings across the world, and very much

saw itself as the rightful, "civilized" ruler of all the lands it had conquered.

Some of Tennyson's own work reflects the intense British patriotism of the time. His

"The Charge of the Light Brigade," for instance, is a bombastic celebration of military

self-sacrifice. But it's also a tragedy, and reflects another major Victorian preoccupation:

grief.

Queen Victoria's beloved husband Prince Albert died when Tennyson was about a decade

into his tenure as Poet Laureate. Victoria went into deep mourning for the rest of her life

—and sparked a craze for flamboyant public grief. Victorian mourners would wear black

for years, make elaborate wreaths and jewelry out of the hair of the dead, and pose

corpses for post-mortem portraits. Tennyson himself might have helped to fan the flames

of this obsession with his great poem "In Memoriam," a long commemoration of a

beloved friend, dead too young.

Perhaps the Victorian obsession with death and mourning also speaks to the changing

19th-century world. As Europe's rural past began to fade, and the Industrial Revolution

ushered in an era of rapid, dirty, and dangerous change, Britain embraced its new

economic might—but also mourned a disappearing way of life.

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Analysis

‘He clasps the crag with crooked hands’

Using a personal pronoun personifies the eagle to a person who wields natural power. Clasping

crag shows the ownership which he holds tight. His crooked hand may be suggestive of the

harshness and the corrupted nature of power. The alliteration and the assonance depict the

harshness of the environment and the eagle itself.

‘Close to the sun in lonely lands,’

Closeness to the sun creates an effect that eagle is a god-like figure. It shows how supreme this

bird is. As well as that, it shows the point of view at the eagle. It is like someone looks at the

eagle from far below. The lonely land suggest that he lives in an undisturbed natural surrounding

and his nature of living. It is like the powerful has to stay alone.

‘Ring’d with the azure world, he stands.’

His world is shown covered with blue surroundings, the colour – azure/bright blue suggests

nobility. Does that mean eagle is a noble character? Although away from others, he lives alone

and he survives without any issue. His ability to stand alone shows that.

‘The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;’

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‘wrinkled sea’ shows that there is a changing of point of view. The poet takes the reader to the

view of the eagle. His standing height and the sharpness of its sight can be seen here. The words

‘wrinkled’ and ‘crawls’ may show the power contrast between the two natural creations.

‘He watches from his mountain walls,’

Word ‘wall’ implies of a home, the cliff is home of the eagle. Using the possessive pronoun

shows the possession. That means the accumulation of power. The image created here is like the

eagle reigns in its natural fortress.

‘And like a thunderbolt he falls.’

‘thunderbolt’ is a powerful, beautiful natural force. That may suggest the power and swiftness of

eagle’s swoop. The use of the word seems contradictory as if it implies the fall or death of every

power which is a natural course.

*Swoop – a rapid downwards movement/snatching movement/action

Swiftness – The quality of moving at a high speed

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 Metaphorical Use of Nature in the Poem, The Eagle by Tennyson

Tennyson, is a poet who belongs to the period of Victorian Era. However, he uses nature as a

carriage to transport his metaphorical message to the reader utilizing some elements of nature

itself. The reason behind the usage of nature might be the influence of Romanticism which

evolved into the literary movement of Victorian era. Nevertheless, Tennyson uses some natural

aspects to contrast the power relationship between two symbolic parties.

The poet metaphorically uses the powerful bird, eagle and its surroundings to convey the power

flow and the nature of power. His description evokes the imaginative eye of the reader to picture

a cinematic scenery where of the region the eagle lives in. It is made easy for the reader to

contrast what actually lies beneath the lines. The natural elements are actually used to represent

some personalities who possess similar characteristics.

The eagle is itself a metaphor for a powerful solitary figure. It has been personified to indicate

that it is actually about a person. The reader can draw parallel lines between the characteristics of

the eagle and the person that is actually being referred to. His actions: ‘like a thunderbolt he

falls’, ‘clasps the crag with crooked hands’ suggest the true nature of power which is apparently

corrupted and lethal/sufficient to cause death. The static [lacking in movement] verbs ‘stands’,

‘watches’ shows a picture of a powerful lord standing and examining the beholders [people who

observe someone] with sharp eyes. The action and the appearance shown by the eagle are best

suited for a powerful dictator with high command.

The natural surrounding associated with the eagle metaphorically refers to a territory or

kingdom which belongs to a ruler. The words like: ‘mountain walls’, ‘lonely lands’, ‘ring’d …
23
azure world’ suggest that the eagle lives in a solitary land surrounded by strong protections. the

eagle’s posture ‘close to the sun’ is also an exaggerated elevation to show the high ground that it

lives in. Such usage of natural elements again helps the reader to contrast between what the poet

metaphorically tries to bring forward.

The use of the sea with the adjective ‘wrinkled’ is suggestive for something vast but still less

powerful that the eagle. The power of the sea has been reduced by comparing the mighty waves

of the sea to wrinkles on the skin of an elderly person. The sea represents the ordinary masses of

people who are weak in the sight and power of the ruler. The gap created between the eagle and

the sea around its natural surrounding demonstrates the power gap between the two parties. The

eagle might see the waves of the sea as wrinkled that because of the height where it sits upon.

This power relationship metaphorically suggests to a ruler and the ordinary mass who are ruled

by the ruler.

The careful usage of natural elements to refer to something else is a proven success of Tennyson

which has generated a vivid picture which is easy to draw parallels with. Therefore, it can be

enjoyed as a simple poem or if it is to be analyzed, there are a number of metaphorical depth to

dig into.

Analysis 2 –

The eagle by the English poet, Alfred, Lord Tennyson is an extremely short poem written in the

Victorian era. Many readers of the poem misunderstand that the poem is a fragment of a lengthy

origin because of its short length, and of its ambiguous ending.

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The Eagle

“The eagle” is one of the shortest bird poems ever written in the history of English literature. The

eagle is a predatory bird which fundamentally symbolizes power as it is one of the animal

associates of the Greek god Zeus. Furthermore, the eagle functions as man’s connection to the

divine because of the aforesaid connection, and of its ability to fly extreme heights. The bird

further functions as a symbol of justice; therefore, it is necessary to carefully annotate the poem

to discover its figurative ideas; to find out whether the poet simply attempts to paint a picture of

an eagle in the reader’s mind or to convey something metaphorical.

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;

To start with, the poem opens up with a personal pronoun which is used to replace a human

name, thus human characteristics are attributed to the raptor. This is

personification/anthropomorphism.

“He” is a personal pronoun which is dedicated to specify masculine humans. This is an example

of personification. When Tennyson had the chance to use another lexical, he still picks “clasps”

which is rather ambiguous/unclear to be annotated/explained. On the one hand, “clasps” suggests

the power of the eagle as he holds the “crag” firmly. One the other hand the poet uses the word

to indicate the action of embracing, which then contributes to specify the connection between the

anthropomorphized eagle and the crag, which is an element of nature.

Well, now you can see that the lexical choice of Lord Tennyson is prudent/wise, so that it will

attribute layers of meanings to the literary work.

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“Crooked”, literally suggests the physically twisted nature of the talons of the eagle. In a

different perspective, “crooked” denotes dishonesty as well. Based on the second meaning of the

word, you can understand the idea, how the eagle – a symbolic of justice in humanoid form has

“crooked” hands, seems to be self-contradictory.

Do eagles have hands? NO, human beings do. Then let’s take a look at the last word of the first

line. Tennyson uses another anthropomorphism to attribute human characteristics to the eagle. At

the same time the word, “hands” functions as a symbol of power, which then openly exhibits the

masculine strength of the eagle.

Now let’s take a step back and look at the overall line. Once the line is read aloud, the reader can

obviously notice the prominent harsh consonant “c” (keh) sound which is called a cacophony in

the world of literature. Poets use cacophonies to clue the readers that ideas such as danger, death,

and violence are present in the literary work.

Close to the sun in lonely lands,

Tennyson starts the second line with a hyperbole. Because of the eagle’s ability to maintain its

proximity with the sun, divine power is attributed to the eagle. You have to read the story of

Icarus:

In ancient mythological Greece, flying above Crete on wings made out of wax and feathers,

Icarus, the son of Daedalus, defied the laws of both man and nature as an attempt to escape the

punishment given by king Minos, because his father helped the king’s wife Pasiphaë to have

sexual relations with a bull as she was cursed by the Greek god, Poseidon. Ignoring the warnings

26
of his father, Icarus flew higher and higher so that the people below witnessed him as a god. But

in ancient Greece, the boundary which separated man from god was absolute, and the

punishments for mortals who attempted to cross it were severe. Overwhelmed by the divine

power attributed by the flight, Icarus flew close to the sun only to find out his wax wings could

not surpass the power of a god, and had to pay the price by his life.

The last two words indicate that the geographical location where the eagle reigns. It seems to

have no liveliness as Tennyson theorizes the connection between power and loneliness, which is

strengthened by the alliteration of “L” sound. Most of the beasts of nature who are in the upper

section of the food chain seem to have solitary living conditions – individually or as a species,

thus Tennyson figuratively indicates a primary characteristic of power.

Ring’d with the azure world, he stands.

In the first word, you can see that the letter “e” is dropped in order to maintain the rhythm of the

poem. We call that literary technique an elision. However, the reader can understand the sense of

the word once the rest of the line is read. Keep in mind that “Ring’d” is a passive verb, which has

been done to the anthropomorphized/personified eagle by someone.

Azure is a colour. It is the bright blue colour of the cloudless sky, and simply the azure world is a

metaphorical statement for the vast blue sky.

Have you ever seen a halo of an angel? The ringed eagle, of which the halo is the vast blue sky

on the one hand illustrates its elevated location and it simultaneously attributes divine power to

its character, as halos are unique to divine creatures.

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Furthermore, note how the anthropomorphism extends to this line and how the poet further

elaborates the humanoid behavior of the bird with the usage of the lexical “stands”.

Now that the annotation of the first half of the poem is over, let’s have an overview of the entire

stanza. The rhyming scheme of the stanza is “a, a, a”. When there are only three lines in a stanza,

critics call it a tercet. A tercet has many variations such as triplet, haiku, enclosed tercet, Sicilian

tercet, and terza rima. Among them, triplet is one of the rarest forms of poetry ever written in

English literature, and “The Eagle” by Alfred Lord Tennyson is such a masterpiece of literature.

Meanwhile, don’t forget to notice how the first line consists many harsh consonant sounds aka

cacophonies, the second line has pleasant vowel sounds aka euphonies, and the last line again

contains harsh sounds. This variation of sounds creates the effect of ups and down and

elucidates/explains the turbulent/rough/characterized by conflict atmosphere in which the eagle

lives. Halo of a divine being

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;

To be wrinkled is to be physically marked by many lines similar to the skin of an elderly person.

To the vintage point of the eagle, the sea seems to have a texture which is similar to an old man.

Vintage point – a place or position affording a good view of something.

The sea is thus personified in order to indicate that the power of the eagle surpasses the vast sea,

which is another element of nature similar to the “azure world”

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Note that the “sea” which is “beneath” the eagle further contributes to add emphasis to its

overwhelming power

And obviously the anthropomorphism which initiated in the first line still extends throughout the

poem.

Next, the action performed by the sea is quite unusual. First of all, the sea cannot intentionally

perform an action and doing so makes the sea a personified object. Crawling is to move by

dragging the body, like a small animal. The lexical choice of the poet again emphasizes the

power of the eagle which exceeds nature.

He watches from his mountain walls,

The anthropomorphism/personification extends to this line as well, as the poet describes another

unique action of the eagle. It watches the atmosphere as if it is the governing body of the area.

The eagle does not look, nor sees, but it watches; the word choice of Tennyson again stands out

as it adds intention and consciousness of a vigilant [keeping careful watch] human being to the

bird.

Next, the poet uses a possessive pronoun to indicate the possessive power of the eagle. The

mountain belongs to him, and he is the ruler of the area. Do you remember the time how your

principal or headmaster stands near the entrance of the school to see whether you adhere to the

sacrosanct school rules? Well, the behavior of the eagle thus simulates the idiosyncrasy of an

autocratic ruler.

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sacrosanct – regarded as too important/valuable to be interfered with.

Idiosyncrasy – A mode of behaviour peculiar/different to an individual.

Apart from the dictatorial nature of the eagle, the poet implies to evince/reveal the inaccessibility

of the eagle’s location. Walls are usually used to enclose and to divide an area of land. Therefore,

the metaphor, “mountain walls” functions in the line to add emphasis to the possessive nature of

the eagle, and its unreachable position.

And like a thunderbolt he falls.

The meaning of the entire poem becomes equivocal thanks to this line.

The line opens with the coordinating conjunction, “and”; therefore, the sense of the clause links

to the previous line where the eagle “watches from his mountain walls”. In a practical sense, the

eagle should be observing a potential prey, but the poet does not exactly say so in the second

triplet of the poem. Then we have to find out what is exactly attacked (IF the eagle is actually

hunting). It should be something vulnerable, or weak. The only aforesaid characteristics are

possessed by the personified “wrinkled” sea, which “crawls”. Therefore, the action of the eagle

can be seen as an attempt to attack the wrinkled, crawling sea; which is a venture to surpass the

power of the natural law – an action which simulates the ego of Icarus.

Next the poet uses a simile “like a thunderbolt” to emphasize the swiftness and the vigour of the

eagle in a literal level. Do you remember, back in the distant past, when we annotated the topic,

we revealed that the eagle is an allusion to the Greek god Zeus. So is the “thunderbolt”. It is the

most powerful and most feared weapon ever crafted by Cyclops to help Zeus to defeat his father

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Coronus. The thunderbolt gave Zeus ultimate power over the sky, and over all gods. Therefore,

the sophisticated reader can understand the power of the eagle, and its capacity.

The anthropomorphism/personification still extends to the final line and the poet ends the poem

leaving a doubt in the minds of the readers, whether the bird is actually hunting, just falling dead,

or the action indicates something metaphorical.

To understand the metaphorical value of “fall” we have to time travel back to 17 th day 2nd month

8th year after the creation of Adam. His wife Eve was tempted by a serpent to eat the forbidden

fruit of the God, and both of them had to be punished. The transition from innocence and

obedience to the state of guilty and disobedience is called the fall of mankind.

Apart from that, there are many other falls such as the fall of seven angels, and the fall of

Lucifer where beings of higher kind lose their divinity and power, and get themselves cast in to

worse conditions. Because of that, the falling of the eagle has an obscure sense which extends

deeper beyond its literal meaning.

Well, it is time to come back to the reality. Let’s have an overview of the entire poem. Similar to

the first stanza, the second one too is a mono rhymed triplet, which is a very rare form of poetry.

When you look at the poem, it is very clear that the it is extra short, and it hardly satisfies the

curiosity of the reader. Universally, poets use the triplet form in order to point out the transient

nature of the subject of the poem. Therefore, the reader can clearly understand that the power of

the eagle, or the mighty raptor itself is not eternal. Even though it wields power which surpasses

the natural law, it will come to an end one day.

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 Extra Analysis

‘The Eagle’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson portrays the swiftness and agility of the king of birds.

The shortness of the poem is a reference to an eagle that is ready to latch onto its prey. It is

like a monarch of nature, keeping a strategic distance from the metaphorical “wrinkled sea”

crawling below. The poet is no doubt impressed by the bird’s agility and capacity. ‘The

Eagle’ by Tennyson was a source of inspiration to Ted Hughes. He wrote ‘Hawk

Roosting’ by imitating the Tennysonian model. Summary

‘The Eagle’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson is a short two stanza poem that speaks on the power and

solitude of a lone eagle on a rocky cliff.

The poem begins with the speaker describing how a solitary eagle is standing on the top of a

craggy cliff. From where he is perched, with his “crooked hands” gripping the rocks, he can

survey the whole “azure world” around and below him.

Tennyson’s eagle is in a real place of power and as soon as he is ready to, and not a moment

sooner, he dives. In the final line, he makes his surprise move, barreling down toward the water

in search of prey.

Structure

‘The Eagle’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson is a two-stanza poem that is separated out into two sets of

three lines, known as tercets. These tercets follow a very simple rhyme scheme that conforms to

a pattern of AAA BBB. The poem also makes use of the metrical pattern of iambic tetrameter.
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This means that each line contains four sets of two beats, known as metrical feet (or iambs). The

first is unstressed and the second stressed. It sounds something like da-DUM, da-DUM.

Poetic Techniques

Tennyson uses a number of poetic techniques within ‘The Eagle’. These

include alliteration, caesura, and personification. The latter is perhaps the easiest to spot. It

occurs when a poet imbues a non-human creature or object with human characteristics. In this

case, the eagle is described as having “hands”. It is also referred to as “he” rather than “it,”

therefore increasing its agency and individuality.

Another technique, alliteration, occurs when words are used in succession, or at least appear

close together, and begin with the same letter. A great example is in the first stanza with the

use and reuse of the letter “c”. Caesura is another interesting technique that involves splitting

a line of verse in order to shift the emphasis. The last line of the first stanza, with the comma

falling after “world” is an example. Analysis of The Eagle

Stanza One

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;

Close to the sun in lonely lands,

Ring’d with the azure world, he stands.

This piece begins with a description of a creature, only labeled with the pronoun “He”. The

speaker is assuming that a reader will understand who this “He” is, and if one reads the title of

the poem it’s clear. Tennyson’s speaker is describing an eagle, who is at the moment the poem

starts up on a “crag,” meaning a rugged, exposed cliff face.

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This is somewhere human beings couldn’t, or would have trouble, reaching. There is something

transcendent [beyond normal experiences] about this opening scene. It is beyond that which

humanity can experience, except through the words of writers such as Tennyson. Alfred Lord

Tennyson also makes use of alliteration in this first line in order to increase the rhythm of the

phrase.

Additionally, through personification, Tennyson imbues/instills the eagle with human-like

features. He refers to its claws as “hands” and the whole eagle as “he” rather than “it”.

The simplicity of the rhyme in these lines carries the poem forward. It is contrasted by the

dramatic images Tennyson has crafted. These only expand as he discusses the “lonely lands” that

stretch out underneath the “crag”. This emphasizes the feeling of loneliness and isolation. As

well as the fact that no human being can touch the place.

Tennyson expands the landscape further as he describes the ring of blue sky that wraps around

“the…world”. The eagle stands as if lording, over the lands below him. He represents a clear

image of power and knowledge, as well as the traditional meanings associated with eagles:

freedom and bravery.

Stanza Two

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;

He watches from his mountain walls,

And like a thunderbolt he falls.

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In the second stanza, the speaker gives the reader a few more details about the eagle’s

surroundings. The rocky cliff on which the creature is perched is, as already made clear, very

steep. Tennyson adds that it is also jutting out over the sea. The eagle is so high up, the sea

appears to be covered in wrinkles. They represent the various shapes of the waves and might

make one consider how age and time play into this description.

In the next line, the eagle’s position of power on the rocks is reemphasized. He is high above

everything else and is able to “watch” what’s going on below and around him. A reader should

also take note of how Tennyson called the mountain walls the eagle’s walls as if they belong to

him. He has a claim over this piece of land and because he is the only creature capable of

reaching it, there is no one to challenge him.

The transition from the second line to the third is powerful. All of a sudden, the eagle drops from

his perch, plunging toward the sea below. This intentional dive was preplanned on the eagle’s

part, certainly, but for the reader, it comes as something of a shock. “He” is hunting a smaller

creature below him and knows when the precise moment would be for him to dive for it. In the

final line, Tennyson describes the eagle as a “thunderbolt”. Again, this speaks to his god-like

power in this world and might even inspire a direct comparison to the god Zeus.

‘The Eagle’ is a concise masterpiece by Tennyson, consisting of just six lines. The poem zeroes

in on the eagle as a symbol of power and solitude, elevated above the mundane world. The

reader is compelled to ponder the life of this majestic creature, particularly in the dramatic final

lines where the eagle dives towards the sea "like a thunderbolt." This poem encapsulates

Tennyson's frequent exploration of nature, power, and human emotions.

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 The Eagle by Alfred Lord Tennyson: A Complete Analysis

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be an eagle, soaring high above the world, free and

powerful? If so, you might enjoy reading “The Eagle” by Alfred Lord Tennyson. He was one of

the most famous poets of the Victorian era. In this short but striking poem, Tennyson captures

the essence of the majestic bird. He uses vivid imagery, personification, and metaphors to

convey its beauty, solitude, and strength. Let’s explore the subject, author, context, theme, tone,

form, and poetic techniques of this poem. Let’s see what we can learn from it.

The Eagle by Alfred Lord Tennyson

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;

Close to the sun in lonely lands,

Ring'd with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;

He watches from his mountain walls,

And like a thunderbolt he falls.

Subject

The subject of the poem is the eagle, a symbol of nobility, courage, and freedom. The majesty

and dominance of the eagle are expressed throughout the poem, describing its appearance,

position, and movement. Additionally, the poem suggests a stark/complete contrast between the

eagle and the human world.

The eagle is depicted as being close to the sun, circling in the blue sky, and watching from his

mountain walls while the sea beneath him crawls. The poem ends with vivid imagery, with the

eagle diving like a thunderbolt, showing its speed and power.

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Author

The author of the poem is Alfred Lord Tennyson, one of the most popular and influential poets

of the 19th century. He was born in 1809 in Lincolnshire, England, and showed an early talent

for poetry. Tennyson attended Cambridge University, where he met his close friend Arthur

Hallam. Hallam’s death in 1833 inspired Tennyson’s masterpiece, “In Memoriam.”

In 1850, Tennyson became the Poet Laureate of Britain. Throughout his career, he wrote many

poems on various topics, including nature, love, death, history, and mythology. Tennyson passed

away in 1892 and is buried in Westminster Abbey.

Inspiration for the poem

One possible source of inspiration for the poem “The Eagle” by Alfred Lord Tennyson is his

frequent travels to the Pyrenees, a mountain range between France and Spain. There, Tennyson

often saw eagles, raptors, and other birds of prey, circling above him in this area. He made the

decision to write a poem that perfectly captured their majesty and agility.

However, instead of utilizing mountains as the setting, Tennyson opted to craft an imaginary

scene of cliffs by the sea. This choice added contrast and drama to the poem’s backdrop.

Furthermore, Tennyson’s appreciation for classical and medieval literature, along with his

observations of the Victorian era, influenced his poem significantly. He employed the eagle as a

symbol of nobility, courage, and freedom, while also contrasting it with the human world.

Impact of the poem

Readers and critics have praised and appreciated the poem a great deal, and it has influenced

other poets and writers. For example, Ted Hughes, a famous poet of the 20th century, wrote

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“Hawk Roosting” by imitating the Tennysonian model. He also praised Tennyson’s poem as “a

miracle of condensation” and “a triumph of compression.”.

The poem has also been used in various contexts and media, such as education, music, and film.

For example, the poem is often taught in schools and colleges as an example of Tennyson’s

poetic style and skill and as a way of introducing the themes and techniques of poetry.

The context of “The Eagle” by Alfred Lord Tennyson

The context of the poem is the Victorian era, a period of rapid social, economic, and cultural

change in Britain. The Industrial Revolution, the growth of the British Empire, scientific and

technological advancements, and the emergence of fresh social movements and ideologies were

a few factors that influenced the Victorian worldview.

Tennyson was a keen observer of his time and reflected on its challenges and opportunities in his

poetry. Furthermore, he also drew inspiration from classical and medieval literature and often

used mythological and historical references in his poems. “The Eagle” was first published in

1851 in a collection of poems titled Poems. It is one of Tennyson’s shortest and simplest poems,

but also one of his most memorable and effective.

Theme of “The Eagle” by Alfred Lord Tennyson

The theme of the poem is the awe and admiration that the speaker feels for the eagle. The

poem expresses the speaker’s fascination with the eagle’s beauty, isolation, and might. It

portrays how the eagle transcends the ordinary and mundane aspects of life.

Additionally, the poem implies a sense of aspiration and inspiration. The speaker invites the

reader to imagine what it would be like to be an eagle and to strive for greatness, like a powerful

bird. *aspiration – strong desire to achieve something

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Elements of Conveyance – Conveying a message

To expand on the theme, we can consider how the poem uses various elements, such as imagery,

metaphor, personification, and rhyme, to convey the message. For example, the imagery of the

eagle being close to the sun, ringing around, and diving like a thunderbolt creates a vivid picture

of the eagle’s supremacy and splendor.

The metaphor of the wrinkled sea crawling beneath the eagle suggests a contrast. It contrasts the

eagle’s dynamic and elevated existence with the human’s static and lowly one. Additionally, the

personification of the eagle’s crooked hands, watchful eyes, and thunderous fall gives the bird a

human-like quality.

However, it also emphasizes its difference and distance from the human world. Furthermore, the

rhyme scheme of AAA BBB creates a musical and harmonious effect. It also instills a sense of

closure and finality, especially as the poem concludes with the eagle’s decisive action.

Interpretation and Diversity of Perspectives

The theme of the poem can be interpreted in different ways, depending on the reader’s

perspective and background. Different people have different feelings and meanings for the eagle.

It represents freedom, courage, and independence for some, while it signifies arrogance,

isolation, and violence for others.

The eagle’s power and grace inspire admiration in some, while its predatory and ruthless nature

arouses fear in others. The eagle’s solitude and pride reflect some people’s personalities, while

its companionship and humility appeal to others. Therefore, the poem invites the reader to

explore their feelings and thoughts about the eagle and what it represents to them.

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Tone of “The Eagle” by Alfred Lord Tennyson

The tone of the poem is admiring and respectful, as the speaker praises the eagle’s qualities

and actions. The speaker uses words that convey the eagle’s dignity and superiority, such as

“clasp,” “crag,” “ringed,” “azure,” “mountain,” and “thunderbolt.” Additionally, the speaker also

uses personification, giving the eagle human attributes such as “hands,” “he,” and “watches.”

The speaker does not use any negative or critical words but rather expresses a sense of wonder

and reverence for the eagle.

To expand on the tone, we can consider how the poem creates a mood and atmosphere that

match the speaker’s attitude. For example, the poem uses short and simple sentences, creating a

concise and clear expression of the speaker’s admiration. The poem also uses strong and striking

sounds, such as the alliteration of “c” and “t” sounds, creating a percussive and forceful effect

that reflects the eagle’s strength and speed.

The poem also uses contrast and comparison, such as the difference between the sun and the sea,

the eagle and the world, and the stand and the fall, creating a dramatic and suspenseful effect that

captures the reader’s attention and interest.

The tone of the poem can also affect how the reader responds to the theme and the subject. Some

might share the speaker’s admiration and respect for the eagle, while others might feel

intimidated or alienated by its power and solitude. Some might find the poem inspiring and

uplifting, while others might find it threatening and disturbing.

Form of “The Eagle” by Alfred Lord Tennyson

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Triplet Form and Rhyme Scheme

The form of the poem is a triplet, a type of stanza that consists of three lines that rhyme. The

poem has two triplets with a rhyme scheme of AAA BBB. It also follows a metrical pattern of

iambic tetrameter, which means that each line has four pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables,

creating a rhythmic and musical effect.

The poem uses alliteration, the repetition of consonant sounds such as “clasp,” “crag,”

“crooked,” “crawls,” and “close.” The poem is concise and precise, using only six words per line

and creating a vivid and lasting impression on the reader.

Structure and Sound Effects

Additionally, we can consider how the poem uses structure and sound to enhance the meaning

and impact of the poem. For example, the triplet form creates a sense of balance and symmetry,

reflecting the eagle’s stability and harmony. The rhyme scheme creates a sense of unity and

continuity, reflecting the eagle’s consistency and persistence.

The iambic tetrameter creates a sense of rhythm and movement, reflecting the eagle’s agility and

energy.

Reader Perception and Appreciation

The form of the poem can also influence how the reader perceives and appreciates the poem. The

poem may be perceived as elegant and graceful by some, while others may consider it simple

and plain. Some might find the poem musical and lyrical, while others might find it harsh and

abrupt. Some people might find its richness and complexity to be admirable, while others might

41
find it to be straightforward and sparse. The poem invites the reader to explore their preferences

and tastes about the poem and what it offers them.

Poetic Techniques Used in “The Eagle”

The poem uses several poetic techniques to create a powerful and effective expression of the

speaker’s admiration for the eagle. Some of the poetic techniques used in the poem are:

Alliteration

The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words or within words, such as “clasp,”

“crag,” “crooked,” “crawls,” and “close.” This technique creates a sound effect that enhances the

meaning and mood of the poem. For example, the alliteration of “c” and “t” sounds creates a

percussive and forceful effect that reflects the eagle’s strength and speed.

Caesura

A pause or a break in the middle of a line of poetry is usually indicated by a punctuation mark,

such as a comma, a colon, or a semicolon. This technique creates a rhythmic effect that

emphasizes the meaning and the mood of the poem. For example, the caesura in the first line of

the second stanza creates a pause that contrasts the eagle’s stillness with the sea’s movement.

Personification

A figure of speech that gives human qualities or characteristics to non-human things, such as

animals, objects, or ideas. This technique creates an imagery effect that enhances the meaning

and mood of the poem. For example, the personification of the eagle’s hands, eyes, and fall gives

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the eagle a human-like quality but also emphasizes its difference and distance from the human

world.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that compares two things that are not alike without using words such as “like”

or “as.” This technique creates an imagery effect that enhances the meaning and mood of the

poem. For example, the metaphor of the wrinkled sea crawling beneath the eagle suggests the

contrast between the eagle’s dynamic and elevated existence and the human’s static and lowly

one.

These are some of the poetic techniques that Tennyson uses in his poem “The Eagle” to create a

powerful and effective expression of his admiration for the eagle. By using these techniques, he

makes the poem more appealing and memorable to the reader and conveys his message and

emotions more clearly and strongly.

Line-by-line Analysis of The Eagle by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Line 1: He clasps the crag with crooked hands.

The opening line introduces the subject of the poem, the eagle, and describes how it grips the

rocky cliff with its talons. The word “clasp” implies a firm and secure hold, while the word

“crooked” suggests the shape and strength of the eagle’s claws. The word “crag” refers to a steep

and rugged rock, which creates a contrast with the eagle’s smooth and graceful body. The use of

alliteration with the “c” sound creates a harsh and hard effect, which matches the eagle’s

environment and nature.

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Line 2: Close to the sun in lonely lands,

The second line describes the eagle’s position and isolation, as it is near the sun, which is a

source of light and heat, but also in a desolate and remote place. The word “close” implies

proximity and intimacy with the sun, which could suggest the eagle’s power and nobility, as the

sun is often associated with royalty and divinity. The word “lonely” implies solitude and

detachment from the rest of the world, which could suggest the eagle’s independence and pride,

but also its loneliness and alienation. The use of assonance with the “o” sound creates a soft and

low effect, which contrasts with the previous line’s harsh and hard effect.

Line 3: Ring’d with the azure world, he stands.

This line describes the eagle’s viewpoint and perspective because the blue sky, which is a

representation of vastness and freedom, is all around it. The word “ring” implies a circular and

complete shape, which could suggest the eagle’s wholeness and harmony with its surroundings.

Conveying a bright and beautiful color, “azure” hints at the eagle’s splendor and elegance. Using

“world” implies a large and diverse scope, which could suggest the eagle’s vision and

knowledge. In addition to that, the use of rhyme with the previous line’s “lands” creates a

musical and harmonious effect, which matches the eagle’s grace and balance.

Line 4: The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls:

This line describes the contrast between the eagle and the sea, which is a symbol of movement

and change. The word “wrinkled” implies a rough and uneven surface, which creates a contrast

with the eagle’s smooth and even body. The word “crawls” implies slow and low motion, which

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creates a contrast with the eagle’s fast and high movement. The use of caesura with the colon

creates a pause and a break, which emphasizes the difference and the distance between the eagle

and the sea.

Line 5: He watches from his mountain walls.

This line describes the eagle’s action and attitude as it observes the world from its high and

secure position. With the implication of vigilance and readiness, the term “watches” hints at the

eagle’s alertness and preparedness. The word “mountain” implies height and solidity, which

could suggest the eagle’s dominance and stability. Suggesting protection and separation, “walls”

might imply the eagle’s safety and isolation. The use of personification with the pronoun “he”

and the verb “watches” gives the eagle a human-like quality but also emphasizes its difference

and distance from the human world.

Line 6: And like a thunderbolt, he falls.

The concluding line describes the eagle’s final and dramatic action as it dives down from the sky

like a lightning strike.

Conveying continuation and connection, the term “and” suggests the eagle’s consistency and

persistence. Indicating comparison and similarity, “like” could imply the eagle’s power and

impact. With an implication of speed and force, “thunderbolt” could suggest the eagle’s agility

and energy. Signifying descent and change, “falls” might imply the eagle’s action and purpose.

The use of metaphor with the comparison of the eagle to a thunderbolt creates a vivid and

striking image that captures the reader’s attention and interest.

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Hidden Meanings: Tennyson’s Subtext in “The Eagle”

While ‘The Eagle’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson is succinct and direct, portraying a majestic bird in

its natural habitat, the poem hides meanings. These meanings beckon readers to explore the

depths of Tennyson’s intentions. The brevity of the verses permits multiple interpretations.

Under the surface imagery, a nuanced subtext adds layers to the overall meaning.

Symbolism of the Eagle

The eagle, beyond its literal existence, emerges as a symbol of power, freedom, and autonomy.

Tennyson lived in a period of industrialization and societal change. In this era, he might have

found solace and inspiration in the untamed spirit of nature, symbolized by the eagle. The bird

becomes a metaphor for the individual’s quest for sovereignty in the face of societal constraints.

Isolation and Solitude

The eagle’s habitat in “lonely lands” and its perch on “mountain walls” hint at themes of

isolation and solitude. Tennyson, grappling with personal and societal challenges, could be

expressing a desire for retreat or introspection. The eagle’s elevated position may signify a

metaphorical refuge. Here, one can find solace away from the complexities of the world.

Nature’s Hierarchy

The poet’s portrayal of the sea “beneath him crawls” underscores a hierarchical relationship

between the eagle and the elements. This could symbolize Tennyson’s perspective on the natural

order, where certain entities hold dominion over others. It might reflect his contemplation on

power dynamics, both in nature and human society.

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The Thunderbolt Descent

The simile “like a thunderbolt, he falls” introduces an element of suddenness and force in the

eagle’s actions. This could be a reflection of Tennyson’s fascination with the decisive and

unpredictable nature of life. The comparison to a thunderbolt implies a swift and impactful

descent, perhaps echoing the poet’s view of the decisive moments that shape one’s destiny.

Author’s Reflection on Power and Freedom

Tennyson witnessed the industrial revolution and societal changes. “The Eagle” may reflect on

power, autonomy, and nature’s enduring spirit. With its unrestricted freedom and control, the

eagle may represent Tennyson’s admiration for resilience and power in change.

Essentially, “The Eagle” serves as Tennyson’s canvas. It vividly depicts nature and conveys

subtle reflections on the human experience. Hidden meanings add depth, inviting introspection

and uncovering layers of significance for readers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, “The Eagle” by Alfred Lord Tennyson is a remarkable poem. It captures the

essence of the majestic bird, utilizing vivid imagery, personification, and metaphor. These

elements convey the eagle’s beauty, solitude, and strength. The poem goes further to contrast the

eagle with the human world. It invites the reader to imagine what it would be like to be an eagle,

urging them to strive for greatness, akin to the powerful bird.

To achieve this expression, the poem employs various poetic techniques. These include

alliteration, caesura, rhyme, and the triplet form. These elements contribute to a powerful and

effective portrayal of the speaker’s admiration for the eagle. Over time, readers and critics alike

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have showered the poem with praise and appreciation. Its influence extends to other poets and

writers, making it a timeless piece of literature.

The poem has also been used in various contexts and media, such as education, music, and film.

It has also been interpreted and analyzed in different ways, depending on the reader’s perspective

and background. The poem invites the reader to explore their feelings and thoughts about the

eagle and what it represents to them.

Why did Tennyson want to write about this eagle? Or more specifically, why did he want to

write a poem about it? His subject matter isn’t complicated, and it isn’t even that unusual. Eagles

are great at catching fish. There, done.

Right off the bat, he’s referencing the eagle’s “hands,” instead of the more accurate choice that

“talons” would have made. It has the effect of making the eagle seem almost human. Hands

imply agency, and connote action, power, choice — not characteristics we would associate with

a dumb beast.

Actually, forget seeming human, the next line makes him out to be almost godlike. “Close to the

sun,” which is factually an absurd exaggeration, emphasizes his other-worldliness. Icarus, a mere

human, died flying too close to the sun, but this eagle lives there, “in lonely lands” where no one

else, man or beast, can live.

To underscore the idea of his separateness, the eagle is “Ring’d with the azure world.” There’s

an incredibly subtle, powerfully effective shift in perspective here. See before, when we were

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thinking about his talons, we were looking straight at the eagle. Now we’re looking up at him.

The sky spreads around him in a huge dome. It is all his, and he stands confidently in its center.

So far, the rhythm of the first three lines has been regular enough, but not flawless. You feel it

when you’re speaking the words, and if you’re counting syllables (don’t bother) the lines don’t

match up. He’s even deliberately slowed you down in places. If you were reading aloud, you had

to be careful with “clasps the crag.” It’s not easy to say quickly. The back-to-back consonant

sounds in “Ring’d with” and “azure world” have the same effect.

The second stanza is another story, though. You can hardly help but speed up. The sense of

energy and anticipation follows with the rhythm. Now, instead of tripping over the phrases, each

word throws you right into the next.

We were looking up, but the perspective switches again. Now we’re seeing through the eagle’s

own eyes. The sea, immeasurably huge, crashing on the rocky cliff hardly seems to be violent

and dangerous, as it is to the ships who might sail near the rocky coast. From this height, in

contrast, it’s “wrinkled,” a word you can hardly use without thinking of weakness and age. It

doesn’t crash over the rocks, it just crawls along.

“He watches from his mountain walls / and like a thunderbolt he falls.” First a sense of

electrically charged stillness. The eagle isn’t moving, nor is he showing any sign of preparing to

move. But all of a sudden, he’s seen what he was looking for, and notice — he doesn’t fly down,

or glide, or descend, he falls. It’s an entirely passive word. He dives into the void and lets his

weight alone pull him downwards, a deadly force. His dive is controlled, since he’s aiming for

the precise source of the movement he saw, but nevertheless, it’s effortless.

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So yes, Tennyson has given us a quick six lines about how a bird of prey pulls an unsuspecting

fish out of the ocean, but it isn’t the plot that brings the poem to life. How the poem works as a

whole, the dizzying changes in perspective, the speed of the piece, and of course, the precision of

his word choice, work together to make the piece much more than the sum of its parts.

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