A Critical Analysis Of Tensions In Memorial A. H. H. :: essays research papers fc

A Critical Analysis of Tensions In Memorial A. H. H.During the Victorian Period, long held and comfortable religious beliefsfell under peachy scrutiny. An early blow to these beliefs came from theUtilitarian, followers of Jeremy Bantam, in the form of a test by reason of manyof the long-standing institutions of England, including the church. When seenthrough the eyes of reason, religion became merely an change superstition(Ford & christ 896). If this were not enough for the faithful to contend with,the torch of doubt was soon passed to the scientists. Geologists werepublishing the results of their studies which concluded that the Earth was farolder than the biblical accounts would have it (Ford & Christ 897). Astronomerswere extending humanitys noesis of stellar distances, and Natural Historianssuch as Charles Darwin were swiftly building theories of evolution that defiedthe Old Testament version of creation (Ford & Christ 897). God seemed to bedissolving before a panicked Engl ands very eyes, replaced by the vision of acold, mechanistic universe that cared little for our existence.Alfred, Lord Tennyson was painfully aware of the implications of such auniverse, and he struggled with his own doubts about the existence of God. Weglimpse much of his struggles in the poem In Memorial A. H. H., written inmemory of his deceased friend, Arthur Hallam. The poem seemed to be catharticfor Tennyson, for through its writing he not only found an outlet for his griefover Hallams death, still also managed to regain the faith which seemed at timesto have abandoned him. Tennyson regained and firmly reestablished his faiththrough the formation of the idea that God is reconciled with the mechanisticuniverse through a divine plan of evolution, with Hallam as the potential linkto a greater race of humans yet to come.In the prototypal of many lyric units, Tennysons faith in God and Jesusseems strong. He speaks of Believing where we cannot prove (l. 4), and issure that God wil t not leave us in the dust (l. 9). The increasing threatposed to religion by science does not worry Tension here, as he believes thatour increasing knowledge of the universe can be reconciled with faith, sayingLet knowledge grow from more to more, But more of reverence in us pout That mind and soul, according well, May make one music as before (1. 25-28).He does anticipate doubt, though, as he asks in advance for Gods blessingfor the Confusions of a wasted youth (l. 42).