Let's get this one out of the way right up front, shall we? In Memoriam's very title drops a big clue on our heads that we're dealing with grief and mourning. In memoriam means "in the memory of" someone who has passed away. We soon find out that this is Tennyson's close friend, Arthur.
The entire poem is devoted to how Tennyson, over several years (we think...the chronology gets a bit funky), comes to terms with his grief. A major turning point comes when he famously acknowledges that "'Tis better to have loved and lost / than never to have loved at all" (567-568 and 1595-1596—it's so good he's repeating himself).
Questions About Suffering
- How would you characterize Tennyson's grief in the first section of the poem (through about Canto 30)?
- What's going on with the image of widows and widowers? How does this help express Tennyson's grief?
- Where does Tennyson find most of his consolation?
- In Canto 95, how does the imagined reunion with Arthur work as a sort of therapy for the speaker?
Chew on This
All of the over-the-top grief is a bit excessive. It's years later, so Tennyson should just get over it already.
In Memoriam is a fitting verbal resting place for Tennyson's dear friend.