Alfred Tennyson offered the Victorian era and the literary world two emblematic poems. The author explored themes of personal development and culture clash in one of his most famous poems, "Ulysses." Tennyson also discovered and analyzed the themes of love and death through his famous and distinguished poem “Tears Idle, Tears”. The poet was born in Somersby, Lincolnshire, in 1809, in the East Lindy district of England. Tennyson experienced many difficulties during his childhood and adolescent growth that carried over into his adult life. These trials and tribulations became a foundation and source of inspiration for Tennyson, who used them as a stimulus and catalyst to aid his literary progress and ideas. Two of the most notable poems written by Tennyson were "Ulysses" and "Tears Idle, Tears." These poems defined the pinnacle of his literary endeavor and symbolized the struggles Tennyson had experienced in his life. Over time, readers were able to see a direct correlation between his life journey and the poems he wrote. Throughout his childhood and adulthood, Tennyson endured tumultuous events that altered the course of his life and the essence of his literary career. The death of his best friend, Hallem, plunged him into a phase of darkness, loneliness and despair. This was “a period called “his ten years of silence” (Napierkowski and Rose 270); he was extremely affected by death “because it shattered his whole life and made him want to die rather than live” (Napierkowski and Rose 270). The powerful emotion surrounding death was modeled in his poem Tears Idle, Tears. The poet identified “the source of emotion in his poem as arising from his feelings about the death of his college friend… H…… middle of paper……, Adian. The Victorians. New York: Evans Brothers, 2003. Print. Padgett, Ron. Poets of the World, Volume 3. Vol. 3. Sl: Scribner/Charles Scribner's Sons, 2000. Print. Bloom, Harold. Victorian poets. New York: Bloom Literary Review, 2011. Print. Galens, David. Literary Movements for Students: Presenting analysis, context, and criticism of literary movements. Flight. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2002. Print.Magill, Frank N. Critical Survey of Poetry. Flight. 7. Pasadena, California: Salem, 1987. Print “Ulysses.” Poetry for students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski and Mary Ruby. Flight. 2. “Ulysses.” Poetry for students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski and Mary Ruby. Flight. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1998. 277-293. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Internet. March 18, 2014. “Tears, idle tears. » Poetry for students. Ed. Marie Rubis. Flight. 4. Detroit: Gale, 1999. 219-231. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Internet. May 1 2014