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Break, Break, Break
Break, Break, Break (in Short Poetry Collection 033 )
Break, break, break,
On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!
And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me.
O well for the fisherman's boy,
That he shouts with his sister at play!
O well for the sailor lad,
That he sings in his boat on the bay!
And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill;
But O for the touch of a vanish'd hand,
And the sound of a voice that is still!
Break, break, break,
At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!
But the tender grace of a day that is dead
Will never come back to me.
Break, break, break,
On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!
And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me.
O well for the fisherman's boy,
That he shouts with his sister at play!
O well for the sailor lad,
That he sings in his boat on the bay!
And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill;
But O for the touch of a vanish'd hand,
And the sound of a voice that is still!
Break, break, break,
At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!
But the tender grace of a day that is dead
Will never come back to me.
1 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 15, 2012
1 person is currently reading
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About the author
Alfred Tennyson
2,154 books1,444 followersWorks, including
In Memoriam
in 1850 and "The Charge of the Light Brigade" in 1854, of Alfred Tennyson, first baron, known as lord, appointed British poet laureate in 1850, reflect Victorian sentiments and aesthetics.
Elizabeth Tennyson, wife, bore Alfred Tennyson, the fourth of twelve children, to George Tennyson, clergyman; he inevitably wrote his books. In 1816, parents sent Tennyson was sent to grammar school of Louth.
Alfred Tennyson disliked school so intensely that from 1820, home educated him. At the age of 18 years in 1827, Alfred joined his two brothers at Trinity College, Cambridge and with Charles Tennyson, his brother, published Poems by Two Brothers , his book, in the same year.
Alfred Tennyson published Poems Chiefly Lyrical , his second book, in 1830. In 1833, Arthur Henry Hallam, best friend of Tennyson, engaged to wed his sister, died, and thus inspired some best Ulysses and the Passing of Arthur .
Following William Wordsworth, Alfred Tennyson in 1850 married Emily Sellwood Tenyson, his childhood friend. She bore Hallam Tennyson in 1852 and Lionel Tennyson in 1854, two years later.
Alfred Tennyson continued throughout his life and in the 1870s also to write a number of plays.
In 1884, the queen raised Alfred Tennyson, a great favorite of Albert, prince, thereafter to the peerage of Aldworth. She granted such a high rank for solely literary distinction to this only Englishman.
Alfred Tennyson died at the age of 83 years, and people buried his body in abbey of Westminster.
Elizabeth Tennyson, wife, bore Alfred Tennyson, the fourth of twelve children, to George Tennyson, clergyman; he inevitably wrote his books. In 1816, parents sent Tennyson was sent to grammar school of Louth.
Alfred Tennyson disliked school so intensely that from 1820, home educated him. At the age of 18 years in 1827, Alfred joined his two brothers at Trinity College, Cambridge and with Charles Tennyson, his brother, published Poems by Two Brothers , his book, in the same year.
Alfred Tennyson published Poems Chiefly Lyrical , his second book, in 1830. In 1833, Arthur Henry Hallam, best friend of Tennyson, engaged to wed his sister, died, and thus inspired some best Ulysses and the Passing of Arthur .
Following William Wordsworth, Alfred Tennyson in 1850 married Emily Sellwood Tenyson, his childhood friend. She bore Hallam Tennyson in 1852 and Lionel Tennyson in 1854, two years later.
Alfred Tennyson continued throughout his life and in the 1870s also to write a number of plays.
In 1884, the queen raised Alfred Tennyson, a great favorite of Albert, prince, thereafter to the peerage of Aldworth. She granted such a high rank for solely literary distinction to this only Englishman.
Alfred Tennyson died at the age of 83 years, and people buried his body in abbey of Westminster.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 21, 2022
"Alfred, Lord Tennyson composed "Break, Break, Break" in 1835, two years after the death of his close friend and fellow poet, Arthur Hallam. Because the poem's speaker laments the death of a close acquaintance, most readers read "Break, Break, Break" as an elegy to Hallam, though the poem stands on its own as a more general meditation on mortality and loss. Published in 1842, the poem is often read alongside Tennyson's "In Memoriam A. H. H.," a longer work that is more explicit in its commemoration of Hallam and the impact he had on Tennyson's life. https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/alfr...
January 15, 2018
At first I didn't like Tennyson much, but now I am so in love ah.
October 26, 2021
Break, break, break,
On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!
And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me.
This elegy on the demise of Arthur Henry Hallam as expected reminds us of ‘In Memoriam’, which was also written to grieve over Hallam’s death but which is a very long poem and has a profoundly philosophical disposition.
This, on the contrary, is one of the best-known short poems of Tennyson.
A feeling of misery runs through this brief lyric. The mood is one of bottomless regret. The poem arouses a corresponding feeling of grief in the heart of the reader.
The poem seems to come from the depths of the writer’s being. It is a spontaneous expression of grief. The simplicity of language and the transparent sincerity of feeling lend to it a rare charm.
O, well for the fisherman's boy,
That he shouts with his sister at play!
O, well for the sailor lad,
That he sings in his boat on the bay!
The poem has a slow, sad pace, although it is written in a metre and a rhythm which express the movement and noise of the sea-waves. The pictures of the fisherman’s happy boy and the happy sailor-lad provide a sharp contrast to the poet’s grief. In fact, the poem is full of contrasts.
And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill;
But O for the touch of a vanish'd hand,
And the sound of a voice that is still!
There is a contrast between the waves dashing against the rocky coast and the poet’s incapacity to express his thoughts. There is a contrast between the movement of a ship and the hushed voice of the poet’s friend.
And there is a contrast between the waves striking against the rocks and the tender beauty of the days when the poet’s friend was alive.
On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!
And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me.
This elegy on the demise of Arthur Henry Hallam as expected reminds us of ‘In Memoriam’, which was also written to grieve over Hallam’s death but which is a very long poem and has a profoundly philosophical disposition.
This, on the contrary, is one of the best-known short poems of Tennyson.
A feeling of misery runs through this brief lyric. The mood is one of bottomless regret. The poem arouses a corresponding feeling of grief in the heart of the reader.
The poem seems to come from the depths of the writer’s being. It is a spontaneous expression of grief. The simplicity of language and the transparent sincerity of feeling lend to it a rare charm.
O, well for the fisherman's boy,
That he shouts with his sister at play!
O, well for the sailor lad,
That he sings in his boat on the bay!
The poem has a slow, sad pace, although it is written in a metre and a rhythm which express the movement and noise of the sea-waves. The pictures of the fisherman’s happy boy and the happy sailor-lad provide a sharp contrast to the poet’s grief. In fact, the poem is full of contrasts.
And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill;
But O for the touch of a vanish'd hand,
And the sound of a voice that is still!
There is a contrast between the waves dashing against the rocky coast and the poet’s incapacity to express his thoughts. There is a contrast between the movement of a ship and the hushed voice of the poet’s friend.
And there is a contrast between the waves striking against the rocks and the tender beauty of the days when the poet’s friend was alive.
March 22, 2018
It's not a very good poem. Tennyson is one part waxing philosophical quite badly, and on the other part he's pining for the joy that he sees other people having, which is depressing in and of itself.
December 8, 2018
I have arranged my takeaway thoughts into a haiku:
"The world's steady pace
Underscores the dints of loss
By its apathy."
"The world's steady pace
Underscores the dints of loss
By its apathy."
January 3, 2025
I feel the poem "Break, Break, Break" is interesting because it explores a deep sense of loss and longing for the past. The poet expresses sadness as something that cannot be expressed in words but feels so deep and painful. The poet does not present sadness through direct crying or wailing but through the contrast between the happiness of others and his own inner solitude. As if the waves breaking on the rocks are a symbol of feelings that keep recurring and never subside, the poet describes loss in this poem as a feeling that is inevitable but difficult to heal. Describes an understanding of human limitations in facing the transience of time and memories of the past that will never return. In this essay, I will discuss the deep sadness and feelings of isolation in the poem “Break, Break, Break,” specifically how Tennyson depicts loss as a lonely but inescapable feeling.
Tennyson describes loss and sadness as deep, inexpressible feelings. In the first line of his poem, he wrote, “Break, break, break, on thy cold gray stones, O Sea!” (Tennyson, 1842, Line 1). This statement shows that sadness and despair are expressed by the natural symbol of the sound of waves repeatedly hitting the rocks. The feeling of heartbreak and loss is reflected in the repetition of the word "Break," creating a gloomy and alienating atmosphere, showing how hard the grieving person feels due to the loss of someone they really loved. By using the words "cold gray stones," Tennyson shows that this sadness is not only emotional but also touches physical and symbolic dimensions. The cold and gray sea creates the impression that nature is a silent witness to human sadness. The power of this symbol makes it even more profound and touching, reflecting how the loss the poet feels is not only personal but also universal—something that can be understood by every human being who has ever felt sad and longing.
Tennyson also highlights the longing for something lost through this emotional line. He wrote, “But O for the touch of a vanished hand, and the sound of a voice that is still!” (Tennyson, 1842, Line 11). Using the contrast between a lost touch and a silent voice, Tennyson describes the longing for someone who has died as something unreachable and painful, as if all cherished memories are now empty. This shows that the loss is not only about physical absence but also about the loss of someone's emotional and spiritual presence, which is very meaningful. The poem feels melancholic and full of sadness, because the longing depicted in this line creates a feeling of emptiness and isolation. The images "touch of a vanished hand" and "sound of a voice that is still" show that sadness is not only caused by physical absence but also by the loss of sounds and touches that bring life and happiness. In this way, Tennyson succeeds in depicting the longing for what has been lost as something irretrievable and eternal, thus creating a touching and sad atmosphere.
Tennyson describes loss and sadness as deep, inexpressible feelings. In the first line of his poem, he wrote, “Break, break, break, on thy cold gray stones, O Sea!” (Tennyson, 1842, Line 1). This statement shows that sadness and despair are expressed by the natural symbol of the sound of waves repeatedly hitting the rocks. The feeling of heartbreak and loss is reflected in the repetition of the word "Break," creating a gloomy and alienating atmosphere, showing how hard the grieving person feels due to the loss of someone they really loved. By using the words "cold gray stones," Tennyson shows that this sadness is not only emotional but also touches physical and symbolic dimensions. The cold and gray sea creates the impression that nature is a silent witness to human sadness. The power of this symbol makes it even more profound and touching, reflecting how the loss the poet feels is not only personal but also universal—something that can be understood by every human being who has ever felt sad and longing.
Tennyson also highlights the longing for something lost through this emotional line. He wrote, “But O for the touch of a vanished hand, and the sound of a voice that is still!” (Tennyson, 1842, Line 11). Using the contrast between a lost touch and a silent voice, Tennyson describes the longing for someone who has died as something unreachable and painful, as if all cherished memories are now empty. This shows that the loss is not only about physical absence but also about the loss of someone's emotional and spiritual presence, which is very meaningful. The poem feels melancholic and full of sadness, because the longing depicted in this line creates a feeling of emptiness and isolation. The images "touch of a vanished hand" and "sound of a voice that is still" show that sadness is not only caused by physical absence but also by the loss of sounds and touches that bring life and happiness. In this way, Tennyson succeeds in depicting the longing for what has been lost as something irretrievable and eternal, thus creating a touching and sad atmosphere.
May 16, 2017
I love how the rhythm of this poem actually sounds like waves breaking against the shore.
November 6, 2016
Poetry is far from my area of expertise. I love to read a good poem, but I read poetry so rarely that I can hardly call myself an expert. With Tennyson, I find I have a bit of a mixed relationship with his work. Some I really enjoy, whereas others I don’t care much for. Thus, I’m going to refrain from writing a full review about the individual pieces. Just know, some are better than others, and my ratings of the individual poems work to reflect that.
November 18, 2022
Break, Break, Break, by Tennyson
Simple metaphor, deeply heartfelt, heart-breaking.
Desperate to express deep grief! Great poem! ****
Simple metaphor, deeply heartfelt, heart-breaking.
Desperate to express deep grief! Great poem! ****
December 19, 2024
More poeticised grief for Arthur Hallam. The world carries on senselessly with different stages of life but Tennyson is in pain.
May 3, 2017
Break, break, break,
On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!
And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me.
O, well for the fisherman's boy,
That he shouts with his sister at play!
O, well for the sailor lad,
That he sings in his boat on the bay!
And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill;
But O for the touch of a vanished hand,
And the sound of a voice that is still!
Break, break, break,
At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!
But the tender grace of a day that is dead
Will never come back to me.
On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!
And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me.
O, well for the fisherman's boy,
That he shouts with his sister at play!
O, well for the sailor lad,
That he sings in his boat on the bay!
And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill;
But O for the touch of a vanished hand,
And the sound of a voice that is still!
Break, break, break,
At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!
But the tender grace of a day that is dead
Will never come back to me.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews