Locksley Hall - Alfred, Lord Tennyson
A Vision of Progress and Personal Yearning
Comrades, leave me here a little, while as yet 'tis early morn:
Leave me here, and when you want me, sound upon the bugle-horn.
'Tis the place, and all around it, as of old, the curlews call,
Dreary gleams about the moorland flying over Locksley Hall;
Locksley Hall, that in the distance overlooks the sandy tracts,
And the hollow ocean-ridges roaring into cataracts.
Many a night from yonder ivied casement, ere I went to rest,
Did I look on great Orion sloping slowly to the West.
... [Excerpt: Due to length, this selection from the public domain text is shortened.]
For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see,
Saw the Vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be;
Saw the heavens fill with commerce, argosies of magic sails,
Pilots of the purple twilight, dropping down with costly bales;
Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and there rain’d a ghastly dew
From the nations’ airy navies grappling in the central blue;
Far along the world-wide whisper of the south-wind rushing warm,
With the standards of the peoples plunging thro’ the thunder-storm;
Till the war-drum throbb’d no longer, and the battle-flags were furl’d
In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world.
(Public Domain)
Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s "Locksley Hall" is a dramatic monologue that combines personal heartbreak, social critique, and visionary prophecy. The poem’s speaker returns to the hall of his youth, filled with memories of a failed romance, and vacillates between sorrow, nostalgia, anger, and hope. Tennyson employs flowing rhythm and rich imagery, weaving the speaker’s intimate reflections on lost love with broader musings on society’s potential progress.
First published in 1842, "Locksley Hall" was emblematic of the Victorian age’s fascination with scientific and industrial advancements, as well as the era’s undertones of social reform. The poem captures the speaker’s conflicted state: he feels bitterness over his beloved’s betrayal, yet he is energized by a grand vision of future civilization—one shaped by advancing technology, global communication, and, ultimately, a united humanity. Lines such as "For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see" point to Tennyson’s forward-looking perspective, imagining air travel and global politics that were audaciously futuristic for his time.
At the same time, "Locksley Hall" remains a poem of deeply personal emotion. The speaker wrestles with dashed dreams, lamenting how love can transform from youthful certainty into anguish. He contrasts the intimate pain of heartbreak with sweeping notions of a more hopeful tomorrow. In doing so, Tennyson reveals one of the poem’s core tensions: how personal loss exists alongside—and sometimes motivates—social and visionary thought.
Though optimistic in its prophecies, "Locksley Hall" also bears an undercurrent of disillusionment, acknowledging that human nature can hinder these grand ideals. This duality reflects Tennyson’s broader style, merging Romantic lyricism with Victorian realism. Ultimately, the poem invites readers to contemplate both the bright horizon of progress and the weight of personal sorrow, suggesting that one’s dreams for the future may be shaped by the poignant experiences of the past.
Key points
• Blends personal heartbreak with a visionary look at societal and technological progress.
• Highlights the tension between romantic disillusionment and enduring hope.
• Employs vivid imagery and melodic verse typical of Tennyson’s early-mid Victorian style.
• Foresees inventions like aerial travel, reflecting the period’s boundless curiosity.
• Balances private grief with universal aspirations toward a united, peaceful future.
