Lady Clare

"Lady Clare" by Alfred Tennyson is a narrative poem written during the Victorian era, specifically in the late 19th century. This work explores themes of love, identity, and social status, capturing the essence of human emotion and the complexities of relationships within the constraints of societal expectations. The poem tells the story of Lady Clare, who is betrothed to Lord Ronald. However, as she converses with her nurse, she learns that she is not the true heiress of the name and lands she bears; her nurse had raised her as the daughter of the Earl after her own child perished. Faced with this revelation, Lady Clare grapples with her identity and decides to confront Lord Ronald, claiming to be of humble birth and not the Lady Clare he thinks he knows. When she reveals the truth, Lord Ronald declares his love for her remains unchanged, regardless of her lineage, affirming their love and commitment to each other. The poem concludes with their intended marriage, emphasizing the triumph of true worth over social class. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson,, was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of his first pieces, "Timbuktu". He published his first solo collection of poems, Poems, Chiefly Lyrical, in 1830. "Claribel" and "Mariana", which remain some of Tennyson's most celebrated poems, were included in this volume. Although described by some critics as overly sentimental, his poems ultimately proved popular and brought Tennyson to the attention of well-known writers of the day, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Tennyson's early poetry, with its medievalism and powerful visual imagery, was a major influence on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.