Which poets influenced Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s early writing?
Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s early writing was shaped by a variety of literary influences. Before his teens, he composed poetry in the styles of Alexander Pope, Sir Walter Scott, and John Milton.1
As he matured, the Romantic poet Lord Byron became a dominant influence on his work. Additionally, Tennyson’s early poetry is noted for its significant debt to John Keats, whose influence is evident in the decorative nature of his early verse. Tennyson also drew upon the broader traditions of the Romantic movement, including the work of William Wordsworth.1234
Furthermore, his early collections, such as Poems, Chiefly Lyrical, demonstrated an understanding of Elizabethan dramatic verse. Critics of the time recognized these influences, often hailing him as a successor to Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley.12