The Promise of May

work by Tennyson

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

"The Promise of May" is a prose drama by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, written in 1882. It reflects Tennyson's growing despondency and resentment towards the religious, moral, and political trends of his time. The play was not well-received and proved to be a failure. It is Tennyson's only work written in prose and stands apart from his more famous poetic works like In Memoriam or Idylls of the King. The play explores themes that were prevalent in Victorian literature, such as the tension between faith and emerging scientific thought, and societal changes.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Major literary work of Alfred, Lord Tennyson
…1884), and the “village tragedy” The Promise of May, which proved a failure at the Globe in November 1882. This play—his only prose work—shows Tennyson’s growing despondency and resentment at the religious, moral, and political tendencies of the age. He had already caused some sensation by publishing a poem called…
Read More
…1884), and the “village tragedy” The Promise of May, which proved a failure at the Globe in November 1882. This play—his only prose work—shows Tennyson’s growing despondency and resentment at the religious, moral, and political tendencies of the age. He had already caused some sensation by publishing a poem called…
Read More