Includes bibliographical references (pages 683-684).

The texts of the poems -- The early period (1830-1850) -- from Poems, chiefly lyrical (1830) -- from Poems (1832, dated 1833) -- from Poems (1842), including several other pieces written between 1833 and 1846 -- Songs from The princess (1847, 1850), and two poems written before 1850 -- In memoriam A.H.H -- The middle period (1850-1872 -- Maud : a monodrama -- from Idylls of the king -- The late period (1872-1892) -- Juvenilia and early responses (1820-1835 -- Juvenilia -- from Unpublished early poems (1931) and The devil and the lady (1930) -- from Poems by two brothers (1827) -- from Poems, chiefly lyrical (1830 -- Early responses -- On some of the characteristics of modern poetry, and on the lyrical poems of Alfred Tennyson / Arthur Henry Hallam -- Tennyson's poems / John Wilson ["Christopher North"] -- Poems by Alfred Tennyson / John Wilson Croker -- Tennyson's poems / John Stuart Mill -- Poems by Alfred Tennyson / John Sterling -- Tennyson's poems / James Spedding -- A personal reminiscence / James Knowles -- Criticism -- The reaction against Tennyson and its corrective -- The reaction against Tennyson / A.C. Bradley -- The Tennyson legend / Harold Nicolson -- Tennyson / Douglas Bush -- Tennyson as a modern poet / Arthur J. Carr -- In defense of reading Tennyson / Robert W. Hill, Jr -- Interpretations of the major poems -- In memoriam / T.S. Eliot -- "In memoriam" / Paul F. Baum -- Tennyson's Maud : the function of the imagery / John Killham -- Tennyson's Idylls / F.E.L. Priestly -- Tennyson's last phase : the poet as seer / Francis Golffing -- Tennyson and the theory of evolution -- The crowning race / Georg Roppen.

One of the most comprehensive surveys of Tennyson's poetry yet available for the serious student. It includes selections from the 1830, 1832 and 1842 volumes, together with songs from "The Princess"; "In Memoriam"; complete poems from the middle period, and a generous offering from the late period. The authoritative texts are based on the Cambridge Tennyson; additional selections have been taken from Sir Charles Tennyson's editions of Tennyson's "Unpublished early poems" and "The devil and the lady", as well as the Eversley edition, with notes by the poet's son. The texts of the poems are copiously annotated and the lines of poetry conveniently numbered for easy reference. The critical essays include significant statements on Tennyson as well as interpretations of the major poems. A special feature is Georg Roppen's essay on Tennyson and the theory of evolution. Other critical voices are those of A.C. Bradley, Harold Nicolson, Douglas Bush, Arthur J. Carr, T.S. Eliot, Paull F. Baum, John Killham, F.E.L. Priestley and Francis Golffing.