From Doubt To Faith: On Philosophy Of Religin In Alfred Tennyson's Poetry

Alfred Tennyson(1809-1892), was one of the most famous poets in Victorian Era. His poetic output covers a wide range of thematic areas:scientific matters, religious belief, political and historical concern and the like. However, the crucial matters in philosophy of religion, above all, might be his keen concern.In Victorian Era, the Industrial Revolution brought with it prosperity as well as horror to people. Throughout the 19th century, the way scientific theories and discoveries were overthrowing the Christian's Origin of the World seemed really awe-inspiring. As a consequence, Victorian Era fell into a "Faith Crisis".The thesis is intended to explore Tennyson's major works from an interdisciplinary approach. Moreover, in the light of Tennyson's biography and some authoritative research papers, the thesis is in an attempt to elicit a result that Tennyson's major works touch upon issues regarding the existence and nature of God, the immortality, and the relationship between science and religion, which are the key concerns in the philosophy of religion.Labeled as Poet of People, Tennyson ceaselessly wrestled with the faith crisis haunting the Victorian people. Although Tennyson had hoped that science could offer the poet a new vision, he still worried that the scientific development would run counter to the Biblical story of creation and long-established assumptions about man's place in the universe. At the end of his poems, he reconciled evolutionary theory with Christian spirit by taking evolution as the self-developing blueprint created by God.In addition, many of Tennyson's poems contain passages which convey the immortality of soul as well. Everything bears the marks of God's design:God is immanent in man and universe as well. God is immortal love and immortal life, and people who are with God will enjoy immortal life and immortal love. Based on Tennyson's major poems, the thesis exerts itself to trace the poet's philosophical and spiritual journey throughout his lifetime.