Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Maud

Learner Resource 6Murder and Madness

Key Concepts: Foreshadowing, proleptic irony, gothic.

Look at Part 2 Section I.

In this section we learn that the speaker has killed Maud’s brother in a duel. Maud’s wraith appears and the speaker calls on God to strike down the whole race of man as they are not worthy to live.

Look at lines 1-10.

  • How does the speaker describe his feelings here?
  • How do they create suspense in the reader?

Look at lines 11-23. Here the speaker describes the events leading up to the duel.

  • How does he describe the way the situation unfolds?
  • Do you notice anything interesting about how he apportions blame?

Look at lines 24-35. Compare and contrast the way the speaker describes Maud’s and Maud brother’s reactions here.

Look at lines 36-48. Explore the way the speaker presents his feelings of guilt here.

  • How far do you feel it marks a return to his earlier cynicism about the corruption of man?
  • How far do we sympathise with his attitude here?

Look at part 2 section V. In this section the speaker is in an insane asylum.

Look at lines 239-257. Explore the way Tennyson uses sound imagery, onomatopoeia, rhythm and rhyme to convey a mind in turmoil in these lines.

Look at lines 259-278. Explore the way that the speaker views the other inmates.

Look at lines 279-326. Explore the way the speaker’s thoughts of Maud, her father and her brother are presented here.

  • How far is it typical of the way he views Maud and her family throughout the poem?
  • Have his views changed or are they just more extreme? Point to details in the writing.

Version 11© OCR 2016

Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Maud

Look at lines 327-333. Explore the way that public and private wars are contrasted by the speaker.

  • Can you see proleptic irony here? (How does this view foreshadow the end of the poem?)
  • How far are you convinced by his argument here?

Look at lines 334-342. Explore the way the idea of burial is presented here.

  • In what ways is this image gothic?
  • What does it suggest about the mental state of the speaker?

Extension work: A level

Compare the way a death or a murder is presented in your drama text with the way the death of Maud’s brother is presented.

Extension work: A level

Compare the way madness or irrational behaviour is presented in your drama text with the way it is presented in part 2, section V of ‘Maud’.

Version 11© OCR 2016

Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Maud