Crossing The Bar: Subject: English

NAME: ________________________ BATCH: _______________ DATE: ______________
CROSSING THE BAR

Subject: English
CROSSING THE BAR BY ALFRED LORD TENNYSON
‘Crossing the Bar’ is about death. The narrator states twice that they don’t
want people to moan or be sorrowful about their situation. The poem uses
the metaphor of a voyage at sea to describe the journey from life to death.
Although Tennyson is famed for his poems based on mythology this poem
does not fall under that umbrella except for a possible reference to a “pilot”
which I have theorized may be an elusion to a mythological creature such as
the “ferryman”.
Summary
‘Crossing the Bar‘ is about the journey into death from life and was written
by Tennyson in his advancing years when he was starting to think about
death (No surprises there!)The poem begins with the poet taking note of the
setting sun and Venus. It feels to him in these moments as though he’s been
called on. He also considers the sea and what will happen if he journeys
there. He hopes it will refrain from sounding mournful and will instead be full
and unable to contain sound. The speaker is striving to find some kind of
peace in the scene.
Next, the speaker pronounces the day done and his departure looming. This
is, of course, an extended metaphor for death itself. Despite his advancing
doom, he doesn’t want anyone mourning him or worry about him. His mind
is fixed on what he’s going to find when he’s crossed the sand bar. It is
ideally, his “Pilot,” meaning God.
Themes
Within ‘Crossing the Bar’ Tennyson explores several important themes. These
include death, time, and the sea. The first is the most important and is
prominently discussed and alluded to throughout the poem. From the first
line to the last the speaker is preparing for a journey into the afterlife. Each
element of the landscape has something to say about that journey, as does
his desire to alive the sadness of any possible mourners. Time is another
important element of the poem and is referenced directly and indirectly
through descriptions of the setting sun.
Structure
‘Crossing the Bar’ is a four stanza poem that’s divided into sets of four lines,
known as quatrains. These quatrains follow a consistent rhyme scheme of
ABAB. The lengths of the lines vary, but the first and third tend to be a bit
longer than the second and fourth. In addition to influencing the rhythm of
the poem, this gives the text an increased visual interest. It might also hint
at the up and back motion of the ocean.
Poetic Techniques
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Tennyson makes use of several poetic techniques in ‘Crossing the Bar’. These
include alliteration, enjambment, and metaphor. The latter is the most
important literary device used in the poem. A metaphor is a comparison
between two, unlike things that do not use “like” or “as” is also present in
the text. When using this technique a poet is saying that one thing is another
thing, they aren’t just similar. As the speaker describes the ocean, his
prospective departure, and the journey he’s going to undertake, he is, in
reality, referring to death.
Alliteration occurs when words are used in succession, or at least appear
close together, and begin with the same letter. For example, “clear and call”
in line two of stanza one as well as “face to face” in stanza four.
Another important technique commonly used in poetry is enjambment. It
occurs when a line is cut off before its natural stopping point. Enjambment
forces a reader down to the next line, and the next, quickly. One has to
move forward in order to comfortably resolve a phrase or sentence. For
example, the transition between lines three and four of the second stanza.
Form and Mood

‘Crossing the Bar’ is written in free verse in four stanzas which each contain
four lines. It contains a strict ABAB rhyming pattern. Despite the gloomy
subject matter, the mood is never dull or gloomy in its tone, perhaps the
rhyming pattern was put in place in order to avoid this. It seems to view
death almost as an adventure. The poem is presumably not autobiographical
(It is nearly impossible to write a poem whilst dead!) but is told from a first-
person perspective.
Analysis of Crossing the Bar
Stanza One
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
The very first line of this stanza of ‘Crossing the Bar’ puts the poem in a
particular time of day. The evening star that it describes is another name for
Venus, Venus is known as both the Evening Star and the Morning star
dependent on whether it is winter or summer which means this poem is
based in the winter.
Whilst Venus represents the goddess of love this is certainly no love poem
and its inclusion is clearly just to point to what the “time” is. I’m not sure
what the narrator is referencing when they mention a “clear call” the poem is
quite dated, but it doesn’t appear to be a nautical term. Perhaps this line is
meant to be taken literally. Maybe it is made to suggest that the narrator’s
voice carries, perhaps due to the weather or the location. Or, alternatively,
he feels as though he’s being called to by the heavens.
The bar, which is physically a sand bar, represents the line between living
and dying. When the narrator says there is to be no moaning at the bar they
are saying that there shouldn’t be any sadness or complaining about their
passing. Throughout this poem, the narrator makes references to being at
sea. Traveling at sea is used as a metaphor for the journey from life on into
death.
Stanza Two
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
This stanza of ‘Crossing the Bar’ is quaint sounding. It describes the current
as very minimal, not very powerful, and does so beautifully. Does this line
denote that the narrator’s journey to the afterlife is a peaceful one? Dying in
their sleep perhaps? The idea of the full tide suggests that the metaphorical
ship being sailed is in deep water. The lack of sound and foam indicates that
the vessel is in the deep sea. This might lead one to think that it isn’t at the
start of the journey but nearer the end. Note how the narrator doesn’t say
this but subtly hints, leaving clues for a reader like Hansel and Gretel leaving
a trail of breadcrumbs.
The third line of this stanza is even more nuanced. It’s drawing from the
“boundless deep,” the sea. These lines aren’t entirely clear, but it likely the
narrator is still referencing the tide as this seems to be the theme for this
stanza. It then continues to say it turns again home. This suggests that the
tide is turning; does this mean that it is becoming less calm? It’s doubtful,
but it certainly doesn’t suggest that the narrator isn’t going to cross over,
after all, the tide isn’t going to carry them “back to shore”.
Stanza Three
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
Events are once again taking place at twilight. This helps to create a visual
picture of the surroundings. The use of evening bell evokes images of the
funeral toll often associated with death. The next line would certainly lend
credence to that idea as following the bell there is darkness. Is this a sign
that the narrator has finally passed on? One thing is clear and that is that the
narrator doesn’t want people to make a big deal out of their passing as they
reiterate the sentiment from the first stanza of ‘Crossing the Bar’ by saying
that they don’t want sadness.
Their passing to the other side is referred to as “embarking”. This fits in
nicely with the nautical theme. It almost sounds like the experience is an
adventure, which holds its contrast with the descriptions that have made the
episode seem serene and peaceful.
Stanza Four
For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.
The themes of time and place are prominent throughout ‘Crossing the Bar’.
You can see as they have been used several times throughout the narrative.
This stanza seems to act almost like a summary detailing a very much
abridged version of the journey that has taken the narrator from their birth
up to their eventual demise. When they talk of the flood I think this is
another way of describing the “endless sea” that has carried them towards
their destination, their passing into death.
When the narrator talks about the pilot they are effectively referring to the
person that has controlled their journey. This could be the grim reaper or the
ferryman! (These are characters from mythology that help people transition
to the afterlife) but it could also be a reference to god. Perhaps the narrator
wants to “meet their maker”. Crossing the bar is a phrase that essentially
means crossing over from life into death. It is also the name of the poem
ending on this line gives it prominence.
About Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Alfred Lord Tennyson is one of the most famous poets to have lived. He died
in 1892 at the ripe old age of 83. For much of Queen Victoria’s reign, he
acted as Britain’s poet laureate. A lot of his more famed works were based
on mythology, such as Ulysses. His poems are often rich with imagery which
shows the influence of the romantics on his poetry. He is also noted for
coining several phrases that have become ingrained in British vernacular.
These include: “‘Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved
at all”.
1. How is the poem ‘Crossing the Bar’ an elegy?

Ans. In the ‘Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory’, an elegy has
been described as “a poem of mourning for an individual, or a lament for
some tragic event.” It usually deals with the theme of death, and the
protagonist laments over an incident. In the poem ‘Crossing the Bar’,
however, it is slightly different. Although the poem is an elegy, the speaker
does not seem to be unhappy or grieved over something. He seems to be
celebrating the fact that he’s going to die and will be meeting the all-
pervading God. The tone of the poem is calm and serene. There isn’t any
kind of tension or grief that the readers may sense while reading the poem.
The speaker begins to narrate his experience of receiving a call to embark on
a voyage. From where does he receive a call is not stated at this point. He
goes on to say that no one should lament, as he wishes to meet his “Pilot”
after he crosses the harbour. It is an allegory meaning that when he dies no
one should grieve over his death, as death is only the beginning for him to
start a beautiful journey. He wants his soul to become one with God. We
must note that at the time of writing the poem, Tennyson was eighty years
old. He probably wrote this spiritual poem facing the hard reality of life, that
everyone has to die someday or the other. There is an acceptance of death in
his tone. The speaker believes that there is life after death. Death is not the
end, but the beginning. The human body serves only as a temporary abode
for the soul (which is eternal). The poet believes that if one has faith in the
Almighty, death ceases to be frightening.
2. Do you think that the soul’s journey from life to death is not an
end, but a return to its home? Why?
The poem ‘Crossing the Bar’ by Lord Alfred Tennyson is an allegory. It
describes the speaker’s (a passenger) literal and spiritual journey from the
harbour to the ocean, where he’ll clearly meet the pilot of his ship.
Metaphorically speaking, the poem widely speaks of a soul’s journey after
death, and its meeting with the Almighty. The poem begins with the speaker
receiving a call to set out on a sea voyage. He wishes that there should not
be any mourning when he sets out for the journey. He wants everyone to be
happy as he is only going to return to the place from where he started. The
speaker wishes to meet his “Pilot” face-to-face, after crossing the sandbar. It
is a reference to the soul meeting the omniscient, omnipotent, and
omnipresent God. A soul starts its journey from the ‘boundless’ depths of the
universe, and completes the full cycle of life, returning to its place of origin.
The soul does not have any emotional connections with the material things of
life. It does not bound itself to any familial bonds. It only wishes to be one
with God; that is where it truly resides. It comes into a body for a brief
period of time and leaves it to return to where it originates. Just like a ship is
guided by the pilot, similarly our souls are guided by God, who calls us back
when our journey on this earth is over. The speaker wishes that his journey
be smooth when he crosses the sandbar, which means that he wishes his
death to be without any pain and suffering. He is old and he knows that
death will embrace him any day. He wants to leave his temporary abode (his
body) and meet God. Therefore, we can say that the soul’s journey from life
to death is indeed a return to its home, its final resting place.
3. What do you think are the highlights of the

Ans. ‘Crossing the Bar’ is an allegory which describes a sailor’s wish to cross
the harbour, into the ocean, and meet the ‘Pilot’ face-to-face. But
metaphorically, the poem is about a soul’s journey from life to death, but
death not being the end. After the demise of the body, the soul meets God,
and becomes one with Him. It is this journey of the soul that the speaker
focusses on. Lord Tennyson feels that death is something which should not
be feared. It is a peaceful state when one is absolved of their worldly duties
and starts on a clear and peaceful voyage. Another highlight of the poem is
the existence of God. The word ‘Pilot’ in the poem can be a reference to God,
or Tennyson’s friend Arthur Hallam who died at a young age. It can be
interpreted in multiple ways. The beauty of this poem lies in the fact that it
can be read as a spiritual or a religious poem, or the one that eulogizes
qualities like loyalty and friendship. Perhaps Tennyson missed the presence
of his best friend in his life so much, that he wished to meet him after death.
God is the one who guides our life and activities. When we die, it is only the
body that gets destroyed, and not the soul. The soul ventures out on its
journey to unite with God. The poem also points towards the fact that death
is a change of worlds, and not a destruction of the soul. It is not to be
feared, but rejoiced. The soul moves to a better place where there are no
miseries, sorrows etc. Therefore, we need to understand that one should face
death in a calm and peaceful manner. The speaker believes that there is a
life beyond death, and it is much more beautiful than the one we are
experiencing right now.
4. Discuss the form and structure of the poem ‘Crossing the Bar’.
Ans. ‘Crossing the Bar’ is an elegy, as it discusses the theme of life and
death, even though the tone is not sorrowful. The rhyme scheme of the
poem is ababcdcdefef gaga. The lines “For tho' from out our bourne of Time
and Place” and “I hope to see my Pilot face to face” are pentameters. The
line “And may there be no moaning of the bar” is in iambic pentameter. The
poem has been written using simple language, without the use of any
complex words. Most of the words are monosyllabic, such as, “star”, “call”,
“home”, etc. The word ‘bourne’ refers to the physical boundary of the
harbour and the ocean, as well as the spiritual boundary, i.e. the physical
world from the metaphysical. While on the one hand, the poem deals with
the experience of a sailor wanting to leave the harbour, so that his ship can
sail in the middle of the ocean; on the other hand, it brings forward the
deeper meaning of a soul departing the materialistic world for a greater
cause— to unite with God.
Some of the figures of speech which Tennyson uses in his poem are—
(a) Metaphor: In this, a comparison is done between two different things,
but the meaning is not clearly implied in the sentence. One example is-
“Twilight and Evening Bell” Here, though a direct reference is to the evening
bell in churches, in the poem it is a reference to the speaker’s old age and
impending death.
(b) Personification: In this, an inanimate object is usually given human-like
attributes. For example- (i) “And may there be no moaning of the bar” Here,
we know that the bar cannot moan, but it has been attributed human-like
qualities. (ii) “But such a tide as moving seems asleep” Here, we know that
the tide cannot fall asleep, but it has been provided with such qualities.
(c) Imagery: The poem is replete with imageries of sunset, death, ocean,
tides, evening bell, flood, bar, and so on. They help us to visualize the scenes
with clarity and imagination.
(d) Alliteration: It is the repetition of consonant sounds in a sentence. For
example- “And one clear call for me”

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NAME: ________________ BATCH: _ DATE: ________

CROSSING THE BAR

CROSSING THE BAR BY ALFRED LORD TENNYSON

Form and Mood

Analysis of Crossing the Bar

About Alfred, Lord Tennyson

1. How is the poem ‘Crossing the Bar’ an elegy?

3. What do you think are the highlights of the

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