Write about the views of nature in Tennyson's The Princess.

         In the 7th verse of this poem ‘Our enemies have fall’n’ the strength of nature is presented to us represented by the strength of the trees.  We are told ‘There dwelt an iron nature in the grain’, and that ‘The glittering axe broke in their arms’ so not only is nature strong and unyielding but also vengeful by which those that desecrated it were punished ‘There arms were shatter’d to the shoulder blade’.  This poem also represents to us the renewal capacity of nature, which is the reason for nature being able to grow strong and proud, indeed the shedding of leaves in the autumn, and their re-growth in spring is testament to this.  Then there are the fallen trees that were cut down by the enemy army’s woodmen ‘The woodmen with their axes: lo the tree!’ but again the renewal capacity of nature shines through.  The conquering army will ‘shape it plank and beam for roof and floor/ And boats and bridges for the use of men’.  Nature as represented by trees is renewed even after being cut down, and good will come from the trees demise and this is a perfect accolade to nature.

        Immortality is a theme throughout Tennyson’s poetry, and is best represented in ‘The splendour falls on castle walls’.  Although this verse is set in the ethereal realm, nature is present there, even if it is a mythological one.  We are told that that our ‘echoes roll from soul to soul’ and through this man may hope to achieve immortality.  The echoes are that of a bugle or horn, which maybe a representation of man, or at least the feats of man particularly through art.  Now, these echoes ‘faint on hill or field or river’ and so travel through nature echoing, so these echoes weakening travel through this mythological nature.

        There are examples of nature as a temporary beauty throughout The Princess, but most prominently in ‘Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white’ the 9th verse of this poem.  Beauty in this poem is temporary, although it may not have physically changed, Tennyson’s mood has and it his saddened, unhappy mood that results in him viewing what he sees differently.  The cypress in the palace has ceased to wave, and the ‘lily folds all her sweetness up’.  Then there is the meteor, which silently slides on, temporary and beautiful contrasted with the stars.  

        So, to conclude nature can be seen as a variety of things in the poem The Princess.  It is strong, revengeful and renewal in ‘Our enemies have fallen’, it is comforting in ‘Sweet and Low’.  Nature is immortal in ‘The splendour falls on castle walls’, and temporarily beautiful in ‘Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white’.  Indeed nature can also be other things, for example it can be relentless and indifferent as seen in ‘Break Break Break’.  So, nature is a number of things at a number of times, but it is important to note that nature stays the same and it is only how one interprets it that differs.  Winter to one person may be beautiful and calm, whereas to another it maybe cold and indifferent.