“Crossing the Bar”

“Crossing the Bar”, written by Alfred Tennyson was written during the Victorian Era, which symbolizes Queen Elizabeth’s reign.  poetry created during this period bridged the gap between poetry of the Romantic period and modern 20th century poetry.  “Crossing the Bar” is a speaker’s account of change and the beginning of the end.  

Here, It does not necessarily matter what in fact is ending.  Tennyson uses the sea as a metaphor through the use of imagery and poetic form.  Here, the poem is written in ABAB form, a rhythmic pattern similar to the movement of an ocean wave, “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” (1-4).  The language here insinuates death, the death of life through the eyes of Christianity, or more symbolically, a period of time. 

On a basic level, “Crossing the Bar” appears to be representative of the speakers preparation of his own death.  “Sunset and evening star-And one clear call for me!” (1-2).  “And may there be no sadness of farewell-When I embark” (11-12).  phrases like a “call for me” or “When I put out to sea” symbolizes his need to leave his life behind.  The tone of this poem is melancholy and sorrowful as the speaker embarks on his journey into the afterlife.  Yet, he looks at it as a new journey rather than an end, “I hope to see my pilot face to face-When I have crossed the bar” (15-16).  The speaker may be weary of what is to come but embraces the unknown instead of rejecting it.  

Secondarily, “Crossing the Bar” has strong Christian undertones within it’s context.  Even the use of “crossing” used in the title and in the last stanza, “When I have crossed the bar” (16), represents the Christian term for “crossing over” into the after life.  The mention of the “evening star” in the first stanza symbolizes the “bright light” that is said to lure those on the bed of death to leave their physical body behind.  He hopes that no one feels “sadness of farewell” as he “embarks” on his journey into the afterlife.  The speaker mentions, “I hope to see my pilot face to face-When I have crossed the bar” (15-16).  The pilot may be considered God, and the speaker is eager to finally meet such a source of mystery when he has crossed the bar, or “heavenly gates”.  

      

       Lastly,  “Crossing the Bar” is symbolic for the beginning and end of “something”.  As mentioned earlier, the Victoria Era symbolics the political reign of QueenVictoria n England.  Victorian poets were greatly influenced by Romantic poets, and Victorian poetry was said to bridge the gap between the poetry of the Enlightenment and modern 20th century poetry.  Here, the speaker speaks of the end of a period and the beginning of a new one.  This could be a physical journey, or just a period of change in general.  The speaker does not want to feel sorrow as he leaves his memory of the past, “And may there be no sadness of farewell-When I embark”, yet, he is excited to explore on his journey after he crosses the bar. Literature during the Victorian period represented a longing for exploration and adventure.  Kings Solomon's Mines, written by Rodger Haggard, is a great representative of that.  The novel’s contents and plot surrounds around adventure common of this time period.  

“Crossing the Bar” written by Alfred Tennyson, is a speakers account the beginning of an end in regards to death, death in the eyes of Christianity, or adventure.