Outrage after poet Alfred Lord Tennyson was listed as an Isle of White ‘queer’ historical figure on his way to school, even though he was married with children
- Tennyson is included due to his close relationship with Arthur Henry Hallam
Poet Alfred Lord Tennyson has been included in a school’s list of “notable LGBT persons”, despite the fact that he was married with children.
Tennyson, who lived on the Isle of Wight, is included in a tour of the island’s sights about LGBT figures who have been obscured by “heteronormative narratives”.
According to Out On An Island, who are on the trail, the historical figure was included because of his close relationship with the poet Arthur Henry Hallam, but there is no definitive evidence that the writer was gay.
Tennyson’s love for Hallam has been debated. The poet was married to his wife Emily his for 42 years and had two children. As for Hallam, he was engaged to Tennyson’s sister, Emilia, before he died in 1833.
The Tennyson family lived at Farringford House, which is a stopover on the way, The Daily Telegraph reported.
Poet Alfred Lord Tennyson has been listed by a school of ‘notable LGBT persons’
An Isle of Wight college has included Alfred Lord Tennyson on a tour of the island’s sights on LGBT figures
The trail guide says: ‘Acknowledging LGBTQ+ stories from the past creates a fuller and more fascinating picture of how our society and our historic places have been used and shaped by their owners and occupants.
“These unexpected and unpredictable stories are a great tool to improve a school’s inclusive curriculum.”
Out On An Island claims that it is ‘queering’, which means that it encompasses the parts of the lives of historical figures that are not so clear cut.
Historian Dr. Zareer Masani has called Tennyson’s addition to the LGBT list “absurd”.
Dr. Masani, who previously wrote about his own experience growing up gay in India, said same-sex “romantic friendships” could be entirely platonic in the 19th century.
