The Eagle: A Fragment by Lord Tennyson is very much a symbolic poem. The symbol that the eagle represented to the author is still a part of today's society. In modern times a cliche has even formed around this commanding bird as a sign of freedom. This was the meaning that Tennyson has assigned to it as well. It remains an icon for many societies including the United States, England, and Poland who use the bird for its symbol of awesome power, of sight and insight.
             He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
             Ringed with the azure world, he stands
             There is no fear in him even as he remains near the brink of danger. In difficult times he stays sure of himself and in his ability to stay above any threat. He is "close to the sun" because he is above those that he is watching over and nearest to the heavens above. His work is therefore the most divine and righteous. The rest of the world falls around him as he stands tall and proud with his burden. "And like a thunderbolt he falls"; once again he is the highest being for his actions are deliberate and not the fall from innocence into experience experienced by the rest of us common beings.
             A second poem by Tennyson, Ulysses, is symbolic of the repressed who manage to continue forward in the face of adversity. It teaches us that one should not quit living due to any unfortunate circumstance of life. You should instead seek to carry on and find new ways to interact as an operating member of society. Do not give up the fight. It is interesting to note that Tennyson was unable to follow his own advice. He kept his Victorian side buried deep within him yet fortunately he still managed to prosper as a writer.
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