UK: School lists English poet Tennyson as ‘queer’ Isle of White historical figure, draws ire

English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson was named an LGBT historical figure on a tour for schools even though there was a lack of evidence which proved that he had any homosexual relationships. There was outrage amongTennyson's followers after his inclusion in the list.

The personal life of the former poet laureate was swept up in a project which was focused on “queering” the history of the Isle of Wight, and he listed among the island’s “notable LGBT people”.

Although no clear evidence suggests that Tennyson was homosexual, the Isle of Wight residence where he spent 42 years of his life with his wife was included in a tour of sights related to LGBT figures whose life stories were obscured by “cis/heteronormative narratives”.

People who have been following the LGBT heritage trail were informed that the story of Tennyson contains themes of “same-sex romantic relationships” and “the meaning of queering”. It was further suggested that the schools can use the trail as part of an “inclusive curriculum”.

Out On An Island, a project which received a fund of £42,000 ($53953) from the National Lottery Heritage fund and “aims to queer the Isle of Wight’s history and heritage”, created the trail and list of LGBT notables.

Debate over Tennyson andHallam friendship

The profile of Tennyson in the project states that he was included in the list because of the friendship he shared with fellow poet Arthur Henry Hallam. “Arthur Henry Hallam inspired a number of his poems and the pair enjoyed a deeply affectionate relationship,” it stated.

The two became close friends at Cambridge and Hallam may have become Tennyson's family because he was about to get married to Tennyson’s sister Emilia before his unexpected death in 1833.

Hallam's death inspired Tennyson’s popular work ‘In Memoriam’, which has been dedicated to him, and ends with the line “Tis better to have loved and lost/Than never to have loved at all”.

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There have been debates around the nature of love Tennyson had for Hallam, but no definitive evidence has emerged which claims that the writer had any homosexual relationships. Tennyson was married to his wife Emily for four decades and had two children with her.

A trail guide states, “To acknowledge LGBTQ+ stories from the past builds a fuller, more fascinating picture of how our society and historical places have been used and shaped by their owners and occupants. These unexpected and unpredictable stories are a great tool to enhance a school’s inclusive curriculum.”

Historian Dr Zareer Masani, speaking to The Telegraph, said that adding Tennyson to the list of LGBTQ+ community is “absurd”.

He stated that if the identity of the poet is “not clear” then it should not be attributed to a specific group, further stating that in the 19th century “close, even romantic friendships with one’s own sex could be entirely platonic”.

Author and educational expert Prof Frank Furedi said, “There is a way in which historical figures are seen as reflections of our contemporary society and its social groups. So Joan of Arc becomes trans, and all these historical figures are now ascribed to the label of LGBTQ. There is this impulse to read history backwards. This is just a kind of anachronistic projection.”

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