Lady Clare | Alfred Lord Tennyson | Summary | Generations | Grade XII

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Lady Clare  | Alfred Lord Tennyson | Summary

Short summary:

Lady Clare is a narrative poem that tells of how lovers can rise above social and economic status and are able to remain faithful and honest to each other. It is a literary comic ballad which unfolds mostly through dialogue and action.

 

Summary

In spring season lilies grow and clouds are in the sky. At that time Lord Ronald brought a lily-white doe to give to his cousin, Lady Clare. They had promised to marry each other for a long time and they were going to marry the following morning. Lady Clare was sure that Lord Ronald loved her for her own real value, not for her family origin and for her land.

When Ronald went out, Alice asked her that they are going to marry, and then the nurse thanked God because he was going to be the heir of Clare’s property. Alice told her a secret that she was not the Lady Clare. She insisted that it was the truth and that she was not mad as Clare has supposed her to be so. Then the nurse told her a story. She would take care of the old Earl’s daughter. But when the Earl’s daughter died, Alice buried her as her own daughter and put her child in her place. So Clare was Alice’s daughter. Clare was unhappy with her mother because she had done so unfaithfully. Clare was also sorry because she had deceived Ronald for so many years. But the mother told her to keep it secret all her life. Clare did not like to tell a lie. She planned to go to him and tell him everything. She pulled off the gold ornament and threw the diamond necklace. Alice repeatedly told her not to tell the secret. But Clare convinced her that she knows Lord Ronald is a faithful man, and it will be wrong to deceive him, after knowing the fact. Alice felt guilty for her wrong doing in the past. Then Clare took blessing from her mother and went to Ronald to tell her secret.

She dressed like an ordinary girl. She had only a single rose in her hair. The lily-white doe that Ronald had given her also followed her. They passed by valley and by hill. When they reached Ronald’s tower, he came down and asked why she had disgraced her value by dressing like a village girl. Then she replied that she was born in the poor family and that it was her fate. Ronald did not understand her tricky words and asked her not to play him any tricks. Then she boldly looked into his eyes and told him the nurse’s story. When he heard all this, he laughed happily and scornfully. He went upto her and kissed her, then he said that they would marry the following morning even if she were not an heiress and his cousin.

Short summary:

Lady Clare is a narrative poem that tells of how lovers can rise above social and economic status and are able to remain faithful and honest to each other. It is a literary comic ballad which unfolds mostly through dialogue and action.