Crossing the Bar Analysis

Death, according to individuals today, is usually interpreted as an end to one’s life, the end of one’s twisted road through life, and individuals fearfully approach such a topic. However, Lord Tennyson describes in “Crossing the Bar” the captivity of an old man’s acceptance of death through Tennyson’s clear understanding of death. “Crossing the Bar” is about an old man’s firsthand account about realizing death is near, and after further examination, the true meaning of the poem becomes visible to the readers and provokes a rather unpleasant interpretation of death.

            Tennyson’s descriptive imagery is deliberately used to illustrate the speaker’s inevitable realization of death. The important image Tennyson provokes within the poem is highlighted in “I hope to see my Pilot face to face / When I have crossed the bar” (Tennyson 16-17). The fact that the speaker ultimately realizes him to have “crossed the bar” relates to how an individual crosses to the other side when exposed to death. The “crossing” refers both to crossing over into the next world, and to the act of “crossing” oneself in the classic Catholic gesture of religious faith and devotion. The cross itself was also where Jesus died; now as the speaker approaches death, he evokes the image again. This image is valuable for the speaker to recognize the inevitable perception of death individuals perceive as they are finally exposed to death. Once at that point, and in regards to Tennyson’s poem, the poet relates how the speaker approaches death as an inevitable, non-fearful part of life as he states “And may there be no sadness of farewell / When I embark” (11-12). The speaker shows no sign of despair or sadness while being faced with death. He simply wishes to “cross” to the other side, wishing to see the other world in life.