Plutarch’s Night Battle in Arnold, Clough, and Tennyson

Abstract

Examines an image that appears in the work of all three poets. Demonstrates how Clough uses Thucydides as his source, while Arnold and Tennyson rely on Plutarch. Believes that because they rely on different sources, Clough produces a more realistic portrait of war, while Arnold and Tennyson create a more idealized description.