In 1892, publication of Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “St. Telemachus.” Image: Julia Margaret Cameron, Carbon print of Alfred Lord Tennyson, 1869, printed 1875/79 (The Art Institute of Chicago). This image is in the public domain in the United States because its copyright has expired.

Particles from Krakatoa traveling through the upper atmosphere produced lurid sunsets, which inspired the opening lines of this poem. Tennyson’s imagery and figurative language resonate with several features of the eruption.

Articles

Monique R. Morgan, “The Eruption of Krakatoa (also known as Krakatau) in 1883″