Alfred Lord Tennyson

I believe that people often think about what will happen when they die or when the world comes to an end. The unknown can worry us sick or even make some of us paranoid. For instance, the Y2K scare. People thought everything was going shut down when the year 2000 came. People were stocking up water and food as to be prepared if something unexpected were to happen. However, everything went on as usual and nothing happened. You hear about the world coming to an end in church and it the book of revelation in the bible can be scary. Tennyson brings curiosity, worry, and fears about judgement day to light in "The Kraken."

"His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep
The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee" (p. 586).
We may dream about what happens to us in the after life or wonder if we will be here on earth to see the world destroyed by fire. We wait for the occurrence and he compares this to the fire being dormant or asleep just waiting for the right time to come forth. This seems like a dark and gloomy time and one would be lucky to find even the faintest bit of sunlight.

"Battening upon huge seaworms in his sleep,
Until the latter fire shall heat the deep;
Then once by man and angels to be seen,
In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die."
I interpreted this as Tennyson describing a battle between good and evil. While the fire burns below the heavens, angels appear to do their work. Whatever is evil shall die. However, those that have lived right should not fear judgement before God. Good shall always prevail over evil one way or another.