PO3 - Lesson: Victorian Poetry

A photograph of the poet Robert BrowningVictorian Poetry

Victorian poetry, spanning the mid-19th to early 20th centuries during the reign of Queen Victoria, reflects the complex and diverse social, political, and technological changes of the era. Often marked by a sense of moral earnestness, Victorian poets grappled with issues such as industrialization, social injustice, and the tension between tradition and progress. The poetry of this period exhibits a range of styles and themes, from the nostalgic and idealized to the starkly realistic, with prominent figures like Alfred Lord Tennyson and Robert Browning (pictured to the right) contributing to its rich tapestry.

Qualities of Victorian Poetry

Here are some qualities of Victorian Poetry:

  • Moral and Social Concerns: Victorian poetry frequently engages with moral and social issues, reflecting the poets' awareness of the challenges posed by industrialization, social inequality, and the impact of scientific advancements on traditional beliefs.
  • Emotional Restraint and Formality: In contrast to the emotional intensity of Romantic poetry, Victorian poets often displayed a certain emotional restraint and a formal approach to poetic expression. They favored disciplined language and structure, mirroring the societal emphasis on decorum and propriety.
  • Nostalgia and Idealization: Victorian poets often looked back with nostalgia to earlier periods, idealizing a romanticized past as a source of inspiration. This inclination toward nostalgia served as a response to the rapid changes occurring in Victorian society and a desire for a sense of stability and continuity.
  • Complex Narrative Structures: Victorian poets, including Robert Browning, experimented with complex narrative forms and dramatic monologues. These literary techniques allowed for intricate storytelling and exploration of the inner thoughts and motivations of characters, contributing to a nuanced and multifaceted portrayal of human experience.

Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess"

Practice your analysis of the speaker and situation by answering the five multiple-choice questions on Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess.”

That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive. I call
That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf’s hands
Worked busily a day, and there she stands.
Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said                    5
“Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
But to myself they turned (since none puts by
The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)                        10
And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,
How such a glance came there; so, not the first
Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not
Her husband’s presence only, called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek; perhaps                       15
Fra Pandolf chanced to say, “Her mantle laps
Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint
Must never hope to reproduce the faint
Half-flush that dies along her throat.” Such stuff
Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough              20
For calling up that spot of joy. She had
A heart—how shall I say?— too soon made glad,
Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er
She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.
Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,                      25
The dropping of the daylight in the West,
The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
She rode with round the terrace—all and each
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,         30
Or blush, at least. She thanked men—good! but thanked
Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame
This sort of trifling? Even had you skill                            35
In speech—which I have not—to make your will
Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this
Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,
Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let
Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set                            40
Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse—
E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose
Never to stoop. Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt,
Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without
Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;    45
Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands
As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet
The company below, then. I repeat,
The Count your master’s known munificence
Is ample warrant that no just pretense                           50
Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;
Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed
At starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll go
Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,
Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,                              55
Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!

Practice Activity

Reflection

Victorian poetry, marked by its moral and social concerns, emotional restraint, nostalgia, and engagement with complex narratives and dramatic monologues, reflects the diverse and dynamic societal changes of the 19th century under Queen Victoria's reign.

The Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse
This painting is called The Lady of Shalott and was painted by John William Waterhouse in 1888. The painting was inspired by a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson written in the middle of the 19th century. The titular Lady is a figure from Arthurian legend. Waterhouse's painting is an exemplar of the Victorian art world's aesthetic, highlighted by the expression on Lady Shalott's face. What other details stood out to you when looking at this painting?

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