ANS. Victorian poetry refers to the poetry written during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) in England.
The Victorian era was considered to be the period of radical social change, there was a shift from the Romantic age to the Victorian age, and there were poets who continued the themes of the previous era (romantic era) such as religious skepticism and valorization of the poets. But Victorian poets created their distinguished identity by remarkably shifting their interest from imagination to originality because poets of this era didn’t like to romanticize. Thus, Victorian poetry is divided into two groups: Pre-Raphaelite poetry and High Victorian poetry.
According to Prince Albert, this period is considered to be “the period of most wonderful transition”. Romantic poets admired and adored nature but the Victorian believed in putting a more realistic view on nature and a less idealistic angle. Victorian poets subdued the past and displayed an interest in the medieval literature of England. One of the favorite themes of Victorian poets was the writing about the chivalric and heroic deeds of knights.
The appearance of female poets is also the reason for the remembrance of the Victorian era. Before this age, poetry was highly male-dominated. A few notable poets of this era including women were Robert browning, Thomas hardy, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Alfred Tennyson, Elizabeth browning, Christina Rossetti, and The Bronte sisters were famous poets of this age.
The literature of the Victorian era was evidence of the changes in science. The poets of this age wanted to describe the whole natural world.
The victorian period was examined as a link between romanticism and modernism. Most of the writing of this period was the reaction to swiftly changing notions of science, morality, and society. Victorian poets contradicted romantic literature.
Victorian poetry was influenced by sentimentality and sensory elements. Poets often uses imagery and perception to convey the scenes of struggles between religion and science, and ideas about nature and romance which travels directly into the mind and heart of people of the Victorian age.
Lord Alfred Tennyson painted most of his work according to the characteristic of the Victorian era. Tennyson held the title of ‘Poet Laureate’ for more than forty years, he exemplified poetry of the Victorian age with the use of dramatic, lyrical monologue. He wrote most of his during the second half of the 19th century.
Through his poem, “The Lady of Shalott” Tennyson reflects the true scenario of the Victorian age where women were confined and restricted. In the 19th century, women were expected to devote all of their time to household chores. They were supposed to uphold moral values and promote harmony within the family. Women on the same hand are considered to be the sign of purity and passiveness, and they lived a life of cloistered women. Also, throughout the poem, the silent lady is namelessly identified by her place on the contrary, ‘Bold’ Sir Lancelot is free to engage with public realms.
Ulysses by Alfred Tennyson is a dramatic monologue in which the speaker Ulysses describes his current domestic situation. In the poem, the hero Ulysses shows little regard for his wife according to him, it is difficult to stay in one place with his old wife, giving rewards and punishments to unknown people who lived in his kingdom. Throughout the poem the sense of male superiority is visible.
In the poem “The Defense of Lucknow” by Alfred Tennyson, women were given helpless roles in the background while in the front men were fighting for their honor, saving them from enemies. The poet painted the character of women as fragile possessions, hiding their identity and bravery. In the whole poem, women’s courage is shown only when they were taking care of their wounded husbands and looking after their needs.
In the Victorian era, there was a limited role for women and there were strict rules about sexuality. Women were portrayed as weak, oppressed, and innocent with no sexual desires. On the other hand, men were considered to be strong and bold. But later, in Victorian times there was a great transition in the scenario.
‘Goblin market’ by Christina Rossetti is one of her famous poems. Two most important interpretations can be taken out of the poem: the religious and repressed sexual desire of women. There is a presence of Christian allegory, as the goblin men are compared with Satan and their fruit to sin. Also, the sexual desire of a sister is greater than the warning of a sister. Rossetti through her poem represents the transition of women into adulthood as wives and mothers in Victorian society.
Even the couple, Elizabeth Browning and Robert Browning directed their love affair in the form of verse and produced romantic, passionate, and tender poems.
“Fra Lippo Lippi” by Robert browning is one of his dramatic monologues, the character in the poem is lively despite all the restrictions Lippi remains cheerful throughout the poem. Through this poem, Browning tries to emphasize the fact that Lippi was the first painter of that time who broke the traditional norms. Not only this Lippi was the first naturalist and realist, representing his paintings by selecting contemporary scenes. These paintings reflect Browning’s position in poetry in the nineteenth century. Browning relates the idea of painting with the idea of how poetry should be, realistic and natural, not imaginative.
The poem “My Last Duchess” is considered to be Robert Browning’s perfect example of developing a character. He was involved in deep research into the aspect of a renaissance. “My Last Duchess” was written in the Victorian era when women were more like slaves than real humans who were capable of loving. Through the poem, Robert Browning tries to represent the real-life scenario in Victorian times of male and their supremacy, showing their upper hand in age.
In his poem ‘The Last Ride Together’, Robert Browning focuses on the wishes of the man who wants to have the last ride together with his beloved, and this journey is passionate. The poem epitomized Browning’s principle philosophies- “life is always greater than art and love is the best thing life can bring”.
Back in the Victorian time people often used to ride horses and riding horses together is seen as a romantic and appropriate thing for lovers. The poem was a love poem showing the philosophical revelation of the poet on love and life.
In the Victorian era, there was an increase in literacy rate which led to the influence of literature which became more prevalent in society as the number of readers increased. About half of adult males were literate till 1837. Thus, it led to reason an increase in publishing. The period was also marked by a tremendous increase in economic growth, technological discoveries, and industrialization.
“Poetry lies at the center of literary experience because it is the form that most asserts the specificity of literature”- Jonathan Culler.
Through poetry, poets started to experiment with different techniques including long narratives and story-telling in their poems. It was a way of expressing the real-life situation as well as themselves through poetry.
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