1.
Victorian poetry Dr Abdulrahman Mokbel
2. Victorian poetry definition • Poetry written during the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901
is defined as Victorian poetry. The defining characteristics of Victorian poetry are its focus on sensory
elements, its recurring themes of the religion/science conflict, and its interest in medieval fables and
legends • The Victorian poetry is, thus, divided into two main groups of poetry: The High Victorian
Poetry and The Pre-Raphaelite Poetry .
3. Victorian poetry • Seen as a bridge between the earlier “Romantics” and the modernist poets of the
20th Century • During the Victorian era, however, there was a lot of radical social change and as such,
many poets of this time didn’t like the romanticized version of society • Comic verse abounded in the
Victorian era. Magazines such as Punch magazine and Fun magazine teemed with the humorous
invention and were aimed at a well-educated readership.
4. Characteristics of Victorian poetry • a more purposeful poetry that focused on narrative and
concrete, everyday issues in the real world. • a preference for the intellectual over the emotional -
Poetry was turned into a forum for discussing the socio-cultural conflicts that preoccupied the leading
minds of the time. In this manner, Victorian poets reacted against what they perceived to be excessive
emotionalism of the Romantics and turned poetry into a rational, intellectual criticism of
contemporary society.
5. Characteristics of Victorian poetry • The use of sensory elements. • Most of the Victorian Poets
used imagery and the senses to convey the scenes of struggles between Religion and Science, and
ideas about Nature and Romance, which transport the readers into the minds and hearts of the people
of the Victorian age, even today. Lord Alfred Tennyson lives up to this expected characteristic in most
of his works
6. Characteristics of Victorian poetry • sentimentality. • Victorian Poets wrote about Bohemian ideas
and furthered the imaginings of the Romantic Poets. Poets like Lord Alfred Tennyson prominently
used sentimentality in their poems. • The husband and wife poet duo, Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and
Robert Browning conducted their love affair through verse and produced many tender and passionate
poems. Most prominent of which are Elizabeth Barrett-Brownings Sonnets from Portuguese, the most
notably her If thou must love me and How do I love thee.
7. Characteristics of Victorian poetry • Its recurring themes of the religion/science conflict •
Pessimism
8. Characteristics of Victorian poetry • Interest in medieval fables and legends. • an interest in both
classical and medieval literature of England blended with contemporary concerns • The Victorians
loved the heroic, chivalrous stories of knights of old and they hoped to regain some of that noble,
courtly behavior .
9. Major THEMES OF VICTORIAN POETRY: Realism Humanism Morality Criticism
Glory of Past Philosophical ideas feminism (women’s role in society) Romanticism
10. EARLY VICTORIAN POETRY (1830-1880): • A. Tennyson • R. Browning • M. Arnold •
Elizabeth Barrett Browning • Thomas Hardy
11. Romantic vs Victorian poetry Romantic poetry Victorian poetry Romantic poetry was produced
during the period from 1800 to 1850. Victorian Poetry was produced during the reign of Queen
Victoria. Romantic Poetry predominantly used the theme of nature. Victorian Poetry used medieval
myths and legends as well as realistic issues such as the struggle between science and religion.
Romantic Poetry revered and admired nature. Victorian Poetry treated nature in more realistic and less
idealized view. Romantic Poetry gave prominence to emotion, imagination and spontaneity. Victorian
Poetry gave more importance to intellect and realism.
12. Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood • drew on myth and folklore for their art, • Love of details • Truth
to nature • major poets : Dante Gabriel Rossetti and his sister Christina Rossetti a
13. ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON (1809 – 1892) • Tennyson was the Poet Laureate of the era, and
one of the most revered poets of all time. • His lengthy poem In Memoriam is his most famous. • He is
the 2nd most quoted writer after Shakespeare. • In, “In Memoriam” A.H.H. – a series of elegies
(18331850), - comments on change and evolution and contemplates the question of man’s destiny and
immortality in the age of new discoveries • “Ulysses”(1833), illustrates the Victorian morality of self-
control and self-discipline as a means to continue and succeedis about the great hero searching for life
in spite of old age and coming death.
14. MATTHEW ARNOLD (1822-88) • Matthew Arnold was considered one of the first modern
poets of the Victorian Era. • He was the superintendent of England’s schools for many years and was
highly revered. • Arnold was famous for his imagery involving the ocean and also themes involving
women.
15. CHRISTINA ROSSETTI Most famous for her poem Goblin Market, Rossetti asserted herself as
a great female poet of the era. She was published widely until her death, especially in the pre-
Raphaelite magazine “The Germ”
16. DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI • Rossetti was an artist and poet very influential in the pre-
Raphaelite movement. • He would often write a poem specifically for a piece of his artwork, or the
other way around
17. ELIZABETH BARETT-BROWNING (1806 – 1861) • Browning, married to poet Robert
Browning was also one of the most famous Victorian poets – famous both in England and the US. •
She had a great influence on Edgar Allen Poe and Emily Dickinson. • Wrote many of her short poems
for magazines, the most important contribution” The Cry of the Children” (1844), a protest against the
employment of children in factories. • “Aurora Leigh”(1857) deals with the themes of social
responsibility and the position of women.
