1. The Victorian Era
Poetry

2. Queen Victoria Queen at age 18
Graceful and self-assured
Longest reign in British
history
Married German prince, Albert of Saxe-Coburg
Had nine children, modest family life provided model of respectability
Her reign brought great change to Britain

3. Growth of the British Empire
British Empire included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, Kenya, and India.
By the mid-1800s, Great Britain
was the largest exporter and
importer of goods in the world.
It was the primary manufacturer of
goods and the wealthiest country
in the world.
Because of England’s success, the British felt it was their duty to bring English values, laws, customs, and religion to the “savage” races  propaganda for Britain’s ruthless and abusive colonization

4. An Era of Change Industrial Revolution Technological Advancements
Factory system emerged
Huge population increase
From country side to city life
Brought poverty, sickness (lack of sanitation), further emergence of social classes
Technological Advancements
Steam hammers, railroads and railways, steam ships, telegraph, telephone, photography, geology, astronomy

5. The Industrial Revolution

6. These Changes Brought Economic Progress
Britain became the greatest economical power in the world
1st in manufacturing
Created a strong sense of nationalism
Go Britain! COLONIZE!
Fed propaganda, benevolent maternal figure TRUTH: these countries were robbed of resources and left in terrible poverty; distracted Britains from what was really happening.

7. But this all came with a price
Excessive pollution
Lack of hygienic conditions
Overcrowded houses
Miserable conditions
Shared water supplies
Epidemics “The Great Stink”
Cholera, thyphoid = high mortality rates
Smells were awful (from decaying matter)
Connect to poetry  despair / critique of finding natural beauty in a modern world surrounded by terrible conditions, critiques of industrialism

8. Another Important Influence
Charles Darwin
Theory of Natural Selection
Evolution
Caused Victorians to question
their religion/faith
Ongoing struggle with science
and faith
Connect to poetry  Made Victorians question their religion, poets often explored this idea

9. The Victorians Great moralizers supported: Personal duty Hard work
Decorum
Respectability
Chastity

10. Victorian = Prude Extreme repression Middle-class
Even furniture legs had to be
concealed under heavy cloth
not to be suggestive.
Middle-class
Obsessed with gentility
Respectability distinguished
the middle from the lower class
Connect to poetry  Poets = outward conformity, but poetry often has underlying tones of unrest

11. Decorum Private lives were dominated by an authoritarian father.
Women were subject to male authority.
Marry
Make the home a “refuge” for husbands

12. So…What has “Victorian” come to mean?
Improved standards of morality and decency
The prosperity of the nation as a whole
Immense industrial and scientific development
An attitude of proper behavior (and lack of humor)
Unquestioning acceptance of authority and “proper” behavior

13. What about the poets? Through their poetry…
Confirmed what Victorians valued
Pointed out problems in their society
Implicitly critiqued / exposed society’s problems or misdirections

14. Major Themes Role of Women Religion
Struggle for independence
Religion
Uncertain faith / search for inner peace and reconciliation with God and Man in the modern world
Spiritual peace in an industrial world
Restraint / respectability
Isolation / alienation / despair

15. Alfred, Lord Tennyson Most popular Victorian poet Narrative poems
Extensive use of classical and medieval legends
Favorite of Queen Victoria
Most quoted writer in
everyday English speech.
Illustrates the age in his feeling for order and his tendency to moralizing and to self-indulgent melancholy. REVEALS conflict with religion and science.

16. Robert Browning Raised DRAMATIC MONOLOGUES to new heights
Made it a vehicle for deep psychological study
People from historical past reveal their thoughts/loves as if they are speaking aloud
Tells of a key moment
in the life of a person
Poems show dislike of
anyone who wastes life
instead of working hard

17. Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Married to Robert Browning
Poetry was much more popular than his
At the time: “Finest woman poet in English Literature”
Wrote love sonnets
Valued for their lyric beauty
Interesting Fact:
Her father never wanted her (or any of his children) to
marry. Robert wrote her a letter stating how much he
loved her poetry, and they finally eloped together after
many exchanges. They lived a happy marriage.

18. Gerard Manley Hopkins Most complex
New style: “sprung rhythm” (natural rhythms in which people speak)
Work was never published in his lifetime
Did not make an impact until
many years later
The “terrible sonnets” – show him torn between his love of the world and his obligation to God. Endured many “black hours” of spiritual anguish and frustration.