Victorian British PoetryBeth Nguyen 1A

Background1837 to 1901

Queen VictoriaInfluenced by

Romantic periodTwo groups:

◦High Victorian◦Pre-Raphaelites

Brotherhood focused on the art movement during the 19th century

Unifying PrinciplesLess romantic; more about

naturePeriod of economic, political, and

social changeConflict between religion and

scientific knowledge

Ralph Waldo EmersonAmerican poet

and transcendentalist leader

“The American Scholar” lecture

Poems include “Concord Hymn” and “The Rhodora”

Lord Alfred TennysonSimilar poetry style to

Lord ByronAppointed Poet Laureate

by Queen Victoria in 1850Poetry reflects moral

valuesPublished Poems, Chiefly

Lyrical and two volumes of Poems

Wrote “In Memoriam” for deceased friend, Arthur Hallam

Robert BrowningPublished “Pauline” and

“Sordello”Known for use of diction,

symbol, and rhythm Influenced Robert Frost

and T.S. EliotMarried Elizabeth Barrett

◦ Inspired “Men and Women”

Published “The Ring and the Book,” “Dramatis Personae” and “Asolando”

Elizabeth Barrett BrowningPublished translation of

“Prometheus Bound”Wrote The Seraphim and

Other Poems and “The Cry of Children”

Dedicated Sonnets from the Portuguese to husband

Showed support for unification for Italy in Casa Guidi Windows and Poems Before Congress

Emily BronteWell known for

Wuthering HeightsTraveled to Belgium

with sisters in 1842◦ Studied German,

French and literaturePoems: “A

Daydream,” “Last Words,” and “No Coward Soul is Mine”

Lewis CarrollCombined mathematics

and writing in An Elementary Treatise on Determinatns, Curiosa Mathematica, and Euclid and His Modern Rivals

Published Alice in Wonderland in 1865

“Jabberwocky” contained odd word combinations

Poems include “A game of Fives” and “A Valentine”

“Break, Break, Break”Break, break, break,On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!And I would that my tongue could utterThe thoughts that arise in me.O well for the fisherman's boy,That he shouts for his sister at play!O well for the sailor lad,that he sings in his boat on the bay!And the stately ships go onTo their haven under the hill;But O for the touch of a vanished hand,And the sound of a voice that is still!Break, break, breakAt the foot of thy crags, O Sea!But the tender grace of a day that is deadWill never come back to me.- Lord Alfred Tennyson

ThemeWaves continuously crash

against rocksChildren play; sailor sings

◦The world goes on not noticing someone’s death

Speaker wishes to touch his friend and hear his voice, but cannot

Poem is about Arthur Hallam’s death