Victorian Poetry
Reading Strategies for Analyzing a Poem
When reading poetry, it is important to read it multiple times—at least three. Below are some step-by-step strategies for analyzing a poem. You can use these tips as you read the Victorian poems presented in this topic.
Step 1
In your first read, you should look for language that is unfamiliar to you and take the time to look up its meaning. Also, determine who is speaking and the general subject matter of the poem. Use this time to become comfortable and familiar with the flow of the poem. In particular, you should note the rhyme scheme, if there is one, and the way punctuation is used to pace the poem.
Step 2
During your second read, you should be thinking about the meaning of the poem. What is the poem about? What is happening, and what is the poet trying to communicate to the reader? Who is the intended audience?
Step 3
Lastly, you should read the poem at least one more time for sheer appreciation of the poem. This is best done aloud, but if your surroundings do not allow that, try whispering it under your breath. Here you can admire the complexity of the poem, including the subject matter, tone, themes, structure, pacing, rhyme scheme, etc. What effect do all of these poetic elements together create in you as the reader?
Now you are equipped with some guiding strategies for interpreting a few poems from the Victorian era.
Gerard Manley Hopkins
Gerard Manley Hopkins was not a known poet in the Victorian era. In fact, it was not until the 1930s that he gained widespread recognition. As a child, he demonstrated a passion and proclivity for writing and won awards for his works. He studied at Oxford University, devoting time and energy to his writing. In 1866, he parted ways with the Church of England and adopted Catholicism. Two years later, to the disappointment of his family, he joined the Jesuit order. He felt that poetry was not priestly and burned his early poems. In 1875, he began writing poetry again, although most of his poetry remained unpublished until after his death.
Access and read the poem "Pied Beauty" by Gerard Manley Hopkins. While he was preparing for his ordination in 1877, he wrote this sonnet to reflect his joy in God's creations. As you read the poem for the first time, note any language that is unclear or unusual. If you encounter any words from the title or poem itself, be sure to look up those definitions. Keep in mind that there are some words that Hopkins coined himself, so you will not find them listed a dictionary.
"Pied Beauty" Analysis
In this interactivity, you will read the poem "Pied Beauty" by Gerard Manley Hopkins three times. The first time, you will focus on structure and poetical devices. In the second read, you will focus on interpreting the poem. Finally, you will read the poem a third time to fully appreciate its quality. Click the player button to begin.
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Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Alfred, Lord Tennyson was the most famous poet of his time. His poetry reflected many of the woes of his contemporaries, most notably that morality was being threatened by new science and the materialistic values of the times.
Tennyson grew up in a chaotic, middle class home where he was one of twelve children. His father was an educated clergyman who carefully tended to the education of his children. By the age of eighteen, Tennyson was a published poet. He found support for his writing while he was studying at Cambridge University, but he was forced to leave the university in 1831 when he could not pay for school.
The following years were rough for Tennyson. He faced personal sorrows, poor reviews, and financial instability. Upon the publication of In Memoriam, his 131-part poetic masterpiece in 1850, Tennyson's luck changed. That same year he married Emily Sellwood and was named Poet Laureate by Queen Victoria. He held that title until his death in 1892.
Access and read the poem "The Lady of Shalott" by Lord Tennyson. This poem is based on the medieval legends of King Arthur and Camelot. Be sure to read the poem three times as discussed previously, and look up any unclear words.
After you have read the poem enough to grasp the full meaning, take notes on your interpretation of the poem by completing the tasks below.
- Summarize each of the twenty stanzas of the poem in a sentence.
- Determine why the lady leaves her tower. What lines support this?
- What might be the purpose of the repetition of "The Lady of Shalott" in so many stanzas?
- The river is an important symbol in the poem. What do rivers symbolize? How does that apply to this poem?
- Find four instances in the poem where Tennyson's word choice and phrasing alter the pace of the poem. What effect is being created in each place? What is the overall effect on the poem?
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Elizabeth Barrett was a child of great privilege. Her family owned sugar plantations in Jamaica and were involved in the lucrative sugar trade. The eldest of twelve children, Barrett was a sound student, having read Shakespeare before she was ten and composing her first epic poem before she was twelve. At fourteen, she developed a lung ailment that plagued her for the rest of her life and left her dependent on morphine until her death. A year later while saddling a horse, she injured her spinal cord. Amidst these medical woes, she continued her studies and her writing.
In 1844, Elizabeth published a book of poetry entitled Poems that earned the attention of fellow poet Robert Browning. They began a long courtship during which Elizabeth secretly composed love sonnets for Robert. Her father did not want any of his children to marry and disapproved of her relationship with Robert. In 1846, Elizabeth and Robert eloped and moved to Italy together. In 1850, Elizabeth Barrett Browning published her collection of love poems to Robert as Sonnets from the Portuguese. These poems are considered to be her best work.
Much of Barrett Browning's later works are peppered with political and social themes, including the abolition of slavery, women's rights, and child labor reform.
Access and read the poem "Sonnet 43" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. "Sonnet 43" is perhaps the most well-known poem from Sonnets from the Portuguese. Knowing that this poem was written for her soon-to-be husband, what can you assume Elizabeth Barrett Browning believes about love? How many ways does she love "thee"? How does the structure of the poem affect the meaning?
"Sonnet 43" Analysis
Now that you have read the poem "Sonnet 43" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, you are ready to examine the poem closer to interpret its meaning. In this interactivity, reflect on a series of reading questions for "Sonnet 43" and follow the prompts to learn more about this famous love poem. Click the player button to begin.
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A. E. Housman
A recluse who avoided attention and shunned the limelight, Alfred Edward (A. E.) Housman was both a poet and a renowned scholar. During his lifetime, he published two collections of poetry, A Shropshire Lad and Last Poems. A Shropshire Lad was named after the nearby countryside of his childhood. While he never traveled there in his youth, he often looked upon the hills during his turbulent childhood. Housman uses names of Shropshire places to represent the rural life represented in many of his poems.
Housman wrote prolifically, focusing much of his attention on classical scholarship. After his death in 1936, his brother Laurence discovered unpublished works. In 1959, Housman's Complete Poems was posthumously published.
Access and read the poem "To an Athlete Dying Young" by A. E. Houseman. This poem was published in A Shropshire Lad and is often considered to be one of the best-known poems concerning the subject of early death. As you read, reflect on what the poems says about the advantages and disadvantages of dying young and how that constructs a theme. Also, note the rhyme scheme and how the meter of the poem contributes to the tone.
"To an Athlete Dying Young" Analysis
Take a few moments to think about famous, talented people who passed away in the prime of their lives. There are few things sadder than the early death of a young person and the lost potential for a bright future. Poet A. E. Housman tackles this difficult theme head on in one of his most famous poems. In this interactivity, click each of the tabs to analyze poetic devices and the subject matter in the poem "To an Athlete Dying Young." Click the player button to begin.
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Robert Browning
Robert Browning was a bright child who learned to read and write by the age of five. He starting writing poetry at the age of twelve and published his first book, Pauline, at the age of twenty-one. Much to his embarrassment, the work received negative reviews. Because of these reviews, he continued to write but omitted personal details. Browning spent much of his time writing stage dramas. The influence of developing characters for the stage carried over into his poetry and he began composing dramatic monologues. While the first poems he published in this style also earned mediocre reviews, he continued writing and developing this form.
Robert Browning fell in love and eloped with fellow poet, Elizabeth Barrett. Their relationship influenced one of his most famous publications, Men and Women, a collection of fifty dramatic monologues. After Elizabeth's death in 1861, Robert finally earned the renown he had hoped for all his life with the publication of another book of dramatic monologues called The Ring and the Book.
Access and read the poem "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning. As you read the poem, consider the speaker's identity. Who might he be, and what clues help lead you to that conclusion? Who are the other characters mentioned in the poem? What happened to the last duchess?
"My Last Duchess" Analysis
The poem "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning is a compelling example of dramatic monologue. The speaker of Browning's poem is talking aloud to a silent listener, creating the effect of listening to a one-sided conversation. The speaker of this poem almost seems to be thinking aloud, revealing some of his inner thoughts and emotions not only to his silent listener but also to you as the reader. Learn more about this poem by clicking each of the questions from the menu provided. Click the player button to begin.
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Victorian Poetry Review
Now that you have explored works from some of the most prominent Victorian poets, it is time to review your knowledge and practice what you have learned. In this non-graded activity, read the set of directions associated with each question and provide your answers. Click the player button to get started.