Midterm #2 Essay

What are the key differences between Romantic and Victorian literature?

Romantic: Emotion, nature, individualism (Wordsworth, Shelley)
Victorian: Realism, social critique, moral responsibility (Dickens, Gaskell, Tennyson)
Tennyson bridges the two in Lady of Shalott and Ulysses

What distinguishes Victorian fiction, poetry, and drama?

Fiction: serial publication, realism, social commentary (North and South, Wuthering Heights)
Poetry: dramatic monologues, religious doubt (Browning, Tennyson, Arnold)
Drama: satire and social critique (The Importance of Being Earnest)

How do Victorian writers grapple with religious doubt?

Tennyson’s “In Memoriam”: Wrestling with loss and faith
Arnold’s “Dover Beach”: The sea of faith is retreating
Darwin’s “Origin of Species”: Challenges traditional religious beliefs
Newman’s essays: Defense of faith against modern skepticism

How did Victorian literature respond to industrialization and gender norms?

Engel's’ “The Condition of the English Working Class”: exposes worker exploitation

Gaskell’s “North and South”: navigates industrial tension and class divides

Rossetti’s “Goblin Market”: challenges female autonomy and purity standards

Browning’s “My Last Duchess”: critiques patriarchal control

What role did literature play in an era of mass literacy and growing secularism?

Accessible novels and serial fiction (Dickens, Bronte sisters)

Poetry as a space for spiritual exploration (Tennyson, Arnold)

Moral instruction and social reform (Gaskell, Engels)

What are the arguments for the start and end dates of the Victorian Era?

Start: 1837 (Queen Victoria’s coronation) or 1832 (Reform Bill)
End: 1901 (Victoria’s death) or late 1800s (rise of Modernism)
Victorian literature bridges Romanticism and Modernism

What are they key themes and techniques in Victorian literature?

Industrialization and class struggle (Engels, Gaskell, Dickens)
Gender roles & female autonomy (Rossetti, Bronte sisters)
Faith vs. Doubt (Tennyson, Arnold, Newman)
Dramatic monologues & psychological depth (Browning)