ENG 22 Romantic & Victorian Era

William Blake: "The Lamb" & "The Tyger" Themes

• Innocence and Experience: "The Lamb" symbolizes innocence, creation, and childlike faith, while "The Tyger" represents experience, awe, and the darker forces of creation.

• Good vs. Evil: Blake explores the dual nature of creation — both gentle and fearsome.

William Blake: "The Lamb" & "The Tyger" Literary Devices

• Symbolism: The lamb and tiger embody opposing spiritual states.

• Allusion: Biblical references highlight divine creation and questioning of God’s nature.

• Repetition and Rhyme: Musicality reinforces the nursery-rhyme quality of "The Lamb" and the rhythmic intensity of "The Tyger".

Samuel Taylor Coleridge: Kubla Khan Themes

• Imagination and the Sublime: The poem portrays a dream-like vision of an exotic, magical realm that celebrates the power and terror of imagination.

• Nature and Artifice: The tension between the natural and the constructed (the pleasure-dome) reflects the Romantic fascination with nature's power.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge: Kubla Khan Literary Devices

• Imagery: Rich, surreal imagery creates a dreamscape.

• Alliteration and Assonance: Intensify the musical and hypnotic quality.

• Fragmentation: The poem's incomplete state reflects Romantic preoccupations with the imperfect nature of artistic inspiration.

Lord Byron: She Walks in Beauty Themes:

• Idealized Beauty: The subject is admired for inner and outer harmony.

• Light and Darkness: Contrasting imagery symbolizes purity, mystery, and balance.

Lord Byron: She Walks in Beauty Literary Devices

• Simile and Metaphor: The woman is compared to "night" for her subdued and harmonious beauty.

• Iambic Tetrameter: Gives a lyrical and controlled rhythm reflecting the theme of balance.

Percy Bysshe Shelley: Ozymandias Themes

• Impermanence of Power: The fallen statue is a stark reminder that all human achievements are transient.

• Hubris: The poem critiques the arrogance of rulers and human pride.

Percy Bysshe Shelley: Ozymandias Literary Devices

• Irony: The grandiose inscription contrasts with the ruined state.

• Sonnet Form: Combines Romantic idealism with classical discipline.

• Imagery: Vivid descriptions of decay emphasize time's destructiveness.

John Keats: La Belle Dame sans Merci Themes

• Fatal Attraction: A knight is seduced and abandoned by a mysterious woman.

• Illusion vs. Reality: The poem reflects on love, obsession, and the deceptive nature of beauty.

John Keats: La Belle Dame sans Merci Literary Devices

• Ballad Form: Evokes folk tradition and timelessness.

• Imagery: Haunting, nature-based imagery intensifies the dreamlike mood.

• Symbolism: The femme fatale represents unattainable love or artistic inspiration.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning: How Do I Love Thee? Themes

• Eternal Love: A profound, spiritual love that transcends time and death.

• Faith and Devotion: Love is linked to religious fervor and depth of soul.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning: How Do I Love Thee? Literary Devices

• Petrarchan Sonnet: Classical form used to elevate emotional expression.

• Anaphora ("I love thee"): Reinforces sincerity and intensity.

• Metaphor: Love as a vast, immeasurable force.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson: Flower in the Crannied Wall Themes

• Science and Faith: Tennyson expresses the desire to understand both nature and the divine.

• Microcosm of Creation: A single flower becomes a symbol of the universe.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson: Flower in the Crannied Wall Literary Devices

• Metaphor: The flower represents both simple beauty and complex mystery.

• Religious Allusion: Suggests understanding the flower might lead to understanding God.

Charles Dickens: Great Expectations (Chapter 1) Themes

• Social Class and Ambition: Pip's journey begins in humble origins, a key theme of social mobility.

• Childhood and Fear: The opening scene captures Pip's fear and vulnerability.

Charles Dickens: Great Expectations (Chapter 1) Literary Devices

• First-Person Narrative: Allows emotional depth and personal development.

• Gothic Elements: The graveyard and escaped convict add suspense and gloom.

• Symbolism: The marshes represent isolation and uncertainty.

Robert Browning: My Last Duchess Themes

• Power and Control: The Duke's authority extends to life and death.

• Jealousy and Objectification: He treats his wife as a possession.

Robert Browning: My Last Duchess Literary Devices

• Dramatic Monologue: Reveals character through speech.

• Irony: The Duke’s attempt to impress instead exposes his cruelty.

• Enjambment: Creates a conversational, yet tightly controlled flow.

Christina Rossetti: Song ("When I Am Dead, My Dearest") Themes

• Death and Memory: The speaker discourages mourning, emphasizing detachment from earthly concerns.

• Love and Loss: Quiet reflection on how love continues (or doesn't) after death.

Christina Rossetti: Song ("When I Am Dead, My Dearest") Literary Devices

• Repetition: Enhances the poem’s musical quality and emotional subtlety.

• Tone: Calm and resigned, contrasting typical Victorian sentimentalism.

Emily Brontë: Wuthering Heights (Chapter 1) Themes

• Isolation and Wildness: The setting reflects emotional and physical isolation.

• Supernatural and Gothic: Early chapters suggest eerie elements and spiritual unrest.

Emily Brontë: Wuthering Heights (Chapter 1) Literary Device

• Frame Narrative: Adds layers of perspective and interpretation.

• Setting as Symbol: Wuthering Heights mirrors its inhabitants — wild and stormy.

Walter Pater: The Renaissance (Preface) Themes

• Aestheticism: Art for art’s sake is emphasized, prioritizing beauty and sensory experience.

• Subjective Experience: Personal perception is central to appreciating art.

Walter Pater: The Renaissance (Preface) Literary Device

• Dense, Reflective Prose: Encourages slow contemplation.

• Imagery and Allusion: References to art, history, and beauty create a mosaic of intellectual richness.