Midterm #2 Essays pt. 2

What are the key differences between Romantic and Victorian literature?

• Romantic: Emotion, nature, individualism (e.g., Wordsworth, Shelley).

• Victorian: Realism, social critique, moral responsibility (e.g., Dickens, Gaskell, Tennyson).

• Tennyson bridges the two in works like “The 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 by Wilde).

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?

• Engels’ “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, Brontë 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 the key themes and techniques in Victorian literature?

• Industrialization & class struggle (Engels, Gaskell, Dickens).

• Gender roles & female autonomy (Rossetti, Brontë sisters).

• Faith vs. Doubt (Tennyson, Arnold, Newman).

• Dramatic monologues & psychological depth (Browning).