Poets in the Age of Industrialism

The poets from the Mid- to Late-19th century incorporates many of the same elements as previous works we have read so far, yet at the same time their poems are markedly contrasting. There were changes in structure, theme, and tone during the age of Industrialism. These poems depart from Whitman and Dickinson in terms of form and style, yet they seem to be influenced by their realism as well. Some poems also show similarities with the Romantics with their usage of mythological references and symbolism of nature. I also noticed that many of this week's poems do not use irregular caps as characterized by Dickinson's poems. Perhaps it will be easiest for me to compare and contrast some poets separately.

Thomas Hardy

In Hardy's poem, "Hap," I see variation in stressed and unstressed syllables; it is not perfectly iambic pentameter, although he is consistent in meter. Previous poems have displayed solid iambic pentameter verses. Another theme I would like to point out is the different perspective of God. I remember reading about the mercy and loving God in Blake's "The Divine Image." In this poem, God is portrayed as bitter, vengeful, and slightly masochistic and feeding off of pain.

' "Know that thy sorrow is my ecstasy,
That thy love's loss is my hate's profiting!" '

A. E. Housman

His work, "Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now," will be one that I reference similarities to the Romantics. His usage of rhyme, nature and symbolism in nature brings me back to many Romantic poems we read before. The cherry tree with snow represents his ability to still be able to visit the woodlands, and his youthfulness. But he does not follow the same rigid rules of meter as older poems. Also his poem, "When I Watch the Living Meet," hints of cold, dark truths that seem to be influenced by Emily Dickinson and John Keats.

William Butler Yeats

Poets before Dickinson and Whitman, for example, Lord Byron, made allusions in their poems to popular mythological stories. Yeats returns to this style in one of his poems, "Leda and the Swan," a poem about an unfortunate rape victim of the god Zeus, who later gave birth to Helen of Troy. Unlike poems written in blank verse, Yeats has a rhyme scheme.

"How can those terrified vague fingers push
The feathered glory from her loosening thighs?
And how can body, laid in that white rush,
But feel the strange heart beating where it lies?"

E. A. Robinson

Robinson's poems have a unique rhyme scheme that I have not encountered before with the other poems. In "George Crabbe," its pattern for most of the poem is: A, B, B, A. My argument from analysis of this poem is the change from religious explanations for the world around them to scientific observations and measurements.

"In books that are as altars where we kneel
To consecrate the flicker, not the flame."

The word "altars" made me think of "worship" so I immediately connected the "books" to the Bible. During this time of changes in religious thinking, I felt as if he believes that people who worship the Bible [which may hold some truth in it] do not acknowledge the evidence that science provides. This is only one example of a book I believe he was referring to; however, I do think that he was speaking of others.

In Robinson's poem, "Miniver Cheevy," the speaker laments of the present and dreams of being in the medieval age. This idea gives the audience an idea of the profound and lasting changes that were taking place at this time. Also, in the poem, Miniver thinks repeatedly of gold, and this indicates to me that money is beginning to have an important value to human beings.

I'm so sleepy (-_-)zZ...~Kim [2:05AM!]

---

Status: Graded on October 16, 2007 3:18 PM (Attempt #1)
Grade: 10 out of 10

Most Recent Comment:
"There were changes in structure, theme, and tone during the age of Industrialism. These poems depart from Whitman and Dickinson in terms of form and style, yet they seem to be influenced by their realism as well."
--WoW - that is an extremely comprehensive essay; no wonder you're sleepy. Honestly, though you're doing great work. I can't say that enough. I must sound like a broken record but keep it up, because you are really getting at the core of all the poets we've read here. Kudos!