The Gothic Forms of Victorian Poetry

The Gothic Forms of Victorian Poetry explores how Gothic tropes from 1790s novels and tales were re-emerged in major Victorian poems from the 1830s to 1870s, transfigured into poetic forms that we recognize and teach today as canonically Victorian.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 30 September 2022
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

A solitary damsel confined within the walls of a castle or convent cell, her world reduced to the confines of her prison. The muffled sound of a prisoner's voice reaching her ears through the thin walls, a haunting reminder of her isolation. The framed image of a woman, shrouded in mystery and a sinister past, hung on the wall, casting a shadow over her solitary existence. These familiar tropes from the 1790s novels and tales, once relegated to the realm of low-brow Gothic romance, unexpectedly resurfaced in the pages of major Victorian poems from the 1830s to 1870s. What was once considered mere sensationalism found its way into the poetic realm, transfigured into poetic forms that we recognize and teach today as canonical Victorian.

The Gothic Forms of Victorian Poetry delves into a poetics of Gothic enclosure that played a pivotal role in defining key nineteenth-century poetic forms. From the dramatic monologue to women's sonnet sequences and metasonnets, to Pre-Raphaelite picture poems, these poetic expressions embraced the eerie and atmospheric elements of the Gothic genre. The poets of the Victorian era sought to explore the depths of human emotion, the complexities of the human psyche, and the darker aspects of the human condition, all within the framework of Gothic enclosure.

In the castle or convent cell, the damsel found herself trapped in a world of her own making. The walls that surrounded her seemed to close in on her, suffocating her with their silence. Yet, within this confined space, she discovered a unique form of expression that allowed her to transcend her circumstances. Through her poetry, she could create a world of her own, one where she could escape the limitations of her physical reality and explore the depths of her imagination.

The prisoner's voice that reached her ears through the thin walls was a constant reminder of her isolation. It was a voice that spoke of pain, of longing, and of a desire for freedom. The damsel, too, yearned for freedom, but her captivity held her tightly in its grip. She found solace in her poetry, using it as a means to express her emotions and connect with the outside world.

The framed image of the woman with a sinister past hung on the wall, a haunting reminder of the mysteries that surrounded her. It was a woman who had lived a life filled with darkness and tragedy, and who had left behind a trail of secrets that were yet to be uncovered. The damsel, intrigued by this woman's past, found herself drawn to her, seeking to unravel the mysteries that had haunted her for so long.

Through her poetry, the damsel was able to explore the themes of Gothic enclosure, isolation, and the search for identity. She used the Gothic genre as a means to confront the darker aspects of her own life and the world around her, and to find a sense of meaning and purpose in her existence. The Gothic Forms of Victorian Poetry captures the essence of this poetic movement, showcasing the ways in which the poets of the Victorian era used the Gothic genre to express their deepest fears, desires, and dreams.

In conclusion, the Gothic Forms of Victorian Poetry offers a fascinating glimpse into the poetic world of the Victorian era. It reveals the ways in which the poets of the time used the Gothic genre to express their deepest fears, desires, and dreams, and to explore the complexities of the human condition. Through their poetry, the damsel and the prisoner found a means to transcend their circumstances and connect with the outside world, using the Gothic genre as a tool to express their emotions and explore the darker aspects of their existence.

Weight: 616g
Dimension: 161 x 241 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474487177