The Victorian Period

Step One: List and describe two events



The Great Exhibition



The Great Exhibition was held in Hyde park in London, England through May 1 and October 15 1851. It was the first exhibition of it's kind. It was a celebration of modern technology and design. I think that world fairs like this one today helps people with different ideas be able to show the world what they have come up with. I think that back then this would have been like going to Mars .



The Seneca Falls Convention



Was held July 19 through July 20 it was a women's rights convention it was actually the first ever women's rights convention. It was men and women meeting to discuss the legal limitations women have and they're rights. They used the declaration of independence to make there statements about there not being treated fairly.It is called the birthplace of feminism. I think that it took alot for women to stand up to what they believed in and what they should be treated like.







What was life like



I think that life was on the edge of change. I think that they were changing from the way they produced things to the technology they had to make and create things. I think it was an age of change. And the people of the town wanted that change. They pushed themselves to change with the changing times. I think that they made change during the Victorian Period.



What did the Victorian writers want to express in there litereature



In victorian literature they asked did it satify human needs and wishes, exploting the earth and human beings to achieve comforts, codes of decorum and authority, materialist ideas of reality, human life, scare and shame readers. Victorian literature entertianed, informed, warned, and reassured.

Cradle Song

What does little birdie sayIn her nest at peep of day?Let me fly, says little birdie,Mother, let me fly away.Birdie, rest a little longer,Till thy little wings are stronger.So she rests a little longer,Then she flies away.What does little baby say,In her bed at peep of day?Baby says, like little birdie,Let me rise and fly away.Baby, sleep a little longer,Till thy little limbs are stronger.If she sleeps a little longer,Baby too shall fly away. Alfred, Lord Tennyson

I read the poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson called Cradle Song. This was a good example of Victorian poems, because it entertained and it kind of informed you. That you have to wait till you are ready to do stuff. I like the poem because it was very cutesy.

A Woman's Last Word

I.Let's contend no more, Love,Strive nor weep:All be as before, Love,---Only sleep!II.What so wild as words are?I and thouIn debate, as birds are,Hawk on bough!III.See the creature stalkingWhile we speak!Hush and hide the talking,Cheek on cheek!IV.What so false as truth is,False to thee?Where the serpent's tooth isShun the tree---V.Where the apple reddensNever pry---Lest we lose our Edens,Eve and I.VI.Be a god and hold meWith a charm!Be a man and fold meWith thine arm!VII.Teach me, only teach, LoveAs I oughtI will speak thy speech, Love,Think thy thought---VIII.Meet, if thou require it,Both demands,Laying flesh and spiritIn thy hands.IX.That shall be to-morrowNot to-night:I must bury sorrowOut of sight:X---Must a little weep, Love,(Foolish me!)And so fall asleep, Love,Loved by thee. Robert Browning

I read a poem by Robert Browning called A Womens Last Word. I think that this poem was a good example of a victorian poem because it made me feel reassured about love, it made you feel as though she actually loved him. As though every little thing that was said in that poem was said from love. I really liked this poem just because of how it made me feel.

A Wish

I ask not that my bed of deathFrom bands of greedy heirs be free;For these besiege the latest breathOf fortune's favoured sons, not me.I ask not each kind soul to keepTearless, when of my death he hears;Let those who will, if any, weep!There are worse plagues on earth than tears.I ask but that my death may findThe freedom to my life denied;Ask but the folly of mankind,Then, at last, to quit my side.Spare me the whispering, crowded room,The friends who come, and gape, and go;The ceremonious air of gloom -All which makes death a hideous show!Nor bring, to see me cease to live,Some doctor full of phrase and fame,To shake his sapient head and giveThe ill he cannot cure a name.Nor fetch, to take the accustomed tollOf the poor sinner bound for death,His brother doctor of the soul,To canvass with official breathThe future and its viewless things -That undiscovered mysteryWhich one who feels death's winnowing wingsMust need read clearer, sure, than he!Bring none of these; but let me be,While all around in silence lies,Moved to the window near, and seeOnce more before my dying eyesBathed in the sacred dew of mornThe wide aerial landscape spread -The world which was ere I was born,The world which lasts when I am dead.Which never was the friend of one,Nor promised love it could not give,But lit for all its generous sun,And lived itself, and made us live.There let me gaze, till I becomeIn soul with what I gaze on wed!To feel the universe my home;To have before my mind -insteadOf the sick-room, the mortal strife,The turmoil for a little breath -The pure eternal course of life,Not human combatings with death.Thus feeling, gazing, let me growComposed, refreshed, ennobled, clear;Then willing let my spirit goTo work or wait elsewhere or here! Matthew Arnold

The poem A Wish by Mathhew Arnold was a great example of victorian work because it questions human life, I mean that it is really telling how he just doesn't understand why we celebrate death as we do and he doesn't want anyone to be around when he dies. I think I liked this poem because I truly hate funreals and feel like the really have no true purpose.



Step 2: Victorian Poets



Thomas Hardy's poem I said to love was a good example of victorian poems because it is a good example human needs I guess. I read a couple of his poems but really could not get into any of them they were not my kind of poems. But from what I did get It seemed to me as though they were good examples of Victorian writing because of the topics he was writing on.

When he said, "It is not now as in old days When men adored thee and thy ways, All else above. I think that was a good example of human needs, everybody ends up getting old, and that is just something that happens. Like I said this peom was kind of confusing but I think that the subject really makes the decision.



I read a Womans lastword by Robert Browning. I really liked this poem I guess just how he wrote it. It made you feeel the love that she had for him and how everything just made her feel the love. I think that I like Robert Browning alot better than any of the other writers.

I think that this is a good example of victorian poetry because it made me feel reassured about love, it makes you want to have a love like she has. Teach me, only teach, LoveAs I oughtI will speak thy speech, Love,Think thy thought, this was one of my favorite lines I really liked how this rolls off your tongue.



I read a Cradle Song by Lord Alfred Tennyson. I liked this even though it reminded me of mother goose. I think it is very cutsey and kids probably would like to learn this poem. I think I liked his writing throughtout the poem though. It sounded like he truly wrote this poem to read to his own child.
What I think really made this poem a good poem to model the restoration period. I think that this model the restoration period becasue it kind of informs you of something, that you have to wait till it is your time. I think that it is a cute little story. And I think the purpose of the story makes it a romanticism poem.


A Wish

I ask not that my bed of deathFrom bands of greedy heirs be free;For these besiege the latest breathOf fortune's favoured sons, not me.I ask not each kind soul to keepTearless, when of my death he hears;Let those who will, if any, weep!There are worse plagues on earth than tears.I ask but that my death may findThe freedom to my life denied;Ask but the folly of mankind,Then, at last, to quit my side.Spare me the whispering, crowded room,The friends who come, and gape, and go;The ceremonious air of gloom -All which makes death a hideous show!Nor bring, to see me cease to live,Some doctor full of phrase and fame,To shake his sapient head and giveThe ill he cannot cure a name.Nor fetch, to take the accustomed tollOf the poor sinner bound for death,His brother doctor of the soul,To canvass with official breathThe future and its viewless things -That undiscovered mysteryWhich one who feels death's winnowing wingsMust need read clearer, sure, than he!Bring none of these; but let me be,While all around in silence lies,Moved to the window near, and seeOnce more before my dying eyesBathed in the sacred dew of mornThe wide aerial landscape spread -The world which was ere I was born,The world which lasts when I am dead.Which never was the friend of one,Nor promised love it could not give,But lit for all its generous sun,And lived itself, and made us live.There let me gaze, till I becomeIn soul with what I gaze on wed!To feel the universe my home;To have before my mind -insteadOf the sick-room, the mortal strife,The turmoil for a little breath -The pure eternal course of life,Not human combatings with death.Thus feeling, gazing, let me growComposed, refreshed, ennobled, clear;Then willing let my spirit goTo work or wait elsewhere or here! Matthew Arnold

The poem A Wish by Matthew Arnold was a good poem I liked his whole prpose behind it. I also think that death is not handled right now a days, I would not want any one to mourn over my body, I feel like you should celebrate the life that I had not my death. I think that he was very smart on his thoughts.
I think that his poem was a very good renissanece poem because it was informing you of his thoughts. It was kind of funny the way he described certian situations in his life but other than that it was just plan out informing. I think it was the best point of view poem from what I have read.

STEP ONE: THE ROMANTIC PERIOD

Two Historical Events



1) The Storming of The Bastille

The Storming of the Bastille was the beginning of the french revolution. The bastille was a prison and a fortress. A couple of people stormed it looking gun powder and stuff, at the time there were only seven people there being held as prisoners. The people of France stormed the bastille because the King Louis XVI was starving the people. They and already set up the national guard and was waiting for the people to come, but the people were just to much for them to handle. This is all happened on July 14 1789 , this is now a holiday in France called Fête de la Fédération. I think when people come together to get something changed we can make a huge impact.



2)The English Civil War

The English War ended the Restoration Period.This war lead to Charles I to exile along with his son Charles II. It basically was a war against the people for parliament and the people for the royal family. The war begin in 1642 and didn't end until September 3 1651. I think that the royal family was not doing there job in supporting they're people and the parliament was tired of it and made a change happen.





What I Think



After reading about my two topics I think that life during this period of time was kind of hard for these people. I think that they were going through some hard times and the people had got feed up with being treated poorly and they made changes occur. I think that they had been in such bad shape for such a long time that they thought they had to do something to change it. I think that this was a hard period in time for most people but they ended up striving to change it.



The Romantic Period Poems

I think that all of the poems were talking about something sad and something dealing with life like birth and death. It was never something light like Ice Cream. I mean they were thinking about pressing issues even though they may use something not that important like an dead violet.

These poems have alot of different meanings to them. Like they dealt with childhood and innocence , they question authority, how things change and living with change, overflow of powerful feelings, imaginative. They say Romantics were deeply concerned with the truths of the heart and the imagination with the truth.

I read The divine image by William Blake. What I got from that poem was just an overflow of emotion. He was telling how we view things in life and how we view oursleves. He kept saying to mercy, pity, peace and love. And these are some very important things that shape our lives. It was just an emotional poem period.

I read William Woodsworth, The Birth of Love. This was a poem that about youth and innocenece. It told how a new born child is so beautiful. And how taking care of a child is so beautiful. I was basiclly, oohh childbirth is so beautiful.

The Ode was a poem I read by John Keats. In the poem he was basically questioning religion. H ewas talking about how you stay on earth and when you die you go to heaven how can you live to places. O rhow can there be two different places. He was just questioning it.

Section 2

One poem that I read by William Blake was called The Divine Image. I liked the poem even thought it was kind of sad at the same time. He was basically talking about how we are as humans and how we view and act out things. Like he said, To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love, All pray in their distress. And he was basically talking about how we all have this in our life but they are not always wanted. He repeated that line over and over in the poem. It was kind of like a sad but uplifting poem. I think that this is a good romanticism poem because it is just an overflow of feelings. He is just tellling you how he feels you should feel about certian things.

Another poem that I read was William Wordsworth, The Birth of Love. In this they just talk about the beauty of having a child of your own. He talks about the mother wanting no one to nurse him but her, and how the child was so happy to be with his mother. And how child birth is so beautiful. I think that he really means that life is so beautiful and that we should make every moment and make it as special as child birth. I think that this is a good romanticism poem because it talks about youth and innocence.

I read a poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley called On a dead violet. I really liked this poem even though it was short, it made me want it to be longer. He talks about how when something is gone it is gone no matter what you do to make it come back it will not. He talks about longing for it again the smell. I think is just talking about how you long for something and it does not come even if you want it to come really bad. This poem was about change to me, when somehting leaves you it makes a change in your life and you have o deal with it.

The poem Ode by John Keats is extremely short and he is just talking about earth and heaven. He says how can we live two lives in heaven and earth. I think it is just a poem questioning religious beliefs like how we believe that when we die we go to heaven after we have been on earth. It is questioning authority, by questioning religion that is why it is a good poem. But I think he could of went into more detial it was kind of not obvious at first.

I read the poem by George Gordon a spirit passed before. In this poem he is truly questioning us as human beings. I liked this poem just because of how it was written, i think that he is a good writer. But one part was kind of confusing. I think that this is a good romanticism poem because he is questioning everything that we as human beings believe in. I liked this poem because it makes me want to question what I believe in.

What Do I think "Restoration"

I think that people were really in the mood of developing. I think that they seen what had happened with the fire and other stuff. I think that they just wanted to live there life to the fullist. I think if I feel that you never know what you are going to have the next day, so you should truly appreciate what you have today and keep moving on with that and work at getting more. I know if a fire came a destroyed all I ha dand all my neighbors had I would be sad but also glad that I have my life and can move on from where I am.

The Diary of Samuel Pepys

The diary was really about how his life was back then. He told you how his days went and how he perceived things. He tells about his good days and bad days. It kind of reminds me of Anne Franks diary's because it was in a time that I don't know but I can kind of relate to what he was saying. I like when the great fire came he went back to bed and didn't think to much of it. Thats how people are if it is not that close and affecting you, you don't care. I know I would have done the same thing. But when it comes to you then you care when it affects someone that you know than you care.
But I love how he describes things that are happening to him. Like when he was talking about his bad night. When he talks abou thow much he sweats, he says I begin to sweat worse and worse, till I melted almost to water. I think that I love when writers are this descriptive I think I just makes you just want to keep reading.

A Modest Proposal

A Modest Proposal is basically a man proposing to kill all the poor children in a city and sell them for meat. He is saying that it would benefit them because there would be less beggars and it would do something with the poor people. At first I thought that he was actually being very serious about the situation. But then he started talking about how they treated the people who were poor and beggars. I think that he was just trying to state very sarcastically that they treated the people poorly like animals or live stock.

The Restoration "Satire"

Satire basiclly means making fun of different subjects. It is just people joking about stupid things that are happining. A show that really demonstrates satire is the cartoon TheBoondocks, they really just make fun of everything. The Dave Chappelle show is another good example of satire.

The Restoration

The Restoration happened in 1688 when King James II took the thrown and tried to convert the Parliament and the Army into Catholics. A section of the Parliament called the whigs did not want this to happen so they invited William the Orange and Mary to take over the thrown. So they signed the Declaration of Rights and Bill Rights so that they could never get rid of the parliament. This was truly the first step in the Monarchy in England becoming a Parliament.