Themes throughout later British Literature

From the beginning of later British literature, we can see a consistent theme of authors depicting what they find to be relevant, beautiful, and worth being shared with their audience. Something that I have held on to from the beginning of the semester is William Wordsworth idea on what literature and poetry should be- “to choose incidents and situations from common life and to relate or describe them, throughout, as far as was possible, in a selection, of language really used by men; and at the same time throw them over them a certain colouring of imagination." I think that this is consistently shown in work that we read, despite what time period it was written in. We are forced to ponder the topics of nature, purpose, God, and relationships throughout the times periods.

            Romantic authors were greatly influenced by the events that were taking place at the time, such as the French Revolution. We saw a great shift of focus onto nature, as many authors feared that it was something that was beginning to lose appreciation from the people. Many poems we read in class, such as “Lucy Gray,” and “Nutting” by William Wordsworth explore elements of nature while combining them with meaning that would be applicable to the reader. In Lucy Gray, we read about a lost girl in the woods. Although the main focus of the work is the girl, there is an underlying tone of nature’s relevance. In “Northanger Abbey,” we see our main character, Catherine, greatly intrigued with what nature has to offer. There is sophistication to the character of Henry Tilney, shown in how he takes Catherine on walks through nature through out the story.

            As we enter the Victorian era, we see a shift in how British authors portray their thoughts. Instead of through nature, they use poems to question bigger themes, such as God and their existence. In the poem, “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold, we are set on a beach at night. However, the poem reflects themes of spirituality, of sadness, and the question of human purpose. The poem “After Death” by Christina Rossetti discusses the death of a man that makes us question what relationship the person had to the author. We also question the relationship of love, especially in the line that says “he did not love me living; but once dead, he pitied me.” 

            Approaching the twentieth century, we learn to question the things of society that we know. In TS Eliot’s, “The Wasteland,” we see a desperate call for the need of religion in society. The water and the rock show this metaphor, and how much we need the water in order to prosper. Authors begin to question the social norms. “In Passage to India,” we see a huge question of God’s relevance throughout Mrs. Moore’s character development after exploring the caves. In “Ingland is a Bitch,” Johnson questions the everyday work world and repetitiveness of the cycles of English life when it comes to making end’s meet.

            In retrospect upon learning about the different eras, the same themes remain the same. Even over hundreds of years, humans still question what is normal along with their existence and the existence of God. They are intrigued by what is beautiful to them, such as nature and love, and reflect upon this in their work.