What are the similiarities and differences between Victorian and Romantic poetry.

These two
periods contrast more than they favor, specifically when analyzing the social and cultural
perspectives. The Romantics saw a great shift from their actions being governed by God, piety,
and the church to a more personal reality. The Romantics focused on the individual, particularly
relative to the dream world and beauty that could be discovered all around man. There was a
great literary and poetic influx on the topic of nature and the beauty of ones self, ones
environment and even the splendor that could be found in a drug-induced state. As a matter of
fact, the term sublime was coined during the Renaissance as people were paying great attention
to feelings and emotions that could be evoked during a single experienceone that most often was
not related to a religious occurrence. Additionally, the Romantics believed that mediocre minds
worked logically or analytically. Rather, true Romantics found that discovering feelings and
emotions were more desirable, particularly when those feelings are evoked by the wonders of
nature. Take this excerpt from John Keatss poem, Bright Star for example:

Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art--/Not in lone splendour hung aloft the
night/A nd watching, with eternal lids apart,/Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,/The
moving waters at their priestlike task/Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,/Or gazing on
the new soft-fallen mask/Of snow upon the mountains and the moors/

In
contrast, the Victorian perspective was framed around the ideals set forth by Queen Victoria.
These were: propriety, duty, restraint, and morality. Queen Victoria expected her subjects to
behave in a way that was dignified and proper; one who was believed to have their head in the
clouds would not have been engaged in venerable behavior. These expectations are in direct
contrast to the ideals found within the Romantics society. This excerpt from Lord Alfred
Tennysons poem, To The Queen demonstrates such a state of propriety and admiration to her
majesty.

O loyal to the royal in thyself,/ And loyal to thy land, as this to
thee--/ Bear witness, that rememberable day,/ When, pale as yet, and fever-worn, the Prince/ Who
scarce had plucked his flickering life again/ From halfway down the shadow of the grave,/ Past
with thee through thy people and their love,/ And London rolled one tide of joy through all/ Her
trebled millions, and loud leagues of man/ And welcome! witness, too, the silent cry,/ The
prayer of many a race and creed, and clime--/ Thunderless lightnings striking under sea/ From
sunset and sunrise of all thy realm,/ And that true North, whereof we lately heard A strain to
shame us 'keep you to yourselves;/So loyal is too costly! friends--your love/ Is but a burthen:
loose the bond, and go.'

You will notice theused with Keats to emphasize the
beauty and splendor around him is nowhere to be found in Tennyson's poem. Instead, the poet
speaker actually dismisses human feelings and praises the steadfast work ethic for which Queen
Victoria was so celebrated.

There is also great contrast in these two eras
when considering nature itself.  The Romantics praised the beauty of their natural environment,
whereas the Victorians saw the onset of the Industrial Revolution; a movement that encouraged
commerce, destruction of serene landscapes and introduced socioeconomic
classification.