The Poet's Mind: The Psychology of Victorian Poetry 1830-1870 (Oxford English Monographs)

__The Poet's Mind__ is a major study of how Victorian poets thought and wrote about the human mind. It argues that Victorian poets, inheriting from their Romantic forerunners the belief that subjective thoughts and feelings were the most important materials for poetry, used their writing both to give expression to mental processes and to scrutinise and analyse those processes. In this volume Gregory Tate considers why and how psychological analysis became an increasingly important element of poetic theory and practice in the mid-nineteenth century, a time when the discipline of psychology was emerging alongside the growing recognition that the workings of the mind might be understood using the analytical methods of science. The writings of Victorian poets often show an awareness of this psychology, but, at the same time, the language and tone of their psychological verse, and especially their ambivalent use of terms such as 'brain', 'mind', and 'soul', voice an unresolved tension, felt throughout Victorian culture, between scientific theories of psychology and metaphysical or religious accounts of selfhood. __The Poet's Mind__ considers the poetry of Browning, Tennyson, Arnold, Clough, and George Eliot, offering detailed readings of several major Victorian poems, and presenting new evidence of their authors' interest in contemporary psychological theory. Ranging across lyric verse, epic poetry, and the dramatic monologue, the book explores the ways in which poetry simultaneously drew on, resisted, and contributed to the spread of scientific theories of mind in Victorian Britain. The Poet's Mind Is A Major Study Of How Victorian Poets Thought And Wrote About The Human Mind. It Argues That Victorian Poets, Inheriting From Their Romantic Forerunners The Belief That Subjective Thoughts And Feelings Were The Most Important Materials For Poetry, Used Their Writing Both To Give Expression To Mental Processes And To Scrutinise And Analyse Those Processes. In This Volume Gregory Tate Considers Why And How Psychological Analysis Became An Increasingly Important Element Of Poetic Theory And Practice In The Mid-nineteenth Century, A Time When The Discipline Of Psychology Was Emerging Alongside The Growing Recognition That The Workings Of The Mind Might Be Understood Using The Analytical Methods Of Science. The Writings Of Victorian Poets Often Show An Awareness Of This Psychology, But, At The Same Time, The Language And Tone Of Their Psychological Verse, And Especially Their Ambivalent Use Of Terms Such As 'brain', 'mind', And 'soul', Voice An Unresolved Tension, Felt Throughout Victorian Culture, Between Scientific Theories Of Psychology And Metaphysical Or Religious Accounts Of Selfhood. The Poet's Mind Considers The Poetry Of Browning, Tennyson, Arnold, Clough, And George Eliot, Offering Detailed Readings Of Several Major Victorian Poems, And Presenting New Evidence Of Their Authors' Interest In Contemporary Psychological Theory. Ranging Across Lyric Verse, Epic Poetry, And The Dramatic Monologue, The Book Explores The Ways In Which Poetry Simultaneously Drew On, Resisted, And Contributed To The Spread Of Scientific Theories Of Mind In Victorian Britain.--publisher's Website. Tennyson, Browning, And The Poetry Of Reflection -- Clough, Arnold, And The Dialogue Of The Mind -- Tennyson's Unquiet Brain -- George Eliot's Twofold Mind -- Browning's Epic Psychology. Gregory Tate. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [191]-198) And Index. This book examines Victorian poetry's preoccupation with studying the mind. It argues that Victorian poets, inheriting from their Romantic forerunners the belief that subjective thoughts and feelings were the most important materials for poetry, used their writing both to give expression to mental processes and to scrutinize and analyse those processes, and it considers why and how psychological analysis became an increasingly important element of poetic theory and practice in the mid-nineteenth century. This development coincided with the rise of the scientific discipline of psychology and with the growing recognition that the workings of the mind could be studied using the analytical methods of science. The writings of Victorian poets often employed similar methods, but, at the same time, the language and tone of their psychological verse, and especially their ambivalent use of terms such as ‘brain’, ‘mind’, and ‘soul’, voiced an unresolved tension, felt throughout Victorian culture, between materialist, physiological theories of psychology and metaphysical or religious accounts of selfhood. This book considers the poetry of Browning, Tennyson, Arnold, Clough, and George Eliot, offering detailed readings of several major Victorian poems (including Amours de Voyage, In Memoriam, Maud, and The Ring and the Book) and presenting new evidence of their authors' interest in contemporary psychological theory. Ranging across lyric verse, epic poetry, and the dramatic monologue, the book explores the ways in which poetry simultaneously drew on, resisted, and contributed to the spread of scientific theories of mind in Victorian Britain "The Poet's Mind is a major study of how Victorian poets thought and wrote about the human mind. It argues that Victorian poets, inheriting from their Romantic forerunners the belief that subjective thoughts and feelings were the most important materials for poetry, used their writing both to give expression to mental processes and to scrutinize and analyse those processes. In this volume Gregory Tate considers why and how psychological analysis became an increasingly important element of poetic theory and practice in the mid-nineteenth century, a time when the discipline of psychology was emerging alongside the growing recognition that the workings of the mind might be understood using the analytical methods of science. The writings of Victorian poets often show an awareness of this psychology, but, at the same time, the language and tone of their psychological verse, and especially their ambivalent use of terms such as 'brain', 'mind', and 'soul', voice an unresolved tension, felt throughout Victorian culture, between scientific theories of psychology and metaphysical or religious accounts of selfhood. The Poet's Mind considers the poetry of Browning, Tennyson, Arnold, Clough, and George Eliot, offering detailed readings of several major Victorian poems and presenting new evidence of their authors' interest in contemporary psychological theory. Ranging across lyric verse, epic poetry, and the dramatic monologue, the book explores the ways in which poetry simultaneously drew on, resisted, and contributed to the spread of scientific theories of mind in Victorian Britain."--Jacket 'The Poet's Mind' is a comprehensive study of the ways in which Victorian poets thought and wrote about the human mind. It argues that these poets used their writing both to express psychological processes of thought and feeling and to subject those processes to scrutiny and analysis Content: Introduction 1. Tennyson, Browning, and the Poetry of Reflection 2. Clough, Arnold, and the Dialogue of the Mind 3. Tennyson's Unquiet Brain 4. George Eliot's Twofold Mind 5. Browning's Epic Psychology Conclusion