Author Description
This Volume Reassesses Working-class Poetry And Poetics In Victorian Britain, Using Scotland As A Focus And With Particular Attention To The Role Of The Popular Press In Fostering And Disseminating Working-class Verse Cultures. It Studies A Very Wide Variety Of Writers Who Are Unknown To Scholarship, And Assesses The Political, Social, And Cultural Work Which Their Poetry Performed. During The Victorian Period, Scotland Underwent Unprecedented Changes In Terms Of Industrialization, The Rise Of The City, Migration, And Emigration. This Study Shows How Poets Who Defined Themselves As Part Of A Specifically Scottish Tradition Responded To These Changes. It Substantially Revises Our Understanding Of Scottish Literature In This Period, While Contributing To Wider Investigations Of The Role Of Popular Verse In National And International Cultures.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This volume investigates how working-class poetry functioned as a vital cultural and political force within Victorian Scotland, challenging traditional literary canons. Kirstie Blair, a scholar of Victorian literature, utilizes extensive archival research and analysis of the popular press to document the voices of previously overlooked poets. The work argues that these writers were not merely peripheral figures but active participants in navigating the rapid industrialization, migration, and urbanization of the Scottish landscape.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of working-class poetry published in 19th-century Scottish newspapers and periodicals.
- Examination of the intersection between Scottish national identity and industrial change.
- Case studies of obscure poets who defined themselves through local and national traditions.
Scope Limits
- The study focuses primarily on Scotland and does not provide a comprehensive survey of working-class verse across the entirety of the British Empire.
- It does not prioritize canonical Victorian poets, focusing instead on those disseminated through popular media.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars in the field of Victorian studies recognize this work as a significant contribution to the recovery of marginalized literary voices. Experts frequently note the depth of the archival research and the clarity with which the author connects local poetic traditions to broader socio-economic shifts.
Page Count:
240
Publication Date:
2019-01-01
ISBN-10:
0192581953
ISBN-13:
9780192581952
Poetry
Social History
Literary Criticism
Scottish literature
Victorian