Victorian Age in Literature Assessment help!

[EmmaAmanda]

Hello all,

I am in need of some assistance with my essay topic.

The question is as follows:

To what extent do you find notions about ‘appropriate’ behaviour for middle-class women being critiqued in Victorian poetry? With this question in mind, examine and compare the representation of female characters in two or three of the texts studied.

texts studied
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Tennyson
G.M. Hopkins
D.G. Rossetti
Christina Rossetti

I have no idea where to begin or exactly what to write.

If someone could help ASAP that would be great


Thank you

EmmaAmanda

[Scheherazade]

It might be a good idea to list the poems and other works you have studied, Emma.

Welcome to the Forum! :)

[JBI]

are you looking at long poems (Aurora Leigh), short poems (On Progress) or in the middle (The Lady of Shallot)? Those poets wrote more than one poem, and had varying scopes.

[EmmaAmanda]

it does not matter, as long as i choose two or three and answer the topic question it doesnt matter.

[LitNetIsGreat]

I would say read the poems you looked at in class with the question in mind and something will click, honest.

[Amylian]

Check this link out; it might help you get an idea about women in the Victorian Age. The link can be found in Norton Anthology Online Website.
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/victorian/topic_2/welcome.htm

Added: By the way, you can have a look at Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, it is enjoyable and it'll help you get a better idea about women's struggle in that age.