Impact of Science on Victorian Poetry

Introduction

During the Victorian era (1837-1901), rapid scientific advancements brought significant changes to how people viewed the world. Discoveries in biology, geology, and astronomy challenged long-standing religious beliefs and traditional ways of thinking which led to a sense of growing uncertainty and questioning. Poets of the time, such as Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Matthew Arnold, Robert Browning, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and Thomas Hardy, were deeply affected by these changes. They explored the conflicts between faith and science, the evolving understanding of nature, and humanity’s place in an increasingly complex universe.

This interaction between scientific progress and poetry resulted in works that probed into deeper questions about human existence, capturing both the wonder of new discoveries and the anxieties that they brought. As Victorian poets reflected on these intellectual and cultural shifts, their poetry became a powerful expression of a society coping with the tension between traditional beliefs and emerging scientific realities.

1. Conflict Between Science and Religion

Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, published in On the Origin of Species (1859), questioned religious beliefs about creation. Poets of the time often expressed doubts and anxieties about how science changed their understanding of life. Matthew Arnold’s poem Dover Beach (1867) captures this sense of loss when it speaks of the “Sea of Faith” retreating. Many poets, like Alfred, Lord Tennyson, struggled to balance scientific discoveries with their religious beliefs. Tennyson’s In Memoriam A.H.H. (1850) shows his efforts to reconcile faith with new knowledge about the natural world.

2. Reflections on Time and Change

New findings in geology, such as Charles Lyell’s work in Principles of Geology (1830-1833), revealed that the Earth was much older than previously believed. This expanded sense of time influenced poets like Tennyson, who explored long periods of change in his poetry. Scientific understanding of time and space led poets to reflect on human mortality and the temporary nature of life. Thomas Hardy’s poetry, for example, often portrays a world indifferent (unconcerned) to human existence.

3. Changing Views of Nature

Science presented nature as a system governed by laws, challenging the Romantic view of nature as a source of divine inspiration. Victorian poets often expressed this tension. Gerard Manley Hopkins, for example, struggled to reconcile his religious beliefs with the scientific view of nature, leading to poems filled with both wonder and unease. Scientific exploration revealed the power and complexity of nature, which became a central theme in the poetry of writers like Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning, who used nature to explore larger philosophical questions.

4. Influence on Poetic Form and Structure

The precision and order associated with scientific thinking influenced poets to experiment with more complex poetic forms. Robert Browning’s dramatic monologues, for example, reflect the scientific interest in human psychology and behaviour. Some poets directly used scientific language and ideas in their work. Tennyson’s In Memoriam and Arnold’s Dover Beach blend poetic expression with scientific terminology to explore deep existential themes.

5. Humanity’s Place in the Universe

Advances in astronomy, such as the discovery of distant galaxies, influenced poets’ views on humanity’s smallness in the vast universe. Poems like Tennyson’s Locksley Hall reflect this new understanding, contemplating humanity’s future in an endless cosmos. Scientific discoveries led poets to reflect on deeper questions about purpose and the meaning of life, resulting in a more philosophical and introspective poetry.

Conclusion

Victorian poetry was deeply influenced by the scientific developments of the era, which forced poets to confront new ideas about faith, nature, time, and humanity’s place in the world. The tension between science and traditional beliefs drove much of the emotional and intellectual energy in Victorian poetry. These works expressed both admiration and uncertainty in a rapidly changing world.

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