| dc.description.abstract | Abstract
The focus of this analysis is the reception of the mid-Victorian poems by Alfred Tennyson and William Morris. “The Lady of Shalott” and “Guinevere” by Tennyson, and “The Defence of Guenevere” by Morris related to the social confines of the period rather differently. Tennyson was conscious of the contemporary expectations and he attempted to meet these. Morris, however, related to the phenomenon in a more challenging and daring manner. This boldness from his side was partly due to the strong parallels between his poem’s narrative and his personal life. These differing attitudes of the poets were reflected in the critical reception of their works, accordingly.
This thesis examines the extent of influence of the zeitgeist and social expectations on literary- and artworks. My position regarding this process on the stage of literature is that the writers and artists, in certain cases, conceded to the social requirements and anticipations (a factor referred to by Hans Robert Jauss as “the horizon of expectations”). At the same time, the personalities and personal traits behind the works simply could not be dispersed entirely. This opposition between social and personal created an exciting duality and tension within the poems. This very tension was reflected by Alfred Tennyson’s modifications implemented on his 1833 version of “The Lady of Shalott”, the result of which was published in 1842, and the two, rather opposing Guineveres depicted by William Morris and Tennyson. The Pre-Raphaelite “afterlife” of the poems give further colourings to this tension. The paintings and illustrations surrounding the source texts adhere to them in a rather varied manner. These visual representations can relate to the poems faithfully, challengingly or resonate with a reading of the source text that aimed to be hidden from the public, thus giving the poems further understandings. | |
