Question- Write an essay on the hief characteristics of the Pre-Raphaelite Poetry.

Or 
Describe the chief characteristics of the Raphaclite poetry.

Answer-

The Chief Characteristics of the
Pre-Raphaelite Poetry

The chief characteristics of the Pre-Raphaelite poetry can be discussed in following headings-

Art for Art's Sake : The chief concern of the Pre-Raphaelite movement was with art. Like the Aesthetes the Pre-Raphaelites were not concerned with the Victorian cult of 'Art for Life's Sake'. Neither the democratic ideals nor the scientific and philosophical problems of the age attracted them. The Pre- Raphaelite movement emphasised specially the connection between poetry, painting and the plastic arts. Like the Aesthetes, the Pre-Raphaelites were free from any moral or didactic purpose. They aimed at perfect form and finish. Their emphasis was on form rather than on substance. In this respect they were pure romantics. The distinguishing characteristics of their art are strong conception of scene and situation, precise delineation, lavish imagery and wealth of detail. The Pre-Raphaelite poets had no morality to preach, no reforms to introduce through the medius of their poetry. Love of beauty was their creed. They glorified beauty, and in doing so they became immensely sensuous. Their poetry abounds in sensuous poetic imagery.

Sensuousness : The Pre-Raphaelite poets were very much inspired by Keats, Keats was highly sensuous. His poetry is steeped in sensuousness. The poetry of the Pre-Raphaelite is also marked with sensuousness. Rossetti's poetry is immensely sensuous and passionate. A few example would suffice:

"My eyes wide open, had the run
Of some ten weeds to fix upon:
Among these few, out of the sun,
The Woodspurge flowered, three cups in one."

While Shelley and Browning gave sensuousness to feeling, Rossetti gave sensuousness to thought. Besides Keats, Tennyson also had a great influence on the Pre-Raphaelites.

Fleshy School of Poetry : The Pre-Raphaelites were accused by some critics as poets belonging to the fleshy school of poetry. It was on account of the fact that sexual passion was portrayed more explicity by the Pre- Raphaelites in their poetry than was usual at that time. Rossetti's The House of Life' is a glaring example. A close scrutiny of this sonnet-sequence and also of other poems of Rossetti reveals that the images are rich and sensuous, and they are expressed in high ornate style in rich language, but they are far from touching the verge of sensuality. The charge of the fleshy elements in the poetry of Rossetti and other Pre-Raphaelites is probably by the conservative Victorian critics who laid greater emphasis on decency, decorum, discipline,

order and respectability. The chief aim of the Pre-Raphaelites was to depict or

create beauty for its own sake, without any regard of material reward or far the approval of the moralists. They had no ulterior motive of their own. Their poems are really things of beauty.

Pictorial Presentation : The Pre-Raphaelites were great pictorial artists. Picturesqueness is the chief characteristic of their art. The pictures are drawn with the richness of painter's brush. Rossetti's poetry is most pictorial. In this respect, he may favourably be compared with Keats and Tennyson. In certain respects, he surpassed both these great pictorial artists in depicting pictorial scenes in poetry. Some times from Rossetti are given below to illustrate this point:

"Your hands lie open in the long fresh grass-
The finger-points look through like rosy blooms:
Your eyes...........

Medievalism and Symbolism : The Pre-Raphaelites turned their eyes to the good old age of Medievalism in order to escape from the darkness and ugliness of contemporary society. In fact, the Pre-Raphaelite poetry is a continuation of Romantic poetry headed by Colridge and Keats. Medievalism appeared in different forms in the poetry of this school. However, sometime the Pre-Raphaelites sacrificed sense at the altar of sound. This is a standing charge against the poetry of Swinburne, who was the most musical of all the Pre-Raphaelites and one of the most musical poets in the English language.

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