Religion and Proto-Feminism in Victorian Women's Poetry

This thesis analyzes the Victorian women poets Christina Rossetti, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Amy Levy and their use of religion in their proto-feminist works, “Goblin Market” (Rossetti), the verse novel Aurora Leigh (Barrett Browning), and the dramatic monologues “Xantippe,” (1881) “Magdalen,” (1884) and “A Prayer” (1881) (Levy). This thesis examines the secular and religious institutions that these authors are tackling in their respective texts, looking at marriage specifically as the primary institution for Victorian women, considers the tales of sisterhood and the importance of relationships between women in these texts, and addresses expressions of female sexuality, sin, and religious imagery found throughout the writings of Rossetti, Barrett Browning, and Levy. Finally, this thesis will assess how these texts affected early feminist ideas and how the critical conversation has shifted in recent years to examine how this relationship between feminist ideas and patriarchal religions can coexist when women are allowed to reclaim their voice.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Literature

Grantor

Texas State University

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Weaver, Leann

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Dyck, Denae

• Victorian poetry
• religions
• feminism
• proto-feminism

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10877/19955

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digital.library.txst.edu:10877/19955