Dr. Barbara J. Burch

English 389

Essay Questions for Midterm

November 6, 2004

The second half of your exam will be based on the following questions. Think of these as “prompts” that ask you to provide a focused, thesis-driven essay on the question set of your choice. You will be asked to answer two of these questions on Monday. I will give you a choice of three and you will choose two. You may bring one page of notes (front and back) to the exam. Many of the questions ask you to choose two authors; this choice is up to you, but do note that I expect you to cover at least three authors on your exam. In other words, don’t expect to write two essays that compare the work of Browning and Tennyson. Support your answers with specific references to the text.

1. Both Tennyson and Browning made frequent use of the genre of dramatic monologue. Write an essay that compares and contrasts their use of this genre. Begin your answer by defining the genre. Use two poems from each author to illustrate your definition and points of comparison between the two poets.

2. Discuss three of the following four poems as works about the problem of self-expression: “The Palace of Art” “The Lady of Shallot” “One Word More” and “The Buried Life” According to each poet, what problems confront the self as it attempts to live and survive within the contemporary world? Consequently, what do these poems argue about the role and status of the artist in Victorian society?

3. Discuss Jane Eyre in terms of the genres of Gothic and Bildunsroman. In what sense does the novel fit the conventions of each genre? In what sense does the novel depart from each genre? How does Bronte’s use of these genres relate to the thematic concerns of the novel?

4. Discuss Oliver Twist and Jane Eyre focusing on how they deal with the problems of being a social outsider. How are outsiders represented? How are Victorian attitudes toward respectability represented? What is the process and/or cost of being integrated into acceptable society? Which outsiders are reconciled to society? Which are not? Why?

5. Choose two authors we have read thus far and discuss their participation in the Victorian discourse on the problem of religious faith. How does each author represent the problem of faith? What sorts of characters face a crisis of faith? What does each work identify as the impediments to religious faith? How do you evaluate the dramas of faith played out in these poems?