Rhythm and Will in Victorian Poetry

Focusing on the interplay between poetics and human agency, Matthew Campbell analyzes the works of four Victorian poets—Tennyson, Browning, Hopkins, and Hardy. He examines their use of meter, rhyme, and rhythm, linking these elements to broader themes of psychology, ethics, and social change. Additionally, Campbell situates their work within the historical context of poetics, tracing influences from Milton through Romanticism to contemporary debates, thereby contributing significantly to the resurgence of interest in formalist poetry analysis.