In
this blog I am summarizing and analyzing three reviews of Elizabeth
Barrett-Browning’s poem Casa Guidi
Windows.
Summary:
The first article excerpted from The Athenaeum 1232 (7 June 1851): 597-98
titled “A Review of Casa Guidi Windows,”
describes the manner in which EBB composes her pieces. It claims they are
pieces inspired in a moment and written down in a spontaneous manner. The
reviewer in this article feels that this type of poetry is “too loose, and
colloquial in its manner”(347). Furthermore it also accuses Barrett-Browning to
have caught the tone of her husband Robert Browning. The article describes
Barrett-Browning’s poetry as having an older or antique quality to it. Then the
article continues and describes EBB’s motives in her poetry. The article says,
“ We know few things in modern poetry more passionate, vigorous, or true than
her protest against that hushing of human claims which means not the silence of
a people contented, but that of a people stifled” (347). In other words the article is saying that EBB
is fervent in defending people that are held down. Lastly the article praises
EBB for her poem and her success in creating a “judicious tribute to Mazzini”
(348). The next article I examined from the Eclectic
Review gives a more historical review of EBB’s poem Casa Guidi Windows. It explains EBB’s poem is a contemplation of
what has happened in Italy after the great European outbreak of 1848. The
article claims that even EBB believed in the movement that ended up
disappointing so many, but the article ultimately praises her for her ability
to beautifully depict the cry for peace. The article says, “This is glorious
poetry—glorious in its intellectual strength, in its lofty eloquence, and
glorious in the divinity of a resplendent truth” (351). The third article
focuses on EBB as a woman poet at first and also later makes a more universal claim
that her poetry has a ‘deeper human interest.’ The article from The Spectator compares EBB to a Joan of
Arc type woman in the sense that she called for action in a time of hardship for
Italy. To add to the praise of EBB as woman the article says,
“And
to those who think that woman and politics should be wide as the poles asunder,
we recommend it, as a proof of the feminine warmth of heart that may coexist
with a vivid sympathy with the public affairs of nation, and of the deeper
human interest those affairs themselves assume when thus viewed in relation to
family life and from the centre of the natural affections..”(350).
In other words, the fact that EBB is a
woman gives her the ability to share a deep connection with her country and her
people.
Analysis:
I
really liked the idea that because EBB is a woman she was able to bring
different and meaningful insight into public affairs of the nation. It is
interesting to see a reviewer praise a woman that comments on politics through
emotion. The majority view would naturally want politicians to make decisions separate
from emotional heartstrings. I also found it very interesting that one article
pointed out that EBB’s poems were written in the spur-of-the-moment. It commented
on how this composition can be negative but I also think it makes you wonder
about the alternative as well. I find that writing out of passion can reveal
certain truths that otherwise might not come through in someone’s’ writing.
Although the stereotype of men as more logical and women as more emotional persists today, it's definitely not as strong as it was during EBB's time. While critics praised EBB's poetry for it's emotional impact, they also panned her for attempting to argue rationally about politics. The spur of the moment comment about her work resonates as well, in that women were also seen to be more spontaneous and less intentional (it all sounds fairly insulting to me!).
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