The Burden of Rhyme: Victorian Poetry, Formalism, and the Feeling of Literary History

Genetic formalism, a concept rooted in Victorian literary historiography, significantly influenced poetic theory and practice by linking form to its historical origins and effects. Victorian poets, like Arthur Hallam and Alfred Tennyson, used historical narratives to understand and create poetic forms, such as rhyme, which they believed carried emotional and historical connotations. This approach emphasized the historical development of forms and their expressive power.

In contrast, the New Critical approach to form, which emerged in the 20th century, focused on the intrinsic qualities of literary works, separating form from historical context. New Critics, like Cleanth Brooks and W. K. Wimsatt, argued for the "intrinsic" aspects of form, emphasizing the work's autonomy and the reader's emotional response. This approach downplayed the role of history in shaping form and often dismissed the emotional and historical associations of Victorian poetic forms. The shift from genetic formalism to New Criticism marked a move away from historical explanations of form and towards a more objective and formalist analysis.

Victorian literary historians like Arthur Hallam and Sismondi significantly contributed to poetic theory by intertwining literary history with poetic form. Hallam, for instance, traced the origin of rhyme back to Arabic poetry, emphasizing its role in the transition from classical to modern poetics. This perspective made rhyme a figure for literary history itself, marking the end of classical poetics and the beginning of modern literature. Sismondi's "Historical View of the Literature of the South of Europe" furthered this idea, linking rhyme to the development of European literature and its emotional content. Their work encouraged Victorian poets to view rhyme not just as a formal element but as a carrier of historical and emotional significance, shaping the way they approached and utilized rhyme in their poetry.

Reading Victorian poetry through the lens of 'historiographic forms' reveals the deep connections between form, history, and feeling. This approach emphasizes that poetic forms are not just structures but carry historical and emotional meanings. It highlights how Victorian poets, like Tennyson and Morris, used rhyme and stanzaic forms to express historical narratives and emotional experiences. This changes our understanding by showing that form is not separate from history or feeling but is instead intertwined with them, shaping and being shaped by both. It encourages a more nuanced reading of poetry, recognizing the complex interplay of historical context, formal choices, and emotional expression. This approach also challenges the New Critical formalism's separation of form and history, offering a richer understanding of Victorian poetry and its enduring impact on literary studies.

The Victorian understanding of rhyme and poetic form significantly influenced modern poetry, particularly free verse and other non-traditional forms. Victorian poets, like Tennyson and Morris, incorporated historical narratives into their poetry, treating rhyme as a historiographic form with content. This approach allowed them to experiment with form and emotion, shaping their poetry with a sense of history and cultural context.

This Victorian approach to form and history was challenged by New Criticism, which emphasized the intrinsic nature of form and separated it from historical context. However, the Victorian understanding of rhyme and poetic form continued to influence modern poetry. For instance, free verse, often seen as a break from traditional forms, can be seen as an extension of Victorian experiments with rhyme and form. Modern poets like Ezra Pound drew on Victorian literary historiography, showing the continuity between Victorian and modern poetic practices. Thus, the Victorian understanding of rhyme and poetic form laid the groundwork for modern poetry's exploration of form, emotion, and history.