William Wordsworth (1770-1850) has much to teach about arts education. However, the first question that many today might ask is, Should we listen to him at all? Wordsworth, some members of the postmodern academy have determined, was a bad man. He was unkind to his family and friends, they say, and they are uncomfortable with the politics he…

Argues that among the branches of historicism practiced by literary critics today, a branch of New Historicism that is broadly humanistic as opposed to narrowly political is the most illuminating. Describes the development and theoretical premises of this branch. Shows how it may be applied to the analysis of a literary work such as Keats's…

Points out similarities between the events and characters of Tennyson's "Maud" and Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Identifies traits which "Maud" shares with Spasmodic poetry. Argues that Tennyson consciously employed these similarities to expose the deficiencies of the Spasmodic school. (DMM)

The social and literary representation of the unmarried woman of "a certain age"--the spinster--provides a convenient focus for observing the overall progress of all women in English life. As the single woman's stature increased in the esteem of her culture, English writers began to reflect the changing social attitudes by depicting her in ever…

Considers influences on the design and production of books at the turn of the century, including the influences of symbolists and other European poets (e.g., Blake, Wilde, Verhaeren, Maeterlinck, Baudelaire, Mallarme, Huysmans, George, von Hofmannsthal, and Rilke); book designers, typographers, and printers; and the Art Nouveau school. (DMM)

Argues that Emily Dickinson's gender and genre moved her away from American Transcendentalism and toward pragmatism. Suggests that Dickinson's choice of poetry forced her to formulate a self that the American Transcendental prose writers could evade, and that her gender freed her from the restraints that the Romantic movement placed on women. (TB)

Samuel Taylor Coleridge, one of the greatest of the Romantic-era poets, has much to say to the students of today. Throughout his life he struggled with physical and emotional illness, drug and sometimes alcohol abuse. Despite his problems, he managed to write meaningful works. Coleridge is best known for his epic poem, "The Rime of the…

Argues that how and why a particular range of texts are selected, read, and taught determines the extent to which they contribute to a pupil's development. Shows how the teaching of John Keats's "Isabella or the Pot of Basil" and paintings by William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais meet the challenges of the new Order for English.…

The creative development of Maria, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Patrick Branwell, Emily Jane, and Anne Bronte in England during the early 1800s is analyzed, with attention to the role of the parents, collaborative siblings, and the natural environment in supporting their talent. The education of the Brontes and the "little books" they wrote as…

Poetry of the romantic age is often uninviting to students, leaving them puzzled because they do not sense the connections between the poetry and themselves. Yet, much romantic poetry can be enjoyed and comprehended if approached in terms of some personal, reflective, and connective readings. Wordsworth and Whitman are often avoided because they…

This paper argues for the inclusion of computer-based writing assignments in literature and writing courses, citing as objectives for students the fostering of collaboration; the cultivation of scholarly ideals; and the exploration of issues, ideas, and literature from varying perspectives. It explains how the instructor developed assignments…

The articles in this journal issue (1) discuss involving students in various language arts activities that have peace as a theme, and (2) deal with literature for students from kindergarten through grade 12. Topics in the first part are as follows: peace education in the English classroom, the peaceful hero, understanding the language of peace,…

The seven articles in this focused journal issue are concerned with choosing books for teaching and the various constraints on those choices. The first article, by Richard Lederer, discusses George Orwell's "1984" and the principles of Newspeak. His article sets the tone for the next two articles: "Beware the Misuse of…

Drawing on the literary heritage of New England, this collection of articles highlights the works of six different authors spanning the early English settlements to the post-Civil War period. Originally presented at six seminars for teachers and designed to feature humanities in Connecticut schools, the articles and their authors are as follows:…