f. It was an age of poetry by which the poets outpoured their feelings and emotions.

　　7. What is William Wordsworth ’ s definition of the word “ poet ” ?

　　He defines poetry as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings”.

　　8. What are the main factors that explain the rise of novels as a dominant literary genre during the Victorian age?

　　First, the growth of urban population resulted in the appearance of a new reading public.

　　Second, with the development of the method of printing and paper making, the price of books dropped, and besides regular books, there were serial publications. In addition, many libraries were set up by philanthropists so that books were now available to readers who could not afford to buy books.

　　Third, writing had become a profession, which made it possible for the writers to make a living by writing.

　　Fourth, with the ascendancy of the industrial capitalists, the majority of whom lived an idle life on interests, there was a large idle class who needed recreation and entertainment. Novels met with their desires.

　　Fifth, the conditions of the time and the dire poverty on the one hand and the enormous wealth on the other hand needed a secular form to explore human relations rather than sermons given in the church.

　　Finally, the feminist movement had much to do with the growth of the novel.

　　9. Please summarize Dickens ’ artistic techniques.

　　a. Dickens has a tendency to depict the grotesque (very odd or unusual, fantastically ugly or absurd) characters or events.

　　b. Dickens loves to instill life into inanimate things and to compare animate beings to inanimate things.

　　c. Dickens is noted for his descriptions of pathetic scenes that aim to arouse people’s sympathy.

　　10. Please define Robert Browning ’ s dramatic monologue.

　　A poem in which there is one imaginary speaker addressing an imaginary audience.

　　In his dramatic monologues, he penetrates to depth the psychology of his characters and through their own speeches, he analyzes and dissects his characters and reveals the innermost secret of their lives.