Periodical Poetry

Definition

Poetry was a requirement for readers of Victorian periodicals. It appeared in all types of periodicals for men and women throughout the nineteenth century. Poems written by women for Victorian periodicals are noteworthy because of their textual relationship with the publication format. Factors that may affect meaning in a poem include the periodical’s intended readership, physical features, illustrations, advertising, and editorial intervention. A poem’s first publication in a periodical is its first edition, rather than its appearance in a later volume. Many women gained substantial celebrity, as well as professional status, by writing for periodicals, and a new history of women’s poetry may be written through study of periodical publication.

Introduction

Poetry was important for readers of Victorian periodicals, as confirmed by the consistent regularity of varying amounts of poetry published in the vast, increasingly diverse array of periodical titles that appeared in...