Industrial Revolution in England

If you like poetry, you will have been introduced to the many poets of the Romantic period and have been drawn into their world, their poetry.

The 1700’s through to the 1800’s and the early years of the 1900’s in England, Scotland and Wales, was an age of change. The industrial revolution was changing the quiet face of the cities, and work houses and factories were springing up, some with tall chimneys belching out dark and sooty smoke. The coal mines were spreading, like the burrows of rabbits or badgers.

The countryside was changing too, because of this new age, it was becoming crowded with mills, and large buildings,  where products were made.  People who write poetry are spurred on from the beauty of the countryside, or the hardships and sadnesses they endure, or some political issues that the poet wants to write about, because of the feelings of change and disappointment in government decisions.  The list can go on and on.

Children were treated very badly in the industrial revolution, some even working at the age of 4.  The very young were used as chimney sweeps, and William Blake wrote a poem called, “The Chimney Sweeper”.  It was a very sad and dark time, where child labour was prominent in England in the late 18th and 19th centuries.

The writings of Charles Dickens brings this sharply into focus in many of his books.  He was born on Feb. 7, 1812 and died on June 9, 1870.   At 12 years old, Charles Dickens was forced to work at Warren's Blacking Factory, pasting labels on shoe polish containers, for 10 hours a day, 6 days a week,  to provide for the family. Dickens’  father was arrested for debt and sent to London's Marshalsea Prison, where he was joined by his whole family, except for Charles.  A terrible beginning to life, of this famous novelist who continued to write about the treatment of children and society in general, throughout the industrial age.

In 1833,  Dickens published his first story, “A Dinner at Poplar Walk.” 

The poets, John Keats, William Blake, William Wordsworth, and Percy Shelley criticised many things about the Revolution, so people remembered the good times, before industrialism and urbanisation swept across Great Britain.

This is why these poets wrote such beautiful poetry about nature, and this is why we love their poetry; it takes us into the countryside where these poets were happiest, and wrote about the beauty they saw there, taking us along for the ride.

Charles Dickens was an important novelist in his time, his novels are just as important in today’s world.

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