Introduction
The Sentimental Manufacturer poem was created in 1846, and its dedication says To The Factory Girl. The poem is presented from the manufacturer’s point of view and is dedicated to an employee of his factory.
Discussion
In it, he describes such qualities of a girl as beauty and fairness and affectionately addresses her “love” (“The sentimental,” 1846, line 5). However, more often, the narrator talks about his own money earned by the girl’s labor, saying that the employee herself should not want enrichment. While the poem is built as a declaration of love for a woman, it is designed to draw attention to the greed of 19th-century manufacturers and employees.
Analysis of the poem demonstrates that its theme is the greed of manufacturers, which deprived its employees in the 19th century. At the same time, the theme is masked by the poem’s tone since the author uses affectionate addresses and descriptions. They make the tone more romantic, which resembles the lyrics. The author predominantly uses alternate rhyme in the poem. It also includes such a device as images representing a girl and a factory.
The poem’s theme is better revealed in the context of its creation. In particular, the Victorian era was characterized by the rapid development of the industry (“Victorian industry,” n.d.). Manufacturers made significant profits thanks to new work technologies. In the poem, they are described through images – the author mentions the noise and operation of mechanisms.
Conclusion
However, like the poem’s character, factory workers received only a tiny part of the profit gained by business owners. As a result, the poem draws attention to this problem, presenting the greed of the manufacturer in a negative way.
References
The sentimental manufacturer: To the factory girl. (1846). Ann Arbor District Library. Web.
Victorian industry. (n.d.). The History Press. Web.