Tennyson, Browning, Arnold, and Carlyle Thomas Carlyle writes in Characteristics that "The healthy know not their health, but only the sick" (923). He extends this medical/biological aphorism to the social and ideological world of Victorian England. Carlyle examines in depth the question: what is the state of England? He discovers that England is in a state of transition and, while the old is no longer useful to society, the new has not yet been clearly defined. This void contributes to the problems of poverty, social graces, and spiritual/social direction in 19th century England. Carlyle goes on to discuss the nature and effects of the problems he identifies in the culture and encourages members of society to remain hopeful that a solution will be found. Carlyle identifies problems and trends in society through careful observation. In his contemporary poets there are correlations with Carlyle's work. Alfred Tennyson, Robert Browning, Matthew Arnold, Dante Rossetti, and Algernon Swinburn all display traits in their poetry that relate to Carlyle's ideas about the condition of England. Carlyle wrote that literature is "a branch of religion" and believed that in Victorian England "it is the only branch that still shows any green; and, like something, it must some day become the main trunk" (926) . It makes sense, when Carlyle places such great importance and value on literature, to look for ways in which his ideas manifest themselves in the poetry of his time. During his age, poets were becoming more socially responsible. They incorporated themes and ideas that they imagined were solutions to at least some of the problems they saw around them. They often simply gave voice to the problems they witnessed, allowing the issue to be discussed rather than I...... middle of paper ... and seeking out voices trying to understand how to live in a modern world as a community . Works Cited Abrams, MH, ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, sixth edition, volume II. USA: Norton, 1993.Arnold, Matthew. "The buried life". Abraham 1354-1356.---. "Dover Beach." Abraham 1366-1367.---. "Rooms of the Grande Chartreuse." Abrams 1367-1372.Browning, Robert. "The Laboratory." Abraham 1192-1193---. "My last duchess." Abraham 1190-1192.---. "Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister." Abrams 1188-1190.Carlyle, Thomas. "From the characteristics." Abrams 923-932. Rossetti, Dante. "The Blessed Damozel." Abrams 1461-1464.Swinburne, Algernon. "Hymn to Prosperina." Abrams 1514-1516.Tennyson, Alfred. "Locksley Hall." Abraham 1073-1079.---. "Pelleas and Ettarre." Abraham 1141-1154.---. "Ulysses." Abraham 1067-1069.