"The position of George Eliot's poetry within Victorian poetry and within her own canon is crucial for an accurate picture of the writer, as Wendy S. Williams shows in her in-depth examination of Eliot's poetry and her role as poetess. Williams examines Eliot's poetry in relationship to her gender and sexual politics and her shifting religious beliefs, arguing that Eliot's adoption of the poetess persona reveals her commitment to help refine society through compassion and fellow-feeling."@en
"The poetess tradition -- Religion, poetry, and a place for women writers -- The voice of the poetess -- Self-display, separate spheres, and the public image of the poetess -- Eliot as public figure -- Erinna and the poetess -- Prophet of sympathy -- George Eliot's religion and role as poet -- A religion of sympathy -- Sympathy in Mid the rich store of nature's gifts to man -- Sympathy in O may I join the choir invisible -- Sexual politics in poetry -- George Eliot and women writers -- George Eliot's sexual politics -- Sexual politics and poetry -- Gender roles in Brother and sister -- Marriage in How Lisa loved the king -- A mother to the nation -- George Eliot, female community, and motherhood -- Motherhood in Eliot's poetry -- Sympathy and female community in Armgart -- Sympathy and motherhood in Agatha -- The future of George Eliot studies -- Poetic themes -- Overlapping themes in poetry and novels -- Poetic epigraphs -- Sympathy in poetry and novels -- Poetry within poetry."