Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt

• How did Piatt's poem "In a Queen’s Domain" respond to the romantic era?


  Piatt, like many realists, wrote in response to the romantic era's themes. Her poem "In a Queen's Domain" begins in a traditional romantic style but shifts in tone to critique the idealized view of nature found in romantic writing.
• What is the tone and style at the beginning of Piatt's poem "In a Queen's Domain"?

  The poem starts in a romantic style with a regular meter, gentle imagery, and a simple rhyme scheme. It presents a sentimental and idealized view of nature.
• How does the tone shift in the middle of Piatt's poem "In a Queen's Domain"?

  Halfway through the poem, the tone shifts dramatically, as nature is no longer gentle but is represented by things that cause harm, like a bee, a thorn, a tiger, and a snake.
• What is Piatt's critique of romanticism in "In a Queen’s Domain"?

  Piatt critiques the romantics' idealized view of nature by showing that nature can bring pain and danger. Realists, like Piatt, acknowledge that nature is not always beautiful but can also be harmful and threatening.
• How does Piatt use the word "subject" in "In a Queen’s Domain"?

  Piatt plays with the word "subject" by using it in two ways: 1) The creatures of nature are the queen's subjects, and 2) These creatures are the "subjects" of Piatt's poem, the things she writes about.
• What might Piatt’s use of "subject" suggest about romantic writers?

  Piatt’s double use of the word "subject" may suggest that romantic writers tried to control or dominate nature through their writing. By contrast, Piatt, as a realist, rejects this idea and challenges the romantic approach.
• How does Piatt's approach to nature differ from that of romantic writers?

  While romantic writers idealize and attempt to control nature, Piatt, as a realist, emphasizes the harsh realities of nature, acknowledging that it can be both beautiful and dangerous.