Industrialism

The Victorian Era is known as the age of energy and invention. These readings come during a time when new industrial occupations of the factories came about, where the weavers' looms were powered by steam engines.

I found "The Steam Loom Weaver" on page 489 quite interesting. The poem is based on the summer months during the Industrial Revolution. These lines were of importance to me: "Two lovers walking in their bloom, the lassie was a steam loom weaver, the lad an engine driver keen." My take on this is that the steam loom weaver represents the woman in a relationship and the engine driver is the man. The author continues the poem in which the two converse about a problem that the loom weaver needs help with. The problem is the getting up of steam. The loom weaver had not operated in a while and her loom is out of fettle. She ask the engine driver if he can muster up some steam so that she may get in working order. This poem really tells a story. After reading this part of the story I interpreted as the woman saying that she has not been in a relationship in a long while. Nor has she been in love or experienced any special feelings for anyone. She is asking the man to bear with her and if he can compromise and be willing to do everything it takes for their budding romance to work. The man tells her that she seems very determined about making it work.
"Dear lass these things I will provide, but when to labour will you begin as soon my lad as things are ready my loom shop you can enter in." When I read these lines I was thinking that the relationship may have been more serious at this point and I started to doubt my interpretation above. I was thinking that this poem could be about sexual advances between the man and woman. Whatever it may be, I liked the poem. It is funny how I'm almost positive that someone else will not interpret the poem that way I did. That is the great thing about poetry.