The use of color in Victorian literature and art has gone far beyond simple description to form it's very own sort of diction. Whether reading Victorian prose or looking at a Pre-Raphaelite painting one is drawn in and deeply affected by the arrangement and combination of it's colors. In the two of these mediums, each color is both powerful and used precisely either to represent a trait or emotion or to compliment other colors to form a greater representation of an idea. Furthermore, seeing these colors in the mind brings out any unconscious association, bias, or preconceived notion of what traits and emotions generally go along with a given color. This use of color is partially why Victorian poetry is so beautiful and compelling to the reader. It describes an onslaught of emotions without ever having to call them by name. Indeed, it can truthfully be said that Victorian literature and art speak to the reader in a language of color.
             The first point to look at when examining the Victorian use of color is the general similarity between it's art and poetry. These mediums, in fact, have gone beyond similarity and become practically interchangeable. In this way, the colors of each poem seem to paint a perfect picture in the reader's mind. Conversely, each painting seems to tell an involved story that draws the viewer in through it's use of brilliant colors and color placement. This is why so many of the poems written in this time have been painted over and over again. Tennyson's "Lady of Shalott" alone has probably been painted at least a hundred times. Members of the Pre-Rapaelite Brotherhood saw poetry and painting as sister arts. They believed strongly in the use of bright colors to evoke strong emotional responses. Victorian art and literature both clearly depend on color to bring them to life.
             The most obvious use of color association in Victorian painting and poetry is that that is used in relation to it's female ...