8The author investigates the points of contact between literature, visual arts and feminist criticism by offering fresh readings of selected Romantic and Victorian poems about women and a discussion of their wide-ranging visual history - a subject which has not yet been undertaken in a book-length study. The innovative feature of the project lies in its scope and merit: extensive readings of 19th century poetry, informed by carefully chosen critical approaches, are followed by a rich overview and analysis of visual renderings of the poems in question. Together the chapters bring to light much previously unknown or undiscussed works and reappraise many well-known paintings and illustrations.