rossetti poem quotes

Context:

·      home-schooled –patriarchal society didn’t allow girls to go to school-stayed at home and fulfilled stereotypical roles, more opportunities for boys, Sunday schools for poor

·      Parents originated in Italy -father was an Italian professor, poet, painter and illustrator but due to his failed eyesight he had to retire 

·      After she died Italian exiles visited her home 

·      Misogynistic society with distinctive norms and values 

·      Hardly any feminist movements around 

·      Monogamous nuclear family was the norm 

·      Youngest of 4 siblings 

·      Known for ballads 

·      Victorians would have been against her strength and assertiveness 

·      Wrote romantic, religious and children’s poetry 

·      symbolism and intense feelings

·      seen as a godly woman 

·      included in pre-Raphaelite anthologies 

·      religious – Anglican church

·      Dante became addicted to Chloral hydrate and his wife Elizabeth overdosed on laudanum as she was depressed after giving birth to a stillborn child- Victorian society would view her as useless. 

·      Diagnosed religious mania – increased religious activity been devoted to it

·      Fell in love but turned down both suitors due to religion

·      Devoted 10 years as a volunteer at St. Mary’s penitentiary for prostitutes(humanitarian work) and unmarried women in Highgate as these women were stigmatised in Victorian society- shows her support of women as she is helping them strive for equality. St. Mary Magdalene "house of charity" in Highgate, a refuge for former prostitutes and it is suggested Goblin Market may have been inspired by the "fallen women" she came to know. at Highgate, Rossetti was known as “Sister Christina” and wore a habit like black uniform with a veil. Influenced poems such as cousin Kate

·      Her poems often have religious themes of temptation, sin and redemption by vicarious suffering e.g. goblin market 

·      no children –loved children, uses genre of children’s verses to reveal her innermost feelings this is because in Victorian society children’s education was dominated by male writers- she tries to breakdown stereotypes . Her mother’s maternal love made her want children. People found it weird that even though it was writing for children it had involved death.

·      Her attitude towards social outcast is significant as she encourages 

acceptance than judgement 

·      convicted women transgressed sexually could be redeemed

·      She valued children’s point of view

·      She’s a utilitarian poet (Ruskin approach) which wilde is the opposite of as he focuses on individualism-nihilistic writer (pater approach-art for art’s sake)- poems have utilitarian quality: either moralistic e.g. right behaviours of people and criticising misconduct to make society a better place, or devotional, praising god and advocation His love. These seems to be in opposition of Pre-Raphaelites idea of “Art for Art’s sake”

·      Older brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti – famous Pre-Raphaelite painter and poet who influenced her 

·      her religious temperament was closer to her mother's

·      inherited…