Rossetti revision
Describe the lark in shut out
" a lark has made her nest " the lark is a bird often associated with energy, hope and life. The appearance of the lark beings hope and comfort to the situation for the speaker
How is winter my secret teasing??
"Only my secret is mine and I won't tell" the language is flirtatious with and air of mystery. There's hints of playfulness and seduction "suppose there was no secret after all, but only just my fun" the speaker lures the listener in without revealing too much. The word "fun" depicts how the speaker is toying with the listener.
How does the poem shut out begin?
"The door was shut" - instead of being trapped in, the door shuts the speaker out of a place Happiness. The door symbolises temporary opening and closing. It's also selective in whom may enter and leave. There's isn't a sign of permanent closure.
What does the echo title suggest?
The title provides a key to understanding its repetitions and some of its ambiguities. It's only the echoes of the speakers voice that can be detected and remainders of the last "finished years"
What does being blind mean in the bible??
2 types of blindness. The physical lack of sight and the spiritual inability to follow gods orders. The paradise can be linked to the garden of Eden and the speakers blindness can be linked to Adam and Eve's loss of relationship with God after they commit the sin of eating the forbidden fruit.
What are the ideas of heaven in the New Testament?
A place where tears and pain are absent. It's a place of peace security and rest
Describe the rhyme scheme
Abba abba this is of the octave and the rhyme scheme of the sestet emphasises the speakers thoughts. The disruption in the expected pattern hints at the interference of thoughts which are uncomfortable.
"Apple tree whose boughs are bent with the thickest fruit"
Connotations of garden Eden and the act of sins committed by Adam and Eve
"Shady cypress tree" in song when I am dead my dearest
Cypress tress traditionally represent and symbolise mourning because cypress branches are usually carried at funerals
How is the theme of sight used in shut out?
The speaker says after being banished from viewing the garden the only luxury of experiencing it is through peering through the door. Once their "straining eyes" can no longer see through the loopholes they fall into a state of despair where the eyes are "blinded by tears"
"Silent land"
Euphuism for death.
"Thirsty, longing eyes"
Expresses the imagined need to catch a glimpse of a lerson they have missed. This is seen in Rosettis poem echo
"When you can no more hold me by the hand"
Highlights the physical separation. On the surface remember is about death. Rossetti is figuratively describing her own idea of reality, how everyone dies and that fact that we should accept it. This poem demonstrates Rosettis devotion to those around her and reflects religious and romantic themes.
What does the poem echo explore?
It explores the concept of "speaking in silence" also the lost connections between relationships
"Gone away"
It reinforces the distance between the speaker and her lover. It also emphasises the boundaries between life and death
What does the iron bars symbolises???
It suggests confinement and hardness and permanence. Comparing iron to wood, well iron is hard to break.
How is summer presented in winter my secret"???
It's described as a "languid time" she says that summer has the tendency to give into laziness, she believes that out of all the seasons this seasons is the one that's most likely to reveal her secret without the need for a "veil or cloak"
What is the tones of Echo?
Longing. Longing is expressed through the repeated call to the beloved and language that links to desire. The speakers greatest concern is the "thirsty longing eyes"
How is the seasons of Spring presented in winter my secret
The speakers describes this seasons as an "expansive time" in terms of the blossoming nayure and the new spirng of life. However the speaker voices her distrust in this seaons as she reconfnises the temporsry short lived nature of the spring. She realises she cant rely on it.
What does the garden represent
Nature reflects a sense of fragility and highlights how precious human existence is. Also unlike earthly nature, Mother Nature has more permanence and isn't subject to decay.
How is desire presented in winter my secret?
Rossetti promotes the power of the female mind. The speaker takes ownership of her secret and never reveals what is "nipping" and "biting" this could be reinterpreted as society aggressively attempting to expose the truth by revealing that speaker has a secret, is causes the public desire to chip away at her thoughts. Another interpretation of this poem seems to portray a woman's sensual urge to protect her secret passions. This causes the speakers desire for a private interior space from society. Rossetti operates the words in her poem as a barrier to the mind. This could metaphorically represent that no matter how enclosed women's minds are they will always have a creative mental space. The poem portrays the idea Victorian women desired a private place of their own where they could have imaginative freedom from their contained lives.
"Remember"
Runs like are refrain throughout the sonnet. The power of repetitions seems to decrease through the poem as if it was the voice or the memory of the speaker fading away.
How is the language sensual in winter my secret
The language in this dramatic monologue suggests how the speaker is guarding kiss and tell gossip. "Peck" "biting" these verbs have connotations of intimacy and violence.
How is the season of winter presented in Winter my secret:
The poem presents winter as a dangerous season. And to avoid the biting winds the speaker must wrapped herself securely In a "shawl / a veil, cloak" otherwise the poet suggests that the winds and snow has the potential to freeze the life out of her.
"Dreaming of a twilight that doth not rise or set"
Speaker is talking of a place to rest where the sun does not set or rise. There's also a biblical relation of the New Testament. Twilight is half moon and half sun
The entire poem consists of 2 Stanzas and of 2 varying significance
Stanza 1 deals with the world of living whereas stanza 2 is the speakers experience in the grave. The idea of the poem is trying to convey a realistic idea of death. The Poem also suggests no one can escape the torturous grip of death. This reflects a melancholic and inflicted heart of the speaker.
General message that can be taken away from song when I am dead my dearest?
The poet is giving more importance to life rather than the death ritual. Many people neglect their loved ones when they are alive but show their grief by spending a lot of money and time when they are dead. The poet is against this mourning and death ritual
"Brimful of love" describe ?
The souls in paradise are "brimful with love" this can be seen as water overflowing. Rossetti is drawing on the words jesus spoke to the smaritans
Silence: "hear the nightingale sing on as if in pain"
The speaker claims once they are dead they will no longer hear the nightingales sing on as if in pain. The nightingale is a common symbol in romantic poetry. Association of the nightingale and Pain Rossetti is hinting at the fact that one must not dismiss the idea or deny that the natural world is a place of pure joy. Nightingales are also symbols of beauty, immortality and freedom from the worlds troubles.
What does the door symbolise in echo?
The speaker imagines that "in paradise" all eyes are fixed on the "slow door" opening and letting in souls. This hints at the potential reunion of the lovers. In other Rossetti devotional poems she's uses doors to represent the entrance to heaven.
What is the biblical idea of rainbows?
That they refer to the fulfilment of gods promises. When God helped Noah to escape the flood from which wiped out known world he sent a rainbow in the sky as a promise that an event like that would never occur again
Describe the Volta in remember
The Volta is the speakers change in tone. Turning from the instruction to remember the speaker suddenly chooses to accept that they may be forgotten and declares that it would be far better to forget the speaker and be happy.
How is water presented in the poem echo?
The brightness of the lovers eyes " as bright as sunlight on a stream" suggest tranquility and peace. The speaker asks the lover to come back to them in "tears" because tears show sorrow and are a heart felt emotion.
"No roses"
The speaker requests the lover plants no roses on their grave. By declaring that they don't need these things the speaker reassures the lover that they won't be jealous or resentful if the lover continues living their life.
How is the theme of identity presented in the Poem winter my secret
The use of personal pronouns "my " and "I" points to the speakers sense of individual identity. The constant use of "I" shows how nothing can break through and disturb the speakers concealed interior.
Describe the tone of remember
The voice of the speaker is controlled but increasingly indefinite. The poet reveals and conceals the meaning. The connection between the speaker and lover has changed from audible advice to vestiges of memory.
"Took mortar and stone to build a wall"
The wall blocks the vision to see the garden and appear as a more permanent barrier. The purpose of the wall is to cut the speaker off their old home forever
Describe the contrast between the souls "brimful with love" and the "thirsty longing eyes"
There's a sense of anticipation for the speaker. Also the idea of how exhausting and physically draining the waiting process can be. The physical thirst makes a person long desperately for some refreshment. Echo suggests that emotional deprivation can be equally powerful and painful
What kind of flowers are mentioned in shut out???
Violets. The Victorian symbolism for violets is faithfulness and delicate love but Rossetti uses violets to talk of death. The end of the poem shows the speaker in a state of depression upon a violet bed
Rainbow
With Rossetti speaking of her heart as a "rainbow shell/ that paddles in a halcyon sea" the speaker provides and image of exuberant colours drifting at ease in tranquil waters.
