This document covers the poem: 'A Birthday' by Christina Rossetti. I studied this poem for my A Level, Edexcel English Literature Exam as part of the poetry module.
By constructing these summarises and notes these provided me with ideas and themes which I could for my essays and thesis. It was ...
• Misleading
• About a “birth day”
• The day in which the narrator is born into an enhanced reality because her lover comes to her
• Three syllables
• Non-specific and generalized, could be anyone's relationship
Language:
• ‘My heart’ as the focus of the stanza. Further describes the status of her ‘heart’ and adds to the
repetition, as if this is a prayer or incantation. Song-like repetition and rhythm and vivid
imagery. Fulfilled and reciprocated love.
• Reference to the ‘bird’- zoomorphism. Perhaps could represent femininity with the common
noun ‘nest’ suggest birth from the natural imagery. Rossetti begins by representing a lexical field
of objects of nature to bring them to life to indicate her love of the natural world.
• ‘water’ is an image of life, the bird sings because it is bringing forth new life from its next, which
in turn is given life by the water. Could represent the circle of life and the importance of
communication and relationships. Idea of arrival of love linking to easter and spring in the
rebirth and rejuvenation of a relationship either to her lover or to God. Rossetti refers to the
second coming of Christ as the ultimate ‘birthday’ in her work. Second coming is central to the
christen faith because it symbolises the new kingdom replacing the old earth
• Idea of new growth give's way to the idea of fulfilment in the apples of autumn, so plentiful that
they weigh down the bought of the apple trees. ‘apple’ could also suggest ideas of spring hence
adding to the idea of the birth of a new relationship. Expresses innocent and artless feelings
• Peaceful imagery as she compares her feelings to a ‘rainbow shell’ of a creature that lives in the
sea- abalone shell which is multi-coloured. Rainbows are a symbol of peace- God's promise after
the flood that he would never punish man again in such a war. His promise to Noah and
Mankind seen in the genesis Suggest of salvation could link to Rossetti's spirituality and the
Christian idea of atonement for one's sins
• Dynamic verb ‘paddles’ - childlike innocence, as if the creature is safe and secure as it moves
around its watery habitat. Repetitive nature of paddling could suggest the constant nature in
which new relationships are formed
• ‘halcyon’ is a classical name for the kingfisher, a bright blue and orange river bed. Greeks
believed the kingfisher created a floated nest on the sea in which to lay its eggs. Signalled calm
weathers. Idea of peace within their relationship. Represents the promise made from God to
mankind
• The abstract noun ‘gladder’ expresses an inexpressible joy of the narrator that cannot be
expressed through words. Represents a sense of ecstatic and relentless joy at the beginning of
this new relationship.
, • Stanza two uses Imperatives ‘raise’, ‘carve’, ‘work’- demands that people celebrate and bear
tribute to the two of them, as if to royalty, in surroundings benefitting this momentous
occasion- the start of her real life. Arrival of her beloved.
• The dynamic verb ‘raise’ suggest love and uplifting. Love is growing intensely and excited.
Moving past the domestic ideas of love and their relationship. Moes to more exotic images.
Images reflect the Victorian ideas of the medieval period as pure romantic age. Opulent imagery
suggests an intense, rich experience.
• Idea of new life being a marriage contained in the word ‘dais’ on which she wishes to be raised.
Custom to place the bride and groom on a raised platform in front of their guests, a custom
which remains today when the bridal party sits at the ‘top table’. ‘dias’ covered in expensive
fabrics; purple was a colour reserved for royalty and ‘vair’ was a fur cloak made up of the skins
of, probably, squirrels, sewn together to show an alternating pattern on the front and back of
the animal, so as to give a variated pattern. Word from Heraldry suggesting the medieval.
Description of a purple throne, Rossetti draws upon the imagery of the Temple of Jerusalem
from the Old Testament, which represents God’s presence on earth
• Imperative verb ‘hand’ suggests they idea of a relationship that she wants all to see, Occult
imagery could suggest the luxurious nature of the relationship. Signified in the ‘dias’ suggesting
the importance of human connections. Followed by the personal pronoun ‘it’ which is non-
specific'. Links to title in that it could be anyone's relationship
• Imperative verb ‘carve’ is nuanced and careful. Could suggest the immortality of an object by
carving it in. The importance of her relationship to her
• ‘dais’ made up of wood and demands that it is decorated in ‘doves’. Symbol of peace as this was
the bird that brough back the olive branch to Noach after the flood. Perhaps the persona as
found peace in her relationship
• “pomegranates”- symbol of fertility as it contains hundreds of seeds. Germination of the
relationship. Optimistic tone for the future connection between then. Pomegranates also
appear in Greek mythology, notably in the story of Demeter and Persephone of Proserpina. The
fruit is also mentioned in the Old Testament, including a reference in the Song of Solomon 4: 3.
Grapes are also foods for the gods in the mythology and have erotic connotation.
• Song of Solomon, as in ‘thou has doves eyes’ and ‘thy temples are like pomegranates’.
• ‘peacocks’ traditionally royal birds associated with the queen of the gods, hera and were served
to royalty during the medieval periods at banquets. Symbol of Christian iconography as symbols
of everlasting life. Occult imagery highlights the luxurious and precious nature of their
relationship.
• While the common noun ‘gold’ links to the idea of occult imagery by representing the luxurious
and precious nature of their relationship. Alternatively, the common noun ‘silver’ brings on a
more feminine tone. Historically silver suggests the precious and vulnerable nature of
femininity. Could highlight that the persona is vulnerable within this relationship
• “fleu-de-lys" is a heraldic symbol of royalty in both Italy and France, and is common in medieval
tapestry and manuscripts. Also stylised lily. Highlights the innocence and purity of love.
Undarkened in this time. Also, a symbol of the holy trinity that is also connected with royalty.
God and silver being precious material hence becoming symbols of spiritual wealth
• ‘Is come, my love is come to me’. End on an imperative. Develops from stanza one ‘because my
love is come to me’ suggesting the next stage that they are taking in their relationship.
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