A collection of summaries including key quotations, critical interpretations, context and links with another text (Duchess of Malfi) for the collection of poetry by Christina Rossetti
, What happens/ what is the poem Poem: Birthday Key Quotations
about? Context “My heart is gladder than all t
Tractarianism movement and my love is come to me”
The speaker appears to be celebrating a Rossetti’s involvement. Officially “Raise me a dais of silk and do
significant event and is overcome with joy joined in 1840 “My heart is like a rainbow sh
Rossetti’s religion paddles in a halcyon sea”
In her late teens, Rossetti became
attracted to developing the Anglo-
Catholic movement in the church
of England
Her poetic style being inspired by
Malfi and other poems links
the hymn repertoire of the Church
The joy the Duchess experienced when
of England
she married Antonio. Joy coming from
love Themes and Idea
Critical Interpretations Joy
Contrast to Malfi. Here, an intense, Some suggest that this poem is
positive emotion is presented but in Celebration
about Rossetti’s love for God and is Devotion
Malfi, the intense emotions are more a devotional poem. However, other
often than not negative Nature
suggest that the poem is not Romantic love
Maude Clare- Idea of romantic love religious at all and is instead about
How religion in Duchess in Malfi the beauty of the natural world
contrasts to religion here
, What happens/ what is the poem about? Poem: Echo Key Quotations
Context “Come to me in the silence of
The speaker is calling out to a lost loved Rossetti’s religious beliefs “Whose wakening should hav
Rossetti’s personal life, for example loosing
one, presumably dead due to the paradise”
her father
allusions to heaven, asking them to come Rossetti’s views on the afterlife “thirsting longing eyes”
back so she can remember their times Biblical allusions “come to me in dreams, that I
together In 1873, her brother attempted suicide very life again though cold in d
several times
In her later years, she was increasingly
haunted by death: her sister in 1876, her
brother in 1882 and her mother in 1886
Poem likely being inspired by the Greek myth
of Echo and Narcissus, a fable which explores
Malfi and other poems links a woman punished for the vanity of a man
The Duchess’ response to her
separation from Antonio and how she Themes and Idea
longs to see him again Critical Interpretations Death
The despair the Duchess faces after C.M Bowra- “Christina is obsessed
Afterlife
believing Antonio has died with thoughts of death” Despair/ resignation
Song and Remember: The afterlife and Religion
death and religious views on these Love
Longing
Separation
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