How does Williams create a sense of tension and drama for the audience in this extract (scene 4 – Blanche’s monologue)? You should analyse language closely and the way it is crafted to create effects. (30 marks).

The tension and drama is built up throughout scene 4 until the climax of Blanche’s monologue. However, the audience is already tense when the scene starts because scene 4 smoothly runs on from scene 3 where there was a lot of turbulence and violence between the characters. There is a plethora of emotions from the characters during the violent moments between Stanley and Stella, which leave the audience with tension into the following scene.
From the start of the scene there is “confusion” with the cries in the street like a “choral chant,” which signifies that this scene will be as equally as dramatic as the last.

Williams creates tension and drama before, during and after Blanche’s monologue. Before she starts to speak, there is dramatic irony as the audience knows that Stanley will “overhear[s] their following conversation”, however both Stella and Blanche assume they are alone. This means that Blanche would not hold back, as she presumes that Stanley would never hear what she has to say about him. This can only lead to an even more negative relationship between Stanley and Blanche, resulting in a never-ending conflict and hatred. This is very dramatic and tense because the audience knows that Stanley will lose control and perhaps get as violent as he did beforehand with Stella. Also, there is the loud sound of a train passing by – a perpetual metaphor used by Williams to imply that something bad is about to happen. We hear it when Stanley is outside, “unseen to the women,” which furthers the audience’s knowledge that something immoral will happen. The audience is already aware of the metaphorical noises or motifs – as the ‘blue piano’ and ‘varsouviana polka’ play when emotions or tensions are about to change/have changed.

The language used in Blanche’s monologue shows the audience her true feelings for Stanley with her use of similes, hedging and exclamatory sentences. Williams creates a dramatic atmosphere throughout her monologue because we (the audience) know that this is effectively the last straw for Blanche according to Stanley in their relationship. She compares Stanley to an animal, where she insists he “eats,” “moves,” and “talks” like one. Stanley does have animalistic behaviours that blanche mentions; where he ”bear[s] the raw meat home” then throws it at his wife, Stella. She takes it even further where she states that he is a “survivor of the stone age,” and is “sub-human.” This creates a dramatic air because these comparative insults are very demeaning and offensive. Blanche also repeats what she says in the form of hedging to build up the tension, leaving Stella and the audience eager to hear what she says next. Examples of this are: “And you – you here - waiting for him!” and “Stella – my sister there has been…”                                                                                                                                                                       Williams has Blanche use exclamatory sentences which in turn makes the monologue very dramatic; with the examples of “…kiss you!” “God!” and “Don’t – don’t hand back with the brutes!” The exclamation marks and italics get the idea across to the reader that Blanche is angry and isn’t holding back.

The train passes again after she has finished her monologue which indicates that what Blanche has just said will end in consequences, because we already know that the train is a negative metaphor. Stanley “hesitates” and licks his lips, suggesting that he is waiting to decide how to confront the women. Licking of his lips could infer that he is hungry – perhaps hungry for the kill of his sister-in-law, as Blanche suggests in her monologue by saying “Bearing the raw meat home from the kill in the jungle!” After, Stanley seems calm, and repeatedly “grins” at Blanche – this gives me the idea that he is still processing what she has said and is acting like he didn’t hear her, which gives him time to plot revenge or put time into what he has to say. It then seems tense between Stella and Blanche, as Stella clearly disagrees with Stella by showing her affection for Stanley by “fiercely” hugging him in “full view of Blanche.” This gives the idea that what Blanche has said has somewhat offended Stella, and her opinion does not change her love for him. This is dramatic because now two sisters have been pulled apart, leaving the audience awaiting the stage of the play where Stella and Stanley will be fighting with Blanche.

Overall, Blanche’s monologue is tense due to the language used by her, as we know that it will provoke a negative response from Stanley, who is listening in the conversation unbeknown to the women.  With the audience knowing but the women not, there is dramatic irony which makes the scene very tense to us. Also, the actions of the characters, such as Stella acting ”[coldly]” leads us to the idea that Blanche stands on her own when it comes to her opinion meaning that in the coming scenes she will fighting her own corner with no help from Stella (and obviously Stanley.)

Tragedy

In its pure from a character from a high social position (King) falls due to their fatal flaw, where the end result is death (catharsis).

Blanche's fatal flaw could be her constant need/desire for attention which ultimately leads to her bieng taken away. Even her sister doesn't give her the attention she needs, but instead sends her away.

John Mcrae's lectures on ASND

Scene 3

• The poker games represents masculinity, violence and is exclusive to the males. The male rivalry is very relevant.
• Steve's joke is about sex, where the rooster gives up the pursuit of sex in exchange for the corn. that is being thrown on the ground. It is about priority of sex, over food or money.
• The n-word is used without them thinking about it. It means nothing to them.
• The first encounter between Mitch and Blanche is about physical needs (bathroom scene). 
• Mitch represents stability/reliability, and he is often interpreted as being gay as he lives with his mother - yet this is not true. The only gay character is Alan, Blanche's husband who shot himself.
• Mitch's tragedy is that he will be disappointed by what Blanche tells him (she is married?).
• Echoes with 'Gone with the Wind,' as Vivien Leigh also plays the heroine of this film. 
• This scene explodes with violence - there is a clash between masculine egos and values. Stella and Stanley's relationship is a whole other language that Blanche doesn't understand - she doesn't get why Stella returns to Stanley after he beat her. Blanche's world is of "gallantry" whereas in Stella and Stanley's world it is "violence."

Scene 4

• This scene runs on from scene 3 as is the following morning where there is still confusion, shown by a "choral chant." It shows that 'life goes on.'
• Blanche's tragedy is one of unfulfilled desire, where Mitch becomes the emblem of unfulfilled desire. Desire is the key.
• Blanche doesn't give up hope for Shep Huntley. Although he could be fantasy character, is he really real? She refers to him when she is in need, showing that he could be an escape route. 
• Blanche gives the lesson that when a man is more 'animal,' the only thing to do would be go to bed with him as she suggests to Stella. She refers to Stella going to bed with Stanley as her "job," which is a strange word to use as it is as if she is getting paid for it.
• Blanche admires the new animal vitality of the New American Polak male. She calls Stanley a "survivor of the Stone Age," which she conflates with the modernism. This is to do with acceptance; where Stella has found her role yet Blanche has never found someone to have this role with. This will come to destroy her in the coming scenes.
• The sound of the trains is a sexual symbol again.
• The word 'flag' is important because the Confederate flag is still flown in some Southern states of the USA.
• The idea of "tenderer feelings" is permitted. Stanley's feelings come out as animal feelings.

The Film 'ASND'

The film changes the text because it is much less explicit - there is no obvious sexual scenes or violence as it was in the play. Vivien Leigh acts as Blache DuBois, and this character appears through a cloud of smoke which creates mystery. A key motif for Blanche is smoke and mirrors.
When Stanley first appears there is no throwing of the meat which would have been considered yoo animalistic. They've made him seem like a proper Hollywood star - attractive and not portrayed in a violent way in the opening of the film. Stella is put across as a household slave - she is relying on Stanley for money and is asked by Blanche to go and get her a drink.

A Critical View of ASND

‘Old South versus New America – A Streetcar Named Desire’ by Gabi Reigh, September 2015
The title refers to the conflict and “power struggle” between Stanley and Blanche, where their cultures clash: Stanley is the ‘New America’ and Blanche is the ‘Old South.’


Reigh comments on the difference between Stanley and Blanche, which roots from their separate identities. The dissimilarity between these two characters has been shown by Tennessee Williams’ through costume, but more importantly as a reflection of the American Civil War (1961-1965). Agreeing with Reigh, Thomas Porter describes ‘ASND’‘s plot “[as] an inverted version of the Civil War romance”. As Blanche symbolises the Old South, a place which fought against Lincoln’s advocate to end slavery, she comes into the New America viewed as an invader.

Stanley’s clothes contrast greatly with Blanche’s elegant attire of “pearls” and a “white suit” as he wears his “blue denim work clothes.” Williams’ use of costume shows the social background difference from the very beginning of the play, as Blanche looked as if she had wealth and privilege, whereas Stanley was just a working man. The values of the two characters are also identified where Blanche believes Belle Reve was a much more civilised World than New Orleans.

The "triumph of the New American" supposedly began in the second scene of the play, where Stanley was described as having "big, capable hands." Stanley has been described as being more powerful and seemingly aggressive, as this is a stereotype of the New America compared to the Old South, where they are described as being more "dainty."

Key Quotes

• During the rape scene which forms the dramatic climax of the play, the defeat of the values and culture that Blanche stands for is again symbolically portrayed through costume as Blanche’s glamorous clothes have been replaced by a ‘soiled and crumpled white satin evening gown’, foreshadowing her final humiliation by Stanley, triumphant in his ‘brilliant pyjama coat’.
• As an English teacher, Blanche is a staunch defender of the values of ‘art, and poetry, and music’ which she urges Stella to ‘cling to as [the] flag’ of a more civilised world which is quickly being engulfed by the ‘dark march’ of a philistine modern America.
• The decline of Blanche during the course of the play mirrors the crisis of the Old South after its defeat in the Civil War. Blanche, like other characters of the Southern Gothic, is mentally unstable and increasingly marginalised in a rapidly changing world.
• Stanley’s power and vivacity is highlighted as he is described as the ‘gaudy seedbearer’, whose ‘animal joy’ and ‘drive’ even make Blanche concede to Stella that he’s what we’ve got to mix with our blood now that we’ve lost Belle Reve and have to go on without Belle Reve to protect us.
• Blanche becomes increasingly marginalised in Stanley’s ‘territory’ at Elysian Fields, and her frequent retreats to the bathroom testify to her isolation and alienation in a household where she is not welcome.

By using the essay's viewpoint I have compared it to my own reading of the play. Having read the articlae, I can relate to and understand Reigh's viewpoint of Blanche and Stanley being contrasting. However, I don't believe that Williams' intention was the use them as representatives of the two sides of the American Civil War.

Key Quotes for Characters in ASND

Stanley:
"You remember the way it was? Them nights we had together?"
"Open your eyes to this stuff!"
"The Kowalskis and DuBois have different notions."
"STELLL-AHHHHH!"
"I've got th' dope on your big sister, Stella."
"She's not stayin' here after Tuesday."
"Don't ever talk that way to me!"
"Maybe you wouldn't be bad to - interfer with..."
"Tiger-tiger!"

Stella:
"You never did give me a chance to say much, Blanche."
"Stan. we've lost - Belle Reve!"
"When men are drinking and playing poker anything can happen."
"I have told you i love him."
"What - contemptible - lies!"
"I don't know if I did the right thing."
"What have I done to my sister?"

Blanche:
"I've got to keep a hold of myself!"
"Not with my nerves tonight!"
"I haven't put on one ounce in ten years"
"I was fishing for a compliment, Stanley."
"He's common!"
"I'm writing a letter to Shep."
"Let's leave the lights off. Shall we?"
"Then marry me, Mitch!"
"So I could twist the broken end in your face!"
"I have always depended on the kindness of strangers."

Key Quotes and Notes for ASND

• A 'Southern Belle' is a young woman of beauty and elegance who is from or is living in the Deep South of American and is commonly of upper socioeconomic class. Blanche DuBois is considered a Southern Belle, and so was Williams' mother.
• New Orleans is a large port city in the state of Louisiana, which straddles the Mississippi river. In relation to the book, New Orleans has 4 streetcar lines, and is considered by Blanche to represent the ugliness of reality.
• During the 19th century, many people emigrated to the U.S.A to live the freedom and experience the American Dream.
• Williams' other plays include, 'The Glass Menagerie,' 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,' 'Suddenly, Last Summer,' 'Orpheus Descending,' and 'The Rose Tattoo.'
• Williams was considered one of the most foremost of American playwrights in America during the 19th century. He considered himself homosexual, although never revealed his sexuality to his parents. His father was thought to be violent, and possibly a drunkard which is similar to Stanley in ASND. He was close to his sister Rose, who was schizophrenic and later was compelled to have a lobotomy, which ended with disastrous results, meaning she was institutionalised for the rest of her life.
• The poker players wearing vivid coloured shirts shows clashing and an alpha male struggle. Even Van Gogh's 'billiard parlour' is mentioned which is violently colourful. The alcohol is also prominent from the start with, "whiskey bottles" (plural). Stanley's language is controlling as he barks his orders and has drunken acions - from the start there is foreshadowing of violent events to come.

Maude Clare

The poems shows an arranged marriage where the groom and his true love are split apart. HE and Nell are to be married, yet Maude Clare is still in love with him and will not stop. They could not marry one another because he is of a higher status than Maude Clare - at this time period married couples must have been of the same status.
Rossetti characterises the character of Maude Clare as 'fair' in the line "I wash my hands thereof," as she is accepting that she must get over her love for the Lord as he is marrying someone else. Washing her hands of him implies that she getting rid of any trace of him from herself, and handing him over to his bride, Nell.
Rossetti uses a range of techniques to emphasis details about the time period and society, but also about the characters. The characters are shown throughout the poem through the use of dialogue and how it's ordered, but also description from narration. During this time period, arranged marriage was mainly joining of the upper classes, which Rossetti shows as tragic, as then Maude Clare and the Lord cannot be together.
The alternating rhyming style (abab) shows emphasis, particularly with the two rhyming words "Nell," and "tell." These words come from speech of the Lady Mother, and is perhaps underlying that the Lord should tell Nell of the love he has for Maude Clare. Rossetti shows that love has no barriers, and the two will continue to be in love despite the unfortunate arranged marriage which was only put in place to keep the order of social status. An oxymoron is actually used when similes are used to describe the differences between Maude Clare and Nell. Maude Clare, a woman of lower class is "like a Queen," whereas Nell who has a higher status is "like a village maid." The oxymoron shows that despite the social status, it just matters how the Lord sees them - what counts is on the inside. However, the Lord is used to simply symbolise the high class, rather than be used as a character. This shows that Rossetti believes the Lord (and others who take advantage of being in the upper class) has/have an arrogance so deep that it takes over his/their personality. This can be extended by the fact that he has only 3 lines throughout the poem, which could be because Rossetti feels the need to belittle men at this time in her life.

A Summary of 'Goblin Market'

Potentially Rossetti’s most famous poem, ‘Goblin Market’ is a narrative which is can be comparable to her life in the Victoria era; where the sisters Lizzie and Laura represent social constructs. These young girls are innocent and pure yet are threatened by the horrors of “goblin men” who torment the sisters into buying their “orchard fruits,” which scar the girls for the rest of their lives.


At first hearing the goblin cries from their house, Laura is intrigued and eventually enticed by the goblins to give over her “golden curls” in exchange for the delicious, magical fruit.“Curious Laura [‘s]” temptation of the “Bloom-down-cheek’d peaches” and “crab-apples” opposes Lizzie’s wariness, shown where she “shut eyes and ran” from the goblin merchants. Lizzie warned Laura by reminding her of the fate of their friend, Jeanie, who ate the goblin fruit, wasted away and died. However Lizzie’s warning was ignored, so gives Laura terrible consequences by the near end of the poem.

The enchanted fruit is addictive, leaving Laura pining for it ever since she has her first bite, just like Jeanie. Laura’s “passionate yearning” leads her to become entranced into a “sullen silence of exceeding pain” as she attempts to ignore the goblins’ cries for her to buy more fruit. Herself and Lizzie were together by twilight, "like two pigeons in one nest," where they are protection to each other from the addiction of goblin fruit. The next morning the goblins cry yet again, and the temptation for Laura is unbearable, however Lizzie tries her best to guard her from the evil, by saying “you should not loiter” and “come with me home.” Laura became lonely and no longer cared for herself or the house, as now it was Lizzie’s job to go along the glen, as Laura could not go as she couldn’t resist the temptation of the goblin cries. However Laura is concerned that her sister had to listen to the bewitching goblin cries alone, so she turns as “cold as stone” thinking of this.  Eventually the desperation for the magical fruit leaves Laura to turn grey, and wither away in a state of desperation and sorrow. Lizzie wanted to bring home some of the fruit to comfort her sister, but feared the price to pay would be "too dear."


In desperation Lizzie searches for the goblins to give her fruit for her dying sister; yet she rejects their offer to “rest with them.” This leads to violence upon poor Lizzie who is beaten by the goblins, by being “Claw’d with their nails,” and have them “squeez[e] their fruits against her mouth.” This violence can be seen as an extended metaphor for rape and sexual assault upon Lizzie.

Trudging home from the attack, she calls for Laura and wishes for her to “hug [her], kiss [her]” and just generally give her sisterly affection in order to replace the forced sexual affection from the goblins. Laura worries that Lizzie's life is now "goblin-ridden," so kisses her with a "hungry mouth" in order to show her love for her. Strangely, Laura's lips begin to scorch as "fire spreads" through her veins and heart, causing a frenzy within her body. She falls, leaving the reader to wonder "is it life or death?" Miraculously, Lizzie becomes 'human' again, as her locks have not "one thread of grey," and her eyes "dance[d]" once more.

Criticism of Rossetti

Christina Rossetti's poems are all together ambiguous, so are open to many different interpretations. Although on the whole her poems are widely and positively received, inevitably there are still critical viewpoints.

The critic Jan Marsh believes Rossetti is ambivalent towards the position of women during the Victorian era – this is demonstrated in ‘Goblin Market’ where Rossetti implies a feminist viewpoint, yet in real life she was against the movement of the Suffragettes.Rossetti was greatly opposed the sexual exploitation of young girls, which can be depicted in ‘Goblin Market’ where the men are portrayed as yearning, nasty goblins attempting to seduce the young girls into sex. The girls give over a lock of their hair, which can be metaphorically transcribed as virginity, showing Rossetti’s clear dislike for women being forced by some cruel men into handing over their precious virginity so young.

I believe Marsh’s opinion is partially skewed, because I don’t believe Rossetti was ambivalent in the way of her feminist views. She does demonstrate in many of her poems that she is a strong supportive of women even if they have succumbed to the desire of premarital sex. Specifically in ‘Goblin Market’ she tells us “there is no friend like a sister” even if they have fallen in the eyes of a judgmental society. So, I do not believe that Rossetti was a fickle feminist, because it was also demonstrated in the reality of her life where she volunteered at High Penitentiary for Fallen Women for numerous years.

Ray Cluley explains how Christina Rossetti’s narrative poem for children conceals a morality tale for female sexuality. On the whole, I agree that ‘Goblin Market’ is a metaphor for pressurisation into sex, yet on some part I disagree with Cluley. I agree with Cluley in the way that the poem can have the interpretation of sex, virginity and the pressures on young girls, because there are many obvious metaphors for sexuality, “she sucked until her lips were sore,” “her pitcher dripping all the way,” and “hug me, kiss me, suck my juices,” for example. These can clearly be taken as crude metaphors for arousal and sexual intimacies.
However I disagree with the outlook of Cluley where all men have been “excused” by Rossetti. Rossetti differentiates the goblins from men with, “men sell not such in any town” and “troop’d the goblin,” but I still believe Rossetti’s intention was to label some men as goblins who coerce women into sex. The use of separate descriptions of men and goblins leads me to be certain that she is simply separating the ‘good’ and ‘evil’ men. She even describes the goblins as “little men,” and the “merchant man” which I think shows she is implying the goblins are the men who are sexually pressurising to girls and women. 

Rossetti's Presentation of Nature

Christina Rossetti uses imagery, description and comparisons of nature as a way to express her romantic desires along with her religious opinions and ideologies. Rossetti desires a life full of intense love which is a prevalent theme across her poems, although this is translated through nature. Nature is presented across a plethora of Rossetti’s poems such as ‘Song,’ ‘A Birthday,’ ‘Shut Out,’ ‘A Summer Wish’ and ‘Paradise: In a Dream.’

Rossetti also uses the strategy of coupling to imply a positive meaning, which is inferred in ‘Song.’ However when a singular object is referred to, it is often has underlying negative connotations.   “Two doves,” “Two lilies,” and “Two butterflies” are all resting upon a singular “branch,” “stem,” or “flower,” which means the positive of the two creatures cancels out the negative of the one. So in this sense, Rossetti presents nature in a way which seems to have a blatant meaning, yet has underlying messages to alter the poem.  Opposing this idea is the “Tree of Life” in ‘Paradise: In a dream,’ which is singular yet is representative of God. 

Rossetti commonly uses metaphors in her poems to present nature in a religious way, and sometimes to symbolise Christ. She refers to Christ in ‘Paradise: In a Dream,’ where she speaks of “The Tree of Life,” which is historically known as the medieval image for Christ’s crucifixion. Her referral to this makes us see her strong belief in Christ, as “The Tree of Life” is a metaphor for Him: where all life begins, surviving through millenniums, but is also forever growing and providing for all living organisms. This metaphor is her way of stating Jesus Christ‘s presence is continuous, and always fertile for those in need. Religion within this poem is constant, as “twelvefold fruits” is a reference to Jesus’s twelve disciples which spiritually feed the world with religion. The structure of this stanza shows the importance of Him to Rossetti, as the beginning of the stanza differs from the others which use senses to describe the beauty of nature, with “I saw,” “I heard,” and “I hope.” However by beginning the stanza straight away with “The Tree of Life,” shows how Christ always comes first and foremost in her life.

In many ways within her poems Rossetti fuels her desire for a romantic life through her love for God. This is specific in ‘A Birthday,’ where she compares her love for God to the beauty of nature which even then is not perfect enough to explain her adoration for Him. The uniqueness, magical qualities and abundant fertility of “a halcyon sea,” “a rainbow shell,” and “pomegranates” are not enough to describe how her heart feels – she cannot use words to illuminate how she feels.  In this sense, nature is not comparable to God. However her heart is ready, found within the line “My heart is like an apple-tree… boughs are bent with thickset fruit,” where the thickset, ripe fruit shows that her heart is reading for plucking by “[her] love.” Her love can either refer to God or to an erotic lover, and either is acceptable to her because she is voicing these opinions to Christ who is accepting of her love in any form.

Nature is used differently in ‘Shut Out’ where the speaker’s garden can be symbolic of many things: femininity, peace of mind, imagination, the class system, changes through growing up, the Garden of Eden and patriarchy. With the speaker being trapped from something which was once theirs, but is now unreachable and will never be theirs again; it is relatable to many aspects of Rossetti’s life. An example of this is her injustice as a woman in Victorian times – she was not allowed the same rights and luxuries as a man. In this sense the garden would be a representation of what men could have but she could not have. There can be many interpretations because Rossetti’s poetry uses detail in description of her metaphors as opposed to detail in the meaning of her poems. She proves the beauty of her garden by using harsh contrasts to the “iron bars” of the prison-like room where she is trapped. The strong, man-made metal is considered an opposite to the garden which is “pied with all flowers.” The nature descriptions and harmony of rhythm emphasises the fixed beauty of the garden; this is obvious with the alliteration of “bough to bough” and “flower to flower.”

Rossetti's use of Death

The two poems manage to capture Rossetti’s views on death and the after-life, both of which became an obsessive fascination during the Victorian era. However, she rejected the opinions of people where they believed in rituals which were not unusual for this time period: locks of hair cut from the dead being arranged and worn in lockets, or elaborate hearses at funerals, replete with black horses, ostrich feathers and flowers. Instead it was her religious beliefs that influenced her opinions, which can be seen in both poems, especially in Remember, where she seems to be unafraid of death because she believes there is an after-life where she will visit those she once knew.

'Song' is about life after death, focusing especially on how people should not stop living their lives just because a loved one has stop living their own. The death of a loved one usually means that the living friends and family’s worlds temporarily stop spinning due to the loss, but in this poem the speaker explicitly says that the dead cannot feel the bad, therefore we should not feel so much sorrow. In the poem, Rossetti uses imperatives and commanding phrases to plead with the person she is addressing. She begs for no clichés or stereotypically feminine respects to be given to her when she dies, as stated in the line, “Plant thou no roses at my head.” She also wishes for no “Sad songs” to be sung for her (implying the hymns at a classic church funeral) because she would much prefer for the grieving to be happy, never minding whether they have forgotten or remembered her. Insisting the person to “be the green grass above” infers that she wishes for them to be the closest thing to her, as well as a forever growing piece of nature. Pleading for them to be the green grass shows she wants them to be ordinary, nothing elaborate, just the same as before she died. Therefore, she does not want her death to affect the people she is leaving behind. As an alternative of viewing death as the end, to her it is thought of as the next adventure, which can be seen where she describes death as “gone away.”Similarly in the poem ‘Remember,’ Rossetti wishes the person she is leaving behind to be happy rather than to be depressed over her death. This is clearly shown in the line, “better by far you should forget smile.” 

An example that perfectly reflects the iambic trimeter in 'Song' is the line, “I shall not feel the rain;” which gives the impact on the most important words.  This line means that when someone is dead, the rain, or effectively any bad prospects of being alive on Earth, cannot impact the dead, so there is no reason for the living to pity the dead in any sense. However, a line that doesn’t fit the pattern is, “I shall not hear the nightingale.

Context of Christina Rossetti

Christina Rossetti

Life:

• Born to Gabriele Rossetti, an Italian poet and political exile, and Frances Polidori, in London.           
• She had two brothers and a sister: Dante became an influential artist and poet, and William and Maria both became writers.
• In the later decades of her life, Rossetti suffered from Graves’ disease, diagnosed in 1872 suffering a nearly fatal attack in the early 1870's.
• Her brother, Dante and William were a part of the radical Pre-Raphaelite group which she was later a central poet of.

Education:

• Rossetti was educated at home by her mother, who had her study religious works, classics, fairy tales and novels. This was because women of her time were not give the same education opportunities as men were.
• She was influenced greatly in her poetry by the work she was educated with, such as Keats, Scott, Ann Radcliffe and Matthew Lewis.

Religious views:

• Rossetti was at the centre of the Pre-Raphaelite movement in the mid-to-late Victorian period, a radical group which challenged conventions about art in many ways.
• She became devoted, along with her sister Maria and their mother Frances, to High Anglicanism which became a large part of their lives.
• However, sometime around 1857 Rossetti had a major religious crisis.  Sticking to her Christian ways, she never judged women who were sexually exploited in prostitution, but instead aimed to help them. 

Role of women in the 19^th century:

• They lived in separate spheres to men, only deemed relevant for marriage, bearing children and housework. 
• Free time for women was not supposed to be spent socializing but doing other things related to the maintenance of the family.
• Women were also entirely shut out of political activity, and as a result could not vote.

Her views on the role of women:

• She argued for female representation in Parliament and spoke out against the sexual exploitation of women in prostitution.                                                    

“It’s a weary life, it is; she said:        

    Doubly blank in a woman’s lot:                    

    I wish and I wish I were a man                       

        Or, better than any being, were not:”     

        - From the Antique.

• She refused to support women's suffrage. She refuses on the grounds of the patriarchal [207/208] doctrines, values, and hierarchy of Christian orthodoxy.

Publication:

• She used the pen name ‘Ellen Alleyne’ to express views that weren’t necessarily hers.
• Her public career was short as she only published to: Athenaeum when she was 18; and the literary magazine, The Germ, published by the Pre-Raphaelites.
• She did not publish so publicly because women in her time were cone med for sharing their challenging opinions. This is why she often used a pen name when publishing publicly.
• As a result, most of her work was published after she was dead, in the 20^th century.

Identity in the poem, 'I Come From,' by Robert Seatter

I Come From by Robert Seatter

This poem illustrates a number of devices that can be used in poetry to explore the poet's, or the speaker's, identity.

Constant use of the word "I'' shows that the poem is centred on Seatter, his childhood memories, his past and more importantly, his identity. By using ''I come from,'' it is clear Seatter is publishing his identity by writing about the depths of his origins, and where he has come from in comparison to where he is today.

A stream of consciousness is evidently used (which is specific to Seatter) as the structure is loose, with only one large stanza in the form of free verse. To further this point, the structure could be like this to show he has an infinite amount of memories from his past that he wishes to share in this poem. Examples of the specificity to Seatter, the speaker, are the lines no-one can completely relate to: his "Shropshire grandma," "Chambers Etymological Dictionary," or his "rats behind the garage." However some structure is created with the repetitive, "I come from," at the beginning of 8 of the 30 lines. Enjambment is also used to show his way of mind, and that where he comes from has no beginning or end, like the hoop of life that never ends. This device also creates emphasis; specifically on the first line where at the end, is the word, "forever." This extends the word, as it makes the reader linger on the word, which puts into reality, to some extent, how long he had to wait for the train to London. Also, the final line had no end-stop, and is repetitive of the word "trains." As the poem began with a train to London, and finishes with “trains, trains, trains” it is made clear that it is a relevant, special part of his life. Focusing on the no end-sop, it could be symbolic of the fact that his life will go on and create more places he will, in time, come from; and more memories which will eventually be just as special to him.