Christina Rossetti is remembered as one of the great Victorian poets, but there's considerably more to her work than the gentle and sorrowful verses many people associate with her name.
Born in London in 1830, she began writing poetry as a child. Her grandfather even privately printed a collection of her poems in 1847, when she was just sixteen.
She went on to write some of the most memorable poems of the Victorian period, including Remember, A Birthday, Up-Hill and the extraordinary Goblin Market.
She also wrote the words of In the Bleak Midwinter, although the familiar music was composed after her death.
What makes her particularly interesting is the contrast between her deeply religious life and the sometimes challenging subjects of her poetry.
Goblin Market has been interpreted as a fairy tale, a religious allegory, a story about temptation and a powerful celebration of sisterhood.
Meanwhile, No, Thank You, John presents a woman firmly rejecting a man's unwanted romantic attention.
And in Monna Innominata, Rossetti imagined the voice of an unnamed woman in response to the traditions of famous male love poets.
A Few Questions Worth Discussing
- Which Christina Rossetti poem is your favourite, and what makes it memorable?
- Do you see Goblin Market primarily as a fairy tale, a religious story, a warning about temptation or something else?
- Does the courage of Lizzie in Goblin Market make it an early example of literature celebrating female independence?
- Is Remember comforting or sad when read at a funeral or memorial?
- Do you think Rossetti's religious convictions strengthened her poetry, or sometimes restricted its subjects?
- Does No, Thank You, John challenge the popular image of Rossetti as a quiet, submissive Victorian woman?
- Did you know that the words of In the Bleak Midwinter were originally published as a poem rather than a hymn?
The Life and Poetry of Christina Rossetti - Songs And Poems
I'd particularly welcome contributions from readers outside Britain.
Is Christina Rossetti widely studied or recognised in your country, and which of her works have you encountered?
Different interpretations are welcome. The aim is to discuss the poetry and the person behind it, rather than assume there's only one correct reading.
All respectful contributions are encouraged.