Love and Time in Rossetti's Poems

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Love and Time in Rossetti's Poems

It is evident that themes of love and time are frequently referred to

in several of Rossetti’s poems and I believe that she treats these

themes in a variety of ways. Regarding love, Rossetti explores the

disappointment and betrayal caused by love, her love of God as though

part of an intimate relationship and the temptation that love causes

young women to abandon the traditional rules. Using seasonal imagery,

Rossetti relates to time contradicting herself as she often implies

that we should take time to enjoy and observe life whilst she also

states that she is unable to be satisfied with earthly life and it is

death that will provide the ultimate fulfilment.

Aware of the inevitable that seasons will always change and can never

be controlled, Rossetti uses the motif of life cycles in order to

demonstrate that we should be satisfied with all that God provided us

with on earth. “Life nursed in its grave by death”, In ‘Spring’

Rossetti implies a significant image that death is the protector of

life and nurtures new growing life. Supporting this in ‘Bitter for

sweet’, Rossetti stimulates us not to rush through life but observe

more and slow down, “Its sun and perfumes and sweet flowers”.

Demonstrating that rapid changes in life take place and as humans we

never notice these Rossetti chose to present this poem in only 8

lines, however in this she progresses through 4 months. This conveys

that cycles are to be anticipated and using a passage of time through

seasons she is able to symbolise the journey through life, “And even

autumn closes”.

Looking back at her life in regret in ‘Another Spring’ she confesses

“If I might see another Spring/ I’d listen to the daylight birds”...

... middle of paper ...

...ing to look

forward to as she believes that death will enable her a truly

satisfying life. To conclude, I believe that Rossetti treats the theme

of time by creating a parallel to the inevitability of seasons

emphasizing that with all good comes bad and that however hard you try

to control life, it never stands still and you will never be able to

turn back in time. Presenting her warnings about love and her doubts

that she will ever find happiness, Rossetti treats the theme of love

as a challenge as she states that if you are able to find love on

earth, you are lucky and therefore able to enjoy your time on earth.

However if like Rossetti you are unable to find your perfect partner,

you may resolve into finding your faith in God as inevitably no one

will ever match up to him and he is responsible for our happiness

whether we find it on earth or by death.

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