Cousin Kate Rossetti Essay Example

Cousin Kate Rossetti Paper Exploring the Loss of Innocence in Christina Rosettes poem Cousin Kate The poem Cousin Kate written by Christina Rosettes signifies a story of the speaker which explains what happens to a cottage maiden once she has been sullied by a man which consequently leads her to lose her innocence. Cottage maiden creates a rural simplistic image of the speaker who has a low status. Due to the Victorian era in which the poem was written it is clear that the poem is based around the fact that women were not treated fairly as there was a patriarchal society. The poem is directly addressed to Cousin Kate, which fundamentally reflects how in society, blame was blamed on women. The poem is written as a dramatic monologue; moreover Rosettes has used a traditional ballad structure to convey a narrative. The speaker says Not mindful I was fair, this adds to the image of her being innocent, she had no intentions to raise her status therefore shes stressing that she was less deserving to what happened to her. Rosettes then introduces a new character, the Lord, who brings anger, frustration and despair to her. It is evident in Why did a great lord find me UT and To fill my heart with care? this signifies the lords powerful status as he has made her care for him, which in turn brings trouble upon her. In the next stanza Rosettes uses the word lured which creates an ominous feeling. He lured me to his palace home indicates his status. We will write a custom essay sample on Cousin Kate Rossetti specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Cousin Kate Rossetti specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Cousin Kate Rossetti specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Also in this stanza it appears that Rosettes has used assonance where she has repeated the sound of o in woe and moan. These emphasis the speakers sense of grief. Rosettes has used an oxymoron; this conveys the speakers confusion thus showing her conflicting state of mind, it is evident in shameless handful life the words are contradicting each other therefore may be showing confusion. Furthermore, Rosettes uses sibilance in the sound SSH, which gives the impression its a secret. The simile like a glove, suggests that she was easily changed and not an integral part of his life. Also, Glove often appears as a symbol of lost innocence in 1 9th century literature and art. The third stanza then shows that the speaker is directly accusing Kate as she says He saw you at your fathers gate, / Chose you, and cast me be the repetition of the word you shows her jealously as she is, in essence saying its al about you Kate. The third stanza explores her feelings of abandonment and jealousy whereas in stanza four the speaker is questioning Skates qualities. In Stanza four the speaker says the lord bound you with his ring this verb choice implies he has captured her or contained her in some way. Rosettes then repeats so good and pure which connotes her bitterness. Once again her bitterness is evident in l sit and howl in dust whereas it is in contrast with you sit in gold and sing which implies Kate is now wealthy but is a possession captured by the lord. Stanza five the reader can see that the speaker believes that Kate does not deserve the lord as the speaker relates Skates love as writ in sand which implies it will get washed away. In turn this shows the speakers bitterness. The next few lines in stanza five show that the speaker is putting herself in Skates shoes however in Hd not have won me with his love and l would have spit into his face In essence she says she would have not done the same to Kate. Shes showing violence in her language although shes being content which may be due to her having something that Kate can never have. In the last stanza the speaker appears to be providing some sort of ammunition against Kate by saying Kate is not perfect. The last stanza begins with Yet Ive a gift you have not got this suggests she has one thing she can hold onto that is better than Kate; also it is a traditional metaphor of a child being a gift. The reader can infer the tension in the poem, underlined when Rosettes uses the antithesis of my shame, my pride. Her son is her pride because she loves him, but he is her shame because he is a visual reminder of her relationship with the Lord. By the end of the poem the reader can suggest that the speaker has a fear of her son being taken away as that is all she has left to herself, evident in cling closer, closer yet the alliteration emphasizes the love she has for her son and the fear that he could be taken away. Lastly, the poem ends with To wear his coronet. This metaphor implies that if the Lord were to die, his son would inherit everything of his father therefore the speaker is saying Kate would have no share in anything of the Lords. The poem underlines how the speakers innocence has been sullied; on the other hand the Lord just moves on, this shows the inequalities between the two genders.