A Helpmeet For Him

Question 1

form

Answer 1

roundel

11 lines

started using roundels after her friend charles swinburne dedicated it to her

Question 2

who created the roundel

Answer 2

charles swinburne, he dedicated the roundel to rossetti as they were friends

Question 3

when was it written

Answer 3

1888

Question 4

context- rossettis view on gender constructs, suffrage and feminism

Answer 4

-traditionalist and religious so believed in gender constructs of victorian society

-1889 signed anti-sufferage petition
-1970 refused to help sufferage movement when augusta webster wrote to her

BUT
-conversed with early feminist Langham group
-supported women in parliament

Question 5

what are the differing messages in each stanza

Answer 5

FIRST STANZA
-the first stanza has a regular rhyme scheme to accentuate normalised traditional gender roles

SECOND STANZA
-emphasisies the superficiality of patriarchal views

THIRD STANZA
-elevates the role of women and celebrates them

Question 6

significance of title

Answer 6

reference to genesis: eve was made of one of adams ribs, women created as a companion for men (subsidary to men)

absence of a female from title reinforces domination of man

a helpmeet is a helpful companion

Question 7

‘woman was made for a mans delight’

Answer 7

-highlights the possessive nature of men

-repetition of the preposition ‘for’ in the title, reitterates women’s role as subsidary to men

-word delight carries sexual connotations , suggest women must sexually satisfy a man

Question 8

‘his shadow was made by day, his moon by night’

Answer 8

metaphor of women as a mans shadow shows how women are forced to submit- suggests she must serve him, links to idea of the angel in the house

-contrast in light imagrey (shadow and moon) CALLED ANTITHISIS

Question 9

significance of ‘O woman don’t be afraid!

Answer 9

exclamatory and archaic O- evokes a divine command (rossettis traditionalist views)

Question 10

whats the technique used in contrast between ‘shadow and moon’ and ‘strenth and weakness’

Answer 10

antishisis

Question 11

‘her strength with weakness is overlaid’

Answer 11

antithesis is used again, in contrast of strength and weakness, used to emphasise the juxtaposing expectations of women

(society expected women to be fragile and dependent and hide their strength)

Question 12

‘meek compliances her veil might’

Answer 12

veil metaphor, shows how she must veil her strengths to submit to societies expectations

Question 13

‘him , she stays by whom she is stayed

Answer 13

only reference to equality in marriage

Question 14

‘world wide companion in trth and delight’

Answer 14

-w alliteration emphasises breadth of w womans potential influence

Question 15

‘hope in gloom and in danger aid’

Answer 15

shows how they are vital in society

Question 16

‘tender and faithful, ruddy and white’
Woman was made

Answer 16

-ruddy and white is a reference to song of soloman which describes men needing both physical attractiveness and pleasentness from a woman

-adjectives tender and faithful are positive but in a way also allude to mens desires of women

Question 17

repetition of first line in final stanza

Answer 17

reinforces the cyclical confinement of womens subordinance to men in a patriarchy

Question 18

what was a world wide champion

Answer 18

“world wide champion”

moral guardian, coventry patromal 1866 wrote ‘angel of the house’ idea that women should keep men on track/ not cheat

Question 19

MADE instead of BORN

Answer 19

dehumanising

Question 20

‘his moon by night’

Answer 20

fill sexual needs
moon control tides, victorians thought that the moon circled ariund the earths
conection to mentraual cycle
‘luna’tics- impact of emotions, moonacy

Question 21

ryhme shift

Answer 21

middle stanza, an attempt to go against but forced to reconform by thrird