ADH Comparisons Flashcards

Question

From The Antique | the plight of women

Answer 1

the poem deals with the plight of Victorian women whether middle class or working class, women were regarded as of lower value than men — suited either for domestic drudgery if poor and uneducated, or if from a higher level of society regarded as delicate and emotional and not very clever certainly, in both cases, they were thought to be incapable of logical thought

Answer 2

the speaker is saying that women aren’t valued for themselves; that men hold the power in society her perspective is bleak and she wonders if anyone would notice ‘If I were gone’ this may be a fair reflection of what many disregarded women living empty, restricted lives may have felt Nora lives such a restricted and empty life

Answer 3

the oppression and alienation which many Victorian women might have experienced due to their exclusion from key systems of power is felt strongly in ‘From the Antique’ it was never published in Rossetti’s lifetime – possibly because of its unmistakeable critique so ‘weary[ing]’ is the position of women that annihilation is preferable, since this would enable escape from gender expectations and imposed identities

Answer 4

bleak and negative tone – every stanza is initiated with similar blunt explanations, “Were nothing at all”, “Still the world would wag on the same” and “None would miss me”, accentuating the speakers dismay at her life similar to Nora’s dismay at her own position as Torvald’s ‘doll wife’

Answer 5

the first stanza begins abruptly with the statement: ‘It is a weary life’, establishing the theme of the poem, the undervaluing of women to reinforce it, Rossetti adds another ‘It is’, and then ‘Doubly blank’ for many, life is joyless ‘I wish and I wish’ gives yet further emphasis and is chilling, she is saying that not to exist at all is better even than being a man

Answer 6

the speaker recognises life as being a weary experience, she explains that this is especially true if you are a woman “Doubly blank” is the expression to convey this idea — blank is an absolute term, and there is no such thing as somewhat blank or more blank, which seems to suggest that life being a weary experience is an absolute, but somehow is made worse when the person living it is female so, she wishes, and uses repetition to emphasize the strength of the wish, that she had been born male she then expresses that more than being born male, she wishes she had no being; that she didn’t exist at all

Answer 7

water and dust imagery — these are opposites to one another, in many ways this, along with the repetition of “not”, is to symbolize that there is no state of being in which the speaker can see herself as being happy in dust, particularly, has connotations of death, as in the Anglican burial prayer (ashes to ashes, dust to dust) like Nora sees no state of being in her current situation that she can be happy in, she needs to leave completely

Answer 8

while “the world would wag on the same”, seemingly indifferent to women’s plight (like the men in ADH are), the speaker would have removed herself from the endless cycle of bleak conformity where “all the rest… wake and weary and fall asleep” (like Nora in ADH does by leaving)

Answer 9

”While all the rest” reveals no differentiation between men and women this may signify the extent of the speakers unhappiness, as to begin with she was transfixed on the inequalities she faces due to being a woman whereas by the end of the poem she seems to band the whole of society together, viewing no way out of her misery no matter what her gender, which suggests that everyone suffers irrespective of their gender there is a similar theme in ADH, as Torvald is also a victim of society

Answer 10

“all the rest” may refer to women who will carry on leading unfulfilling lives even if the speaker was able to become non-existent, the rest of womankind would be left behind this is a reminder that just because one woman (be it this speaker or Nora) is able to relieve herself of her misery, this doesn’t mean that the same is true for all women

Answer 11

both Nora and the speaker in this poem yearn for independence from society because of their gender and the oppression and alienation that they face however, in the poem, the speaker wishes for annihilation whilst Nora wishes for a miracle as she still sees hope — this could be because Rossetti fully understands the female experience as she would have known the extent of the patriarchy there is no way to escape the patriarchy — lack of hope for Nora? even if she goes out into the world, it’s unlikely she will find anything better, as she is still a woman both of the speakers desire to be a man, Nora wishes to earn money like a man and the speaker fully exclaims her desire to be a man rather than a woman women must sacrifice a lot (Nora, Mrs Linde and Anne-Marie), so much so they would perhaps find a better life being a man

Answer 12

in ADH, Nora says "How dare you presume to cross examine me… you are one of my husband’s employees" she tries to hold rank over Krogstad as he holds the power to destroy her life and tries to assert her social status to give herself some semblance of power in a situation that she is ultimately powerless in similarly, the low social status of women is seen in From the Antique, “I wish, I wish I were a man”

Answer 13

during the first two stanzas the tone of the speaker is desperate, almost suicidal however the concluding stanzas feature a shift in tone, focusing further on wider society and becoming more sarcastic, possibly promoting the acceptance of a woman’s place in society and coming to the conclusion that every gender becomes insignificant at some point passivity and acceptance that nothing will change — much like Nora’s initial passivity, although she is able to break free from this and take genuine steps towards becoming happy and fulfilled

Answer 14

Rossetti’s poem describes the longing of a spirit in heaven for the lover left behind it is unusual because Paradise is usually associated with peace and content, but here the souls ‘thirst’ for those they left behind they are suffering unsatisfied longing, rather than peace and bliss – the title ‘Echo’ is significant in that it refers to the soul’s continued, repetitive longing links to Nora’s longing for independence, freedom and an identity of her own, which is not being satisfied in her current situation

Answer 15

by asking that memory, hope and love would come back to the speaker ‘in tears', she expresses a wish that the past would return, however painful it may be Nora welcomes independence and chooses to venture out into the unknown, no matter if she suffers along the way or encounters hardship

Answer 16

the repetition of the word ‘come’ shows the protagonist’s need and desperation for the loved-one the imperative ‘Come to me’ suggests that the protagonist has hoped and prayed for a long time that the loved-one would join them but has been unable to do so — the speaker is now demanding their presence links to Nora wishing for a miracle, for Torvald to save her

Answer 17

the speaker is attempting to re-create the feeling she had when her lover was beside her however, her lover will always remain in ‘silence', never actually able to ‘come back' – sense of hopelessness the repetition of the word ‘sweet’ almost makes the reader feel as if the phrase has become sour and unappealing to the speaker this is shown through the realisation that the view of their lover was a dream, and that the past can’t be recaptured — the speaker seems to be becoming tired of longing for something that no longer exists similar to Nora’s realisation that Torvald is not the husband she wants him to be

Answer 18

the speaker asks that his/her lover would come back to his/her ‘in tears' tears can express deep, heart-felt emotion and the hope that the lover would come in tears suggests anticipation that he would demonstrate his passion and love by reciprocating and sharing in the speaker's sorrow links to Nora’s hope for a miracle, that Torvald will nobly sacrifice himself for her out of love and devotion — naivety

Answer 19

description of souls who, with ‘thirsting longing eyes', await a reunion with their beloved rather than resting in security, those who have thirsting eyes are portrayed as restless, their eyes constantly watching for the opening of the door whereas physical thirst makes a person long desperately for some refreshment, Echo suggests that emotional deprivation can be equally powerful and painful Nora’s emotional deprivation causes her to eventually leave her home and husband

Answer 20

rather than another voice echoing back the love that is expressed, the speaker finds that it is only the echoes of her own voice that can be detected and reminders of the past, now ‘finished years'

Answer 21

the speaker in Echo is dependent upon the memory of her lover to bring her a sense of happiness and some type of life this is similar to Nora as she is dependent upon Torvald to live as he provides her with money, but he does not bring her happiness as he traps her within the role of the mother and wife

Answer 22

each night for many nights, the speaker has gone to sleep and dreamed of their loved one’s breathing and of their heartbeat, the things that drive life they cannot move forward, remembering what they once had, and never will have again

Answer 23

there is anaphora in the poem which suggests a literal echo Nora is Torvald's echo as she calls herself a songbird, reiterates what he says and fulfils the roles he forces and expects her to be

Answer 24

the dreams in the poem suggests the threshold between life and death and it is the "slow door" that will enable the speaker to reach real happiness and reunite with her lover in heaven in A Doll's House, the doors trap Nora from the real world and prevent her from becoming a human being, not just a doll

Answer 25

the poem opens abruptly and the full stop creates a caesura, to emphasise the poet’s alienation and isolation the caesura in the middle of the first line conveys the sense of finality that the shutting of the door creates and emphasises the break that has been created to separate the past from the present similar to the slam of the door at the end of ADH

Answer 26

the song-bird, like the lark in the final stanza, signifies joy and freedom, the speaker seems to have lost this freedom links to Nora’s lack of freedom in ADH, which she manages to gain at the end of the play

Answer 27

the shadowless spirit does not engage but seals up the door, physically demonstrating the alienation of the speaker from the garden the non-responsiveness of the guard intensifies the speaker's feeling of loneliness and isolation — she has been excluded and made invisible

Answer 28

the speaker in this poem is an entrapped or imprisoned woman, she is being banned from entering a place that gives her happiness this can be read as a metaphor for women being excluded and shut out from society after all, the shadowless spirit is a “he” and the speaker pleads with him to let her in, perhaps this spirit represents patriarchal society, which marginalises women and denies them freedom and happiness

Answer 29

the seventh and last stanza refers to a small, song bird, lark which can be seen as a symbol for women the fragility of the small song bird shows us how women were viewed in the Victorian era, where their place was said to be only at home where they had no property rights and were deprived of voting but the bird flies out and makes a new nest nearby, symbolising the ability of women to persevere and gain freedom – similar to Nora’s decision to leave at the end of the play, Nora becomes the lark who flies away and creates a new home somewhere else

Answer 30

the speaker’s intense desire to enter the garden only leaves her with feelings of sadness and despair when she is denied access to the garden – negative presentation of desire

Answer 31

the speaker in the poem is unable to get past the gate and is thus trapped from happiness and fulfilment, perhaps due to breaking away from society’s expectations Nora is trapped by society and Torvald and in her role as a mother the structure of the poem makes the stanzas sound enclosed, which is similar to the use of the doors in A Doll's House which reflect Nora's entrapment in her roles door imagery is used in both texts; in the poem it reflects the narrator’s exclusion from happiness, which is similar to Nora, and on top of this the doors also reflect her inability to break free from her roles and her secret

Answer 32

Rossetti also uses a lot of repetition such as “close” which not only shows their physical closeness as they prepare to die, but also how close they are emotionally and the support which they provide for each other they are alone in a tower with “wretches below” that intend to kill them, it is “a thousand to one” and the only ones they can rely on are each other the relationship between Nora and Torvald is the polar opposite

Answer 33

the poet has uses hyperbolic language from the very first line of the poem: “A hundred, a thousand to one; even so” this lays emphasis on the dramatic distress that the characters in the narrative feel but while this distress brings Skene and his wife together, the distress in ADH drives Nora and Torvald apart until she eventually leaves

Answer 34

the use of question mark at the end of “‘Is the time come?'”, gives the spoken phrase a fearful tone although there is a sense of acceptance in the phrase “The time is come!'” — this way it is given a calm and resigned, but in some ways commanding tone link to Nora at the end of ADH

Answer 35

the repetition of “close” creates a sense of time closing in it also creates a triplet; “Close his arm” / “Close her cheek” / “Close the pistol” – building of urgency similar to how Nora's speech as the play goes on becomes more frantic as Krogstad puts more pressure on her there is also a sense of time closing in during ADH — deterioration of the tree acts as a reminder that time is running out for Nora

Answer 36

the use of triad (“Young, strong, and so full of life”) creates sympathy for the characters and brings about a feeling of loss this may be the same reason we might feel sympathy for the young and innocent Nora and condemn Krogstad for manipulating and exploiting someone so naive and vulnerable she is described as ‘pale, young wife’ to stimulate the reader’s sympathy, she is young and therefore her impending death is a tragedy the description ‘pale’ suggests fear – similar to how we feel sympathy for Nora, she is innocent and naïve and being taken advantage of by Krogstad, an older and more experienced man

Answer 37

hyperbolic language reflects the drama, and matches the perception of those under siege, looking down at the troops surrounding them this creates a sense of hopelessness and entrapment and a feeling of urgency, reinforcing the distress felt in the first line of the stanza

Answer 38

the gender imbalance is clear — Skene’s name is included, but his wife is never named she is a nameless and thus identity-less figure, the only ‘value’ she seems to have as a person is being married to her husband and this marriage makes up her whole identity

Answer 39

the implication is that Skene is an experienced soldier and his wife, newly arrived in India, is asking the questions and needs reassurance from him similar dynamic between Nora and Torvald at the beginning of ADH both, however, are shown as courageous, despite the terrible loss of their future as a loving couple, whereas it is only Nora who becomes courageous in ADH

Answer 40

the repetition of ‘Close’ shows the couple’s love for each other it is only this that gives them the strength to cope with the terror of suicide positive depiction of love — unlike the absence of such love in ADH although the poem is bleak, the loving elements inside of it are joyful and reflect a trusting and deep relationship atop the melancholy of the situation the characters find themselves in — there is a positive spin of love and hope intermixed with the siege of the tower and the imminent deaths of the couple the action of ‘Kiss and kiss’ conveys the passionate relationship the couple share, and is one of the few times that Rossetti has a positive portrayal of passion explaining how ‘it is not pain thus to kiss and die’ with the indication that the pain of death can be numbed by a kiss — an act which can be viewed as intensely passionate and intimate especially in their situation this numbing suggests that just the feeling of love can overcome death and reflects the depth of the love the characters share

Answer 41

the question, ‘Will it hurt much?’ is typical of those facing and fearing death there is a child-like tone to this, suggesting that the young wife is far less experienced than her husband and needs guidance from him – stereotypical portrayal of women

Answer 42

the man wishes to bear the pain for his wife (like Torvald’s claims), but she gathers up her courage with ‘I am not loth’, and instead urges him to have courage they seem equal in fortitude – challenges the stereotypical portrayal of women she is also brave and strong, like Nora becomes

Answer 43

in the poem, man and wife make a sacrifice for one another whilst Torvald claims that a man should never have to sacrifice himself, but Nora depicts how her love was shown through her ultimate sacrifice for him

Answer 44

the suicide of Skene and his wife is presented by Rossetti as a noble action, but Nora wanting to commit suicide is seen as pathetic by many audiences

Answer 45

this poem is about being in love and being happy many of the most critically celebrated and popular poems in English literature are instead about frustrated, lost, unfulfilled, or unrequited love, whereas this poem gives a voice to the exhilarating happiness that finding someone special provides it expresses pure, undarkened joy — contrasts deeply to ADH, which is the exact opposite

Answer 46

the speaker likens her heart to a singing bird, denoting happiness; to an apple-tree, with plenty of ripe fruit on its branches; to a rainbow shell in a calm and peaceful sea but although her heart is like all these, her heart is ‘gladder’ than them all because the speaker’s beloved has come to her the speaker indicates that descriptions of the natural world are incapable of fully expressing her exuberant emotional state and love

Answer 47

Rossetti's use of anaphora in “My heart is like” emphasises the narrator's inability to articulate her joy through language she continues to search for an appropriate simile for her feelings, using symbols that invoke images of celebration and happiness this expresses the fullness of her heart which she struggles to put into words that will do her love justice, her joy is almost inexpressible

Answer 48

there are many images associated with imperial grandeur and royalty, and the second stanza reads like somebody preparing for a royal visit the speaker’s beloved is like a king, and must be treated accordingly “the birthday of [her] life” — her life has only now truly begun, when her love has come to her the coming of her love has changed everything for the speaker, transforming her life into something special and rare, she feels the love should be honoured in a fitting way

Answer 49

the speaker is celebrating her love coming ‘back' to her, it is not clear where he has been but this is not the important factor here the speaker expresses her joy at the return of her lover and highlights the arrival of the fulfilment of the time of waiting that she has undergone perhaps Nora and Torvald will be able to experience a similar reconnection if they both learn to become their own people

Answer 50

can be interpreted as a devotional poem involving love for Jesus, rather than love for a partner the speaker declares that her happiness and comfort come from the presence of a certain love, whether this is Jesus, a spouse, or someone else is not revealed, but throughout the poem, the arrival of spring is celebrated (the trees are in blossom, the birds are singing and shoots are springing into life) in Christianity, the celebration of Easter and the celebration of Jesus rising from the dead falls in spring, perhaps Rossetti is describing the Second Coming the poem can therefore be associated with this story of resurrection and new beginnings like Nora venturing out into the world at the end of ADH, which seems to show a kind of rebirth and awakening as she attempts to find a new beginning for herself

Answer 51

the speaker in the poem is enriched through a pure love, whilst Torvald’s ‘love’ for Nora is merely a facade for his control it also functions as a façade for her, because so long as she thinks he loves her, she is happy to love him Ibsen offers no religious salvation, although Nora does suggest she wishes to learn about religion, whilst the speaker is comforted by the promise of Christ's love and seems to have found God

Answer 52

the ‘birthday’ of my life could suggest being reborn through overwhelming love much like how Nora is reborn at the end of the play out of her role of being a mother into a human being: "I'm taking off my costume”

Answer 53

"My heart is like a singing bird" demonstrates that the speaker in the poem is free, the bird symbolises freedom, joy and happiness whilst Nora is trapped in the role of a mother and wife by Torvald, constantly being referred to as ‘squanderbird’ — bird imagery in ADH is a symbol of Nora’s confinement

Answer 54

for Nora, happiness comes through money and independence while the speaker finds their happiness through love and devotion

Answer 55

in the second stanza, there is a shift of urgency Nora shifts to a more urgent state and into a new woman at the end of the play

Answer 56

the fact that a similar situation happened with Thomas’ mother and father may be a criticism of Victorian marriage women are forced to accept their husband’s faults and marry them anyway, being expected to stand by them even if their husbands do not love them, having to patiently wait until they do female sacrifice serve the purpose of shattering the image of marriage as a state of fulfilled love the perspective of Nell, who chooses to stand by her marital vows regardless of her husband’s feelings, is also an interesting commentary for Victorian England

Answer 57

Maude Clare addresses Thomas in her first lines, which are heavily based in repetition, which gives her words additional weight she continues to use the word “bless,” imposing herself onto all aspects of Thomas and Nell’s marriage and almost giving their union her permission Nell’s gift from Maude Clare is Thomas himself; she declares that she no longer wants anything to do with Thomas and his “fickle heart” this seems to be a cruel reminder that Nell and Thomas are only able to get married because Maude Clare is allowing them to and ridding herself of Thomas, thus giving them ‘permission’ the three blessings show Maude Clare’s cruelty — she has decided to impose herself onto all aspects of their marriage and future together, forever reminding them of her presence and tainting their marriage

Answer 58

Thomas finally speaks, and he wants to stand up to Maude Clare instead, he manages to say her name twice, call her “Lady” once, and turn away, embarrassed and ashamed he is unable to stand up for himself or for his wife in the face of his old lover’s mockery, and she is succeeding in embarrassing him, presumably her original intention

Answer 59

by describing Thomas’ heart as “a fickle heart”, she suggests that the reason she and him broke up their own relationship was so that he could be with Nell — or potentially another woman her words are a clear indication that she intends to sow dissension and mistrust between the newlyweds, and likely cares more than she indicates here

Answer 60

unlike Thomas, Nell responds quickly and strongly and declares that she has vowed to love Thomas “for better and worse” and intends to stick to these vows she says that she loves Thomas and that if he does love Maude Clare more than he loves her, then she will be patient and love him anyway the poem concludes in much the same note, with Nell acknowledging that Maude Clare is smarter, taller, and prettier than she is, but that doesn’t matter, because she will love her husband regardless, and that makes all the difference in the world

Answer 61

the phrase ‘for better or worse' is used in a traditional Christian marriage service to articulate the fact the bride and groom accept each other in spite of what may happen in the future, they promise to love one another whether things go well or go badly devotion and dedication — which Torvald does not show towards Nora, but Nora believes Torvald would take the blame for her forged debt and misunderstands as those were not his intentions Torvald is unwilling to stand up for her in this way, much like Thomas and Nell, so both Nell and Nora have to do this themselves

Answer 62

Maude Clare's fierce language – she does not try to hide any of the anger or malice she feels she addresses Thomas with the cry ‘Lo' before launching into scornful dialogue, which corresponds to both the cry ‘Oh' and the exclamation ‘Look!' it is a cry that serves to stop Thomas and Nell in their tracks and forces them to hear what she has to say compared to Maude's direct and abrupt language, Thomas speaks in faltering tones and she seems to be the stronger and more intelligent character — like Nora by the end of ADH

Answer 63

Nell’s restraint contrasts with Maude Clare’s freely expressed anger Maude gives back to Thomas her half of the ‘golden chain' they had split between them when he was courting her, she suggests that she no longer wants to retain any portion of him — it is the final breaking of the bond that she felt was tying her to him, she is freeing herself like Nora frees herself at the end of ADH by leaving the confines of her home

Answer 64

Maude Clare’s passion is expressed through anger and jealousy, and this cruelty leads her to interrupt their wedding day and has the potential to blight Thomas and Nell’s marriage, demonstrating that passion can lead people to becoming destructive and heartless however, Nell’s passion is expressed through sincere devotion and dedication to Thomas, she is willing to stand by him and patiently wait until he truly loves her

Answer 65

there is a suggestion that Maude Clare is quite promiscuous – unmarried women were forbidden to expose their ankles, yet Maude Clare was prepared to break with convention and go wading “ankle deep” in “the beck” with Thomas she is more of a free and liberated woman, willing to cast aside the restrictions placed upon her although this comes at the cost of being seen as a ‘fallen woman’ — punishment of women who defy convention

Answer 66

the words “strove” and “faltered” suggest that Thomas is weak and inferior to Maude Clare this challenges the gender stereotypes at the time as she is the one who is powerful and in control, while Thomas hides in shame and is unable to speak the fact that he cannot return her harshness suggests that he is the one at fault; he knows that he cannot say anything when he is in the wrong Rossetti titles the poem “Maude Clare” which immediately centralises a female character, making her the focus of the poem — this in itself is a challenge to the Victorian gender stereotypes as it contradicts the invisibility of women in that era and the dominant and powerful attitude of men

Answer 67

Maude Clare purports to be indifferent, and yet she took the trouble to be there in order to disrupt their wedding day for all Maude Clare’s powerful personality and Nell’s quiet demeanour, it is the rejected woman who is the victim

Answer 68

Nell is the only character to say the word “love” and she appears to have her own quiet brand of strength she is able to stand up for herself in the face of an intimidating woman when her husband falters and remains silent she defiantly stands up to Maude Clare’s cruelty and asserts her devotion to Thomas it suggests that Rossetti was presenting a situation in which all the protagonists suffer; there is no hero/heroine and no villain – much like in ADH in which everyone is a victim of society

Answer 69

Maude may seem the more powerful and dominant character in theory, but in practice Thomas may well be in an awkward situation, but as a man, society will not punish him for his role in this situation it is Maude Clare who will end up an eternal outcast because she is a woman who defies the societal expectations for her gender Maude Clare is the victim in this conflict, albeit unwillingly — she compromised her virtue when she spent intimate moments with Thomas, barefoot in the lily field in Victorian culture, this level of familiarity outside of marriage detracted from the woman’s worth, but not the man's

Answer 70

"First and foremost you are a wife and a mother" — Torvald asserts his hegemonic masculinity and emphasises that Nora has no decision in her role as a woman because society has already decided it for her Nora feels trapped and guilted into living up to her responsibilities, but she defies societal expectations and says that she is "first and foremost… a human being" resistance of political and social expectations which define acceptable roles for women and which potentially leave them powerless is also seen in Maude Clare, who takes the power and dominance for herself, rendering Thomas silent rejection of societies expectations – Maude and Nora break away from society to reveal the truth, both would have been considered liminal and dangerous to Victorian standards, disrupting the social order

Answer 71

A Doll's House was one of the first play's centred around women as the main characters rather than just foils to their male counterparts Nora dominates the dying stages of the play while Mrs Linde forces the truth to come out and is the greatest voice of reason the poem is dominated by female voice, from both Maude Clare and Nell, and the male voice is hesitant and weak this depicts the strength of women when they realise their worth is more than just as a mother or wife

Answer 72

Nell at the end must sacrifice herself for love and is happy to settle for a husband who seems to love another woman more than her Nora realises that women sacrifice their true identity and their safety for the sake of love, whilst men would never do the same thing female sacrifice is also seen in Mrs Linde and Nora’s maid female limitations in society push Nora and Maude to do something illegal/forbidden

Answer 73

this poem depicts a struggle and a journey, much like Nora’s struggle in ADH both texts depict situations and scenarios that require harder work than usual to overcome the road symbolises the journey the speaker takes, instead of being straight, the fact that it is ‘winding' and ‘up-hill' suggests that the path is long and difficult

Answer 74

Rossetti seems to be drawing on the common “uphill battle” the speaker asks about “the road,” and whether or not it is uphill for its entire length, as well as whether walking the road will take the entire day their uphill journey has clearly taken some time up to this point, and they are anxious for its conclusion and wish to know if it will continue to be such an exhausting struggle, or will there be time for rest

Answer 75

the second speaker could be a friend encouraging them along the way, or it could be another aspect of their own personality, perhaps their sense of optimism or determination to finish what they have started Nora lacks a guiding figure to provide comfort and reassurance like the speaker in this poem has, but she does have her own determination and confidence

Answer 76

the idea of an inn along the way, in which lies comfort equal to the work put in (“Of labour you shall find the sum”), as well as other people climbing the same hill, is a likely metaphor for friends and family or some kind of support system it is difficult to attempt to cross over any kind of obstacle without some kind of support – this is support that Nora seems to lack and has to find within herself the fact that there is actually a road leading up the hill indicates that plenty of others have already taken the route that is being contemplated, the speaker will not have to carve or find her own path since it has already been revealed to her

Answer 77

the existence of the inn could also mean that the speaker will find rest in heaven for all the work they have done in life, indicating that after a long and gruelling journey, the individual will always be rewarded and provided with what they deserve a source of safety at the end of a hard day's journey Rossetti emphasises the idea that upward progression is not a simple and easy process, lots of distractions, concerns and doubts can weigh a person down and the upward movement can turn into one of struggle instead of one of joy but in the end the person will be rewarded for their struggle and dedication – like Nora is rewarded at the end of ADH with the beginnings of freedom and independence after her emotional and stressful journey

Answer 78

the journey is the prominent symbol in this poem, and could represent the journey from birth to death Rossetti uses the image of day to symbolise life and night to symbolise death, considering that the traveller is contemplating a journey from ‘morn to night', the darkening sky foreshadows the end of life, and the inn represents the final resting place considering Rossetti’s religious background, this final resting place could be interpreted as Heaven and the act of knocking on the door represents the Christian confession of sin and the need for forgiveness before admittance into Heaven Rossetti frames death as a form of respite after the tiring journey of life

Answer 79

the road could represent the journey of life: already exhausted, the weary traveller wonders if life grows easier as she grows older however, the guide tells her that the road that remains is up-hill and arduous the inn could still represent death, which also provides an opportunity for rest at the end of the road – a contemplation of life and its hardships

Answer 80

the fact that the inn stands out in the darkness of the night indicates that the light that it sheds is powerful and will not be overpowered metaphorically the ‘inn' represents security and the idea of a place of welcome and rest the speaker fears losing their way and missing the opportunity of heaven, but the inn can’t be missed, even in the dark and even if the speaker doubts their journey along the way - there will always be comfort available

Answer 81

the nervous speaker wonders if she is alone in her doubts and troubles, it suggests that sharing the journey with others is in itself a comfort unlike Nora, who seems to be undertaking her journey to freedom and independence alone, with no one but herself to guide her

Answer 82

the constant questioning shows how unsure the first speaker is, even at the end of the journey they depend on the answers of the second reader for reassurance – like Nora is initially dependent on Torvald, although she receives no real comfort from him, unlike the speaker in this poem who is provided with comfort and support Nora comes to realise that Torvald is not the comforting and guiding figure she needs

Answer 83

after the trochaic opening line, the metre of Up-hill is largely iambic and the rhythm that the poem creates is regular, replicating the ongoing pace with which the speaker climbs the hill she describes (perseverance)

Answer 84

“I never said I loved you, John” – the speaker begins abruptly with a clear statement from which she doesn’t deviate throughout her emphatic rejection establishes the character of the young woman; assertive and uncompromising she begins with a bold and assertive refutation and the very first line of the poem is blunt, which is contrary to what is often seen as the Victorian feminine ideal, meek and submissive the Victorian times were not known for women using their voice to turn down suitors or choose their own husbands, making this poem unique and quite effective in shining a light on women’s rights in marriage and sex, in this sense the speaker is defying societal expectations, like Nora her unwavering bravery and resilience is a quality not many women had or expressed during this time

Answer 85

his persistence is almost infuriating and the speaker puts emphasis on her irritation with the alliterative “wax weariness” while the words “do and pray” indicate his persistence in persuading her those imperatives are commanding her: but she refuses to be commanded

Answer 86

the verb ‘wax’ means increase, she is growing tired of his pleading, the alliterative ‘wax weariness’ gives emphasis to her irritation

Answer 87

the line “no fault of mine” suggests that John is projecting the blame onto the speaker for making him unhappy but the speaker refuses to submit to the social convention that assumed that women ‘lead on’ or ‘entrap’ men in some way the suggestion that women are to blame for men’s feelings is strongly refuted by the speaker, who is clearly a very confident woman who not only refuses her suitor, but also forces him to see the truth of his situation instead of blaming her she refuses to become silenced and submissive she also later makes it clear that she’s never been “false” or misled him and says that he himself has created this relationship without any input from her, “who owed not to be true” - refusing to be blamed for his delusions

Answer 88

the alliterative choice of “Meg or Moll” brings into light the names yet simultaneously makes them the same and interchangeable there isn’t any reason to differentiate between these second-choice girls, they are all the same for his purposes – as perhaps is she, for there is little to suggest he genuinely loves her and isn't just seeking a relationship for the sake of appearances

Answer 89

her choice of “can’t perform” suggests that the speaker rebuts the idea that marriage comes before love and that love can be ‘learned’ or will come later in the union she seems to believe that Victorian loveless marriages are a “task” to be performed, a chore instead of a joyful blessing she does not want to marry someone she doesn’t love for the sake of societal expectations Rossetti in her own life, clearly held the view that it is better to be unmarried than be unhappily married, perhaps this poem is a criticism of Victorian marriages and the idea that love is not important in a union

Answer 90

the initial rhetorical question “I have no heart?” seems to suggest that she is repeating an accusation flung at her by ‘John’ in his growing anger at her refusal of him this implies that he is the more childish and immature one, resorting to insults and being unable to have a serious conversation because he isn’t getting what he wants from her however, she remains calm and measured, refusing to be a victim – much like the dynamic between Nora and Torvald by the end

Answer 91

she bluntly calls him “mad” and the single-line imperative “use your common sense” almost treats him like a child being rebuked instead of an equal, or supposedly superior link to when Nora suggests that Torvald is small minded for firing Krogstad for petty reasons

Answer 92

the speaker becomes more friendly and conciliatory, willing to offer him friendship and to put this conflict in the past (she is the more mature one) that friendliness quickly turns sarcastic when she says: “I’d rather answer “No” to fifty Johns / Than answer “Yes” to you” – hyperbole demonstrating her persistence the speaker finds herself tired of the argument going between them and she finally agrees to “wink at your untruth” and be tolerant, demonstrating maturity – agree to disagree, yet they both know it is an “untruth”

Answer 93

throughout the poem, she remains insistent and persistent in her decision and stays firm, saying that she does not have love to give him and so will not be able to marry him even the last line of the poem shows that she is still persistent in her decision and completely unequivocal: “but love,-- / No, thank you, John.”

Answer 94

the beautiful and comforting imagery of “song-birds”, “days of youth” and “pleasant days” indicate that life is too short to be spent arguing and holding a grudge “Catch at today” encourages him to move on from her, and spend his time in more pleasant pursuits links to Nora telling Torvald to move on and grow, so he can become his own person, like she is about to do

Answer 95

the language of conciliation and war imagery in “open treaty” suggests her determination; the “treaty” ought to bring peace, if both parties stick to it she is not cruel or angry at him and instead suggests that she will still offer him friendship if that is what he chooses, leaving the decision to him like Nora at the end of the play is not angry or cruel towards Torvald, she is merely exhausted and disillusioned

Answer 96

the speaker also makes an appeal to his pride, when she says “rise above / quibbles” the use of word “quibble” makes their disagreement seem childish and petty again, the ‘quibbles and shuffling’ suggest he is rather child-like, unable to face reality and rejection, perhaps whining for her to relent, much like Torvald

Answer 97

this poem seems to have an underlying message of female empowerment, reinforced by the lack of a male voice in the poem Rossetti was a supporter of women’s rights, and here the speaker makes clear that she will not be persuaded or duped by the pleadings of a man who seems to use every means to project responsibility for his unhappiness onto her the tone is sarcastic and assertive and she refuses to be silenced, instead the male voice is silenced Rossetti’s syntax and use of language is interesting; there is a forceful removal of the “male voice” and she only allows the speaker’s voice to be the sound of the poem, reinforcing this sense of female empowerment

Answer 98

the poem ends with the title, “No, thank you, John” this cyclical device contains and encircles the poem, drawing it to a neat end and could perhaps be symbolic of the speaker choosing to move on with life and close off this memory/event in her mind, hence the full-stopped line

Answer 99

the idea of a woman’s choice and determination in relationships in seen in this poem, in which the speaker is in no doubt as she firmly rejects a potential suitor in whom she has no interest from start to finish, she resists John’s entreaties (we ‘hear’ some of his comments through reported speech) as she deploys impeccable logic and effectively turns his own arguments against him what this poem asserts is the woman’s right to say ‘no’ and to claim independence and agency for herself, certainly, she is not to be bullied into a relationship because a man or social convention more generally demands it like Nora, who at the end refuses to give into Torvald's pleas and refuses societal conventions, doing what is in her own interests rather than living for someone else

Answer 100

one of the many ideas about women during this time was that they serve men and rarely get a chance to say “No, Thank You” they were created by God for the pleasure and entertainment of men, and were thus meant to serve said gender in all forms and shapes on Earth both Nora and this speaker challenge this idea that women are meant to serve and live for men, instead making the decision to live for themselves

Answer 101

in ADH, Torvald tells Nora "Stop being theatrical", "now you have destroyed all my happiness" and that he has been "condemned to humiliation and ruin simply for the weakness of a woman" in this poem, John sees the speaker’s resistance as the irrational thoughts of a women who is incapable of making her own decisions the speaker doesn't want love but he keeps persisting, blaming her for his unhappiness and calling her heartless in both instances, the woman is blamed and seen as having some kind of defect, simply for resisting

Answer 102

the speaker in the poem chooses her own destiny, which is contrary to Victorian belief as it was expected for the woman to accept any marriage proposal this is similar to Nora at the end of the play as she chooses her own destiny rather than staying her same passive role the regular rhythm of the poem reflects the strength of the woman and her dominance, similar to Nora at the end of the play when she states she is "perfectly sane" suggesting the power women can hold when they learn their worth

Answer 103

the poem suggests all passive women are the same ("Meg or Moll") and that all men see women for the same thing this is much like Nora breaking away from the men who have done her a "great wrong" in the final scenes, she realises she was just a 'doll' for both her father and Torvald this links to the speaker who suggests that marriage is a "task" and women have to take on a role of passiveness within that and it is this which gives her the power to say no

Answer 104

both the texts were fairly radical for their contexts as they depict empowered women who have the strength to break away from the roles that are imposed upon them

Answer 105

the speaker wishes to join the crowd who weep for Christ, but says that she is not like ‘fallen Peter’ who wept bitterly over the death of Jesus' she is also not like ‘those women’ who loved Christ and lamented over his crucifixion, wailing and mourning for him she is also not like the thief who was also crucified with Christ and recognised his innocence - perhaps the speaker feels remorse for not being able to weep at Christ’s crucifixion or recognise his innocence as the thief did, feeling helpless and separated from the experience like Nora feels separated from wider society, so she seeks to learn about religion and the world “I, only I” — chilling in its isolation, she feels truly alone and detached from everyone else, like Nora

Answer 106

the speaker needs Christ to show her the way, unlike Nora who will have to undergo her journey alone

Answer 107

the rhyme pattern of the first two stanzas runs ABBA, but the pattern of the final two runs ABAB — this change in the pattern can be seen to reflect the change that the speaker undergoes by enclosing rhyming couplets within the centre of the first two verses, Rossetti structurally expresses the entrapment that the speaker feels as she attempts to break out of her numb state and to become more like a sheep than a stone as she comes closer to a realisation that Christ is powerful enough to ‘smite a rock' and therefore, powerful enough to enable her to feel, the structure of the poem changes to reflect this while the scheme ABBA reflects a static position, the scheme ABAB suggests an onward movement and progression, thus suggesting hope that the speaker can be reached by Christ — similar to the hope at the end of ADH that Nora will be able to reach true freedom

Answer 108

the stress falls on the ‘s' sound of the words stone, sheep and stand Rossetti uses this sibilance to create a repetitive and weary tone which appears to be voicing questions that have already been asked many times before – similar to Nora’s weariness and exhaustion

Answer 109

the description of blood slowly dripping down from Christ's body is an indication of the painful and slow process of crucifixion links to Nora’s own painful and slow journey towards independence and freedom

Answer 110

by choosing to consider first the ‘women' who ‘with exceeding grief lamented Thee', Rossetti acknowledges the legitimacy of their emotions as a valuable part of the crucifixion narrative in the Victorian period, women's feelings were often seen in a negative light but here, Rossetti challenges this conception and suggests that the women were right to lament as they did

Answer 111

both of the texts are written at a time of change in Britain, people were starting to question faith, which is perhaps why Rossetti places so much significance on one being able to feel religious as God's love is unquestioning even in times of doubt in Norway, the feminist movement was starting to pick up pace, particularly after 1879 and women were starting to question their role in society and want to be seen as equal

Answer 112

A Doll's House takes place at Christmas time and challenges the traditional family it can also be read as a criticism of marriage and since Nora leaves her husband and children, she is defying Christian teachings Good Friday presents a speaker who is unable to be moved by the central Christian holiday that even affected the world on a cosmic level

Answer 113

Nora has to ‘die’ in order to be free from her repressive roles and is reborn as a new woman who refuses to be seen as just a mother or a wife the poem takes place during the resurrection of Christ, and the volta at the end of the poem reflects a shifting of attitudes and a rebirth of faith — similar to Nora at the end of the play the honesty of language throughout the poem is similar to Nora's clarity at the end of the play and links to her awakening and casting aside of any false pretences

Answer 114

critics offering a biographical analysis of ‘Goblin Market’ have been quick to point out that Christina Rossetti herself, although she was courted by several suitors, never married is the ‘market’ of ‘Goblin Market’ the Victorian marriage market, and the goblins the ugly and rapacious suitors who lecherously use their wealth to attract a young wife? marriage in the Victorian era was often a financial arrangement as much as (or even more than) it was a matter of love and romance, and represented the only chance of financial stability and security for many women

Answer 115

Torvald's physical manipulation of Nora shows his disregard for her as she is his "doll", he treats Nora "gently but firmly", she is his "most treasured possession" he implies that as Nora is his wife she does not have the right to refuse him of anything, including sexual relations in Goblin Market, the moral of the poem seems to be that women should not give into their sexual desires and should instead devote themselves spiritually Rossetti shows how tempting sexual desire is but that it should not be listened to ("We must not look at goblin men, We must not buy their fruits")

Answer 116

Dr Rank declares his love for Nora as he is dying ("I have loved you as deeply as anyone else"), his love for Nora is not only forbidden by her because she is married, but because he is dying symbolism of the "macaroons" - Nora finds these so attractive because they have been explicitly forbidden by Torvald Goblin Market appears to be a cautionary tale against female desire, there is religious allegory of sin and redemption "She sucked and sucked and sucked" has sexual connotations

Answer 117

the speaker has decided to offer her heart by making a confession of love, she presents the idea that she has control over her heart and can choose what to do with it however, the imagery suggests vulnerability, the narrator is taking a risk and exposing herself to the potential of rejection the speaker is laying herself open to pain – both she and Nora take very big risks

Answer 118

the inclusion of brackets signifies earthly love, something perhaps to be set aside, not crucial for life the later reference to ‘O my God’ has no brackets, which is significant and suggests the opposite the repetition of ‘O my love’ suggests passion, but Rossetti seems to suggest that such earthly passion will only result in heartache and pain, passion for God is the only appropriate type of love

Answer 119

“Yet a woman’s words are weak: You should speak, not I” – The narrator is, on the face of it, handing control to the man, conforming to the social norm that men have power over women her tone could be sincere, or perhaps bitter, but she clearly shows that she wants to speak in this stanza and wants to be heard yet there is a passive defiance underlying the stanza, she seems to be accepting the prevailing attitude, that men should have control, but by ending the stanza with ‘I’, she gives herself the last word

Answer 120

the speaker projects outwardly the opposite of what she feels, she smiles despite her broken heart the imagery of her heart being broken as it is ‘set down’ is very powerful, but even more powerful is the fact that she ‘did not wince’ she defies the expectations of Victorian society, where women were said to be feeble and emotional, here the speaker is self-controlled

Answer 121

“I take my heart in my hand” is repeated, suggesting a reclaiming of power and control, she possesses her own heart “My broken heart in my hand” shows that she is able to pick up and repair her own broken heart – independence

Answer 122

“Both within and without” – unlike the man, God would scan her heart thoroughly, where the man looked merely at the surface, God looks at the depths of each individual links to how Torvald only values Nora for her appearance, he makes no effort to look within her or value her for who she really is

Answer 123

her submission to God is absolute, this links to the last two lines of the first stanza, where the narrator submits to the man she has feelings for we see parallels between romantic love and religious devotion, that both involve obedience - romantic love for a woman involves obedience to a man, but obedience to God is seen as positive and a form of power

Answer 124

the poem shifts in the second part to a permanent love brought about by religion and rebelling against society’s expectations Nora regains control of her identity at the end of the play by also rebelling against society and the roles forced upon her the speaker regains control of her heart and chooses what to do with it, eventually making her own decision to dedicate herself to God

Answer 125

"critical eye" suggests that men don't marry for love but for economical worth, similar to Torvald as it is suggested he never loved Nora, he only wanted to have the appearance of a perfect family it is a man that stands between the speaker and fulfilment through religion, much like Torvald stands between Nora and becoming an independent human being

Answer 126

both the women are trapped in the poem, birds should be a symbol for joy, but it traps her in unfulfilment as she is commanded to wait for the birds to sing Torvald calling Nora a bird traps her in her role as a passive mother

Answer 127

her ‘wraps’ afford a kind of safety, not only from the cold, but from the prying eyes of onlookers who are waiting to know her secret the suggestion that she wears her ‘mask for warmth’ indicates that it offers comfort to her, as she can hide behind it and avoid revealing herself her secret, then, forms part of her identity, which she prefers keeping hidden beneath the disguising ‘cloak’ and ‘mask’ she feels that by revealing her secret, she would be revealing too much of herself – much like Nora’s desire to keep her secret as a form of control and power, as well as Nora’s façade

Answer 128

a shawl, veil, cloak, wraps are all metaphors for disguise and secrecy link to ADH, in which clothing is also a façade and reveals a lot about each character for example, Nora’s tarantella dress symbolises Torvald’s control over her as well as her façade of naivety and childishness

Answer 129

spring is usually portrayed in a positive light in poetry, but the speaker describes it as a season she cannot trust, as it is too changeable and unsettled, it cannot be relied upon this could be understood as referring to the changeability and unreliability of human nature - though spring holds the promise of pleasantness and beauty, just as the listener promises not to ‘peck’ at or judge her should she reveal her secret, such promises cannot be relied upon just as the beauties of spring can be marred by changes in the weather, so too can human nature reveal itself to be ugly and fickle, despite the best of intentions this explains that the beautiful season doesn’t hold the high expectations she thought it would, much like Nora cannot rely on Torvald and he fails to live up to her expectations, not standing up for her or supporting her when her own secret is revealed

Answer 130

the last four lines show that the narrator is still teasing the person they are talking to she states that conditions must be just right, ‘not too much sun nor too much cloud’, but this is a vague set of values which may never happen, the narrator could always say that the conditions are not quite right and not reveal her secret the fact that she uses the word ‘perhaps’ indicates that there is no guarantee of ever knowing the secret – she retains control until the very end

Answer 131

throughout the poem, the speaker refers to her secret as something which she holds in her possession, she suggests that it is her property and therefore, it is solely up to her who she reveals it to image of female control and power this deviates from the typical Victorian view of women, that they submitted to the man’s demands, but here the speaker refuses to give in, even manipulating the listener and saying that she will only reveal her secret if she wants to she has agency and control

Answer 132

the use of the personal pronouns ‘my' and ‘I' throughout the poem point to the speaker's sense of her individual identity holding a secret gives the speaker a strong sense of identity the first line both begins and ends with the pronoun ‘I', which suggests that the speaker encloses her secret within her own individual identity and that nothing can break through and disturb the concealed interior this is a strength and sense of identity that Nora seeks to achieve by keeping her secret and that she takes steps towards by leaving at the end of ADH

Answer 133

the speaker suggests that she may be only teasing the listener when she declares that her secret may be ‘just my fun' Nonsense was the poem's original title in the manuscript version and hints at the playfulness of the speaker's tone as well as her manipulation the revelation that there may in fact be ‘no secret after all' suggests that the poem is more about the act of concealment and the practice of secrecy than it is about a particular secret itself it seems to be a way for the speaker to exert some form of control and manipulation – similarity to Nora

Answer 134

Nora is proud of her secret, much like the speaker is comforted by her secret as it gives her power similar to Nora as this secret gives her a sense of purpose and it gives them identity, not just to be seen as passive unknowing women however, Nora can only truly be a human being and have her own identity one she exposes the truth, but it is the secret that gives the speaker her identity and gives her control over men

Answer 135

the secret gives her speaker power as it provides her with protection by allowing her to control men (or anyone who seeks to know her secret) the free structure of the poem reflects the free woman from society’s expectations for Nora, the freedom and defiant tone of her speech reflects her power at the end of the play, and the final act of her slamming the door is the ultimate closure upon society’s expectations of her and the start of her new life