Christina Rossetti: Echo Flashcards
The poem Echo was written in 1854. What happened in Rossetti’s life that year which may have influenced her to write the poem?
In 1854, Rossetti’s father died after a long period of illness spanning almost 10 years. This loss may have influenced her to write a poem about longing to reunite with a loved one after death.
Which mythical couple might have also influenced the writing of Echo?
Echo and Narcissus could have inspired some of the meaning behind Echo. According to the myth, Echo was stripped of her voice by Hera then fell in love with Narcissus, but could not ever have a conversation with him- she could only follow him and repeat his own words back to him. It could be argued that the speaker of the poem has a similar relationship with her lost loved one and can no longer communicate with them.
What image is used in the poem to portray the entrance to the afterlife?
A door.
Rossetti mentions “the slow door, that opening, letting in, lets out no more”. The door in this instance seems to represent the door to paradise, which only ‘opens’ for those who have passed into the afterlife. This is why it cannot “let out” anybody beyond the door- there is no return to the mortal, living world
Complete the quotation, taken from the first stanza: “Come to me in the speaking silence ___” [three words]
“Come to me in the speaking silence of a dream”
A dream-like state appears to be the only place the speaker can communicate with their lost loved one, presumably as they are no long part of the mortal world. Rossetti mentions ‘dreams’ in other poems (such as From the Antique), seemingly as a way of reminding readers that her speakers’ wishes can never be realised. Freud also observes that dreams are a form of wish fulfilment, which could relate to this as the speaker yearns to be reunited with their loved one.
Which line from the final stanza of the poem implies that there may be “erotic overtones” to its meaning, according to lecturer Tom Mole?
“Pulse for pulse, breath for breath”
Rossetti includes erotic imagery here to convey the intimacy between the speaker and their loved one; they appear to merge into one body, relating to the biblical idea that once married, man and wife “cleave unto one flesh”. However, Dr Tom Mole (MASSOLIT lecturer) suggests there could be a more “gothic” interpretation for this, as the speaker “drains their life in wishing and longing for the lost lover”.
Dr Tom Mole believes that Echo could be a ‘darker rewriting’ of another of Rossetti’s poems in the collection. Which poem is it?
A. Goblin Market B. Twice C. From the Antique D. Remember
D. Remember
In both poems, lovers are separated by death, but in Remember the speaker acknowledges their lover’s happiness is more important than the memory of the speaker, once they have passed. In Echo, the speaker is so desperate to reunite with their loved one they would drain themselves of life in order to give life to the lost lover- their selflessness has a much darker tone.
Complete the quotation, taken from the final stanza: “Yet come to me in dreams, that I may live my very life again although cold in _____” [one word]
Death.
The speaker seems to feel as though she is metaphorically dead on earth without her lover; only a reunion in dreams can ‘revive’ her and make her feel alive once more. Without the loved one, she appears to have lost all meaning of life.
In the final stanza, Rossetti writes about “memory, hope, love of finished years”. How could this be interpreted in a more romantic sense about Rossetti’s personal life?
Rossetti may have perhaps been referring to her past relationship with James Collinson, who she was engaged to from 1848 until 1850. The poem may suggest that she has regrets about the ending of this relationship and wishes to experience the relationship again.
“Come to me…” is used throughout the poem as an example of which literary technique?
A. Repetition B. Motif C. Anaphora D. Metaphor
C. Anaphora
This phrase is repeated at the beginning of lines- an example of anaphora. The speaker seems to plead with her loved one to return, highlighting her desperation and longing to be reunited with them.
The motif of water is used throughout the poem, perhaps relating to the rivers Styx or Lethe in Greek mythology. Why might Rossetti draw on these images?
The mythological rivers Styx and Lethe were two of the five rivers that crossed into the underworld. After crossing Lethe, all memory is said to be dissipated- it is called the river of forgetfulness.
