Cousin Kate Flashcards
who is Christina Rossetti ?
(1830-1894)
English poet
mainly wrote romantic and children’s poems.
She was born into a gifted family – the youngest child of the renowned Italian-exile poet Gabriele Rossetti and Frances Polidori,
How does this poem link to conflict?
The conflict which has arisen in the poem is between the two women, the speaker and Kate, as a result of the Lord’s actions. The fact that the nobleman is not directly attacked in the poem may be a comment on how status can afford you a position above conflict.
What are the themes does Christina Rossetti explore ?
Class – The Victorian class system, and its effects on love and marriage, is evident through the behaviour and attitudes of the characters in the poem.
Alienation – The pain felt by the speaker at being shunned in favour of Cousin Kate is compounded by the fact that she is outcast by society for indulging in a premarital relationship.
How is the poem structured?
The narrative is revealed almost chronologically.
In the opening stanza, the speaker recalls the lord picking her out, whilst the second details their relationship.
The third stanza is the point at which the lord first sees Kate, and in the fourth he weds her.
In the fifth and sixth stanzas, the speaker
reveals her feelings, and hers and Kate’s differing lives now.
How and where are similes and metaphors used in the text ?
– A number of similes and metaphors run throughout the poem, figuratively representing the complex behaviours and emotions at play.
“like a silken knot, like a glove” . Showing that he viewed her merely as a garment – an accessory that could be changed at his pleasure.
