Good Friday

Question 1

“Am I a stone, and not a sheep
That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross”

Answer 1

Good Friday:
- Objectifies herself, lacking emotion, unreachable by Christ
- Feels detachment from reality
- Metaphorically refers to herself as blank, like a stone
- Speaker is examining her feelings, wondering why she remains unmoved by the death of Christ

Question 2

“Not so fallen Peter, weeping bitterly;
Not so the thief was moved;”

Answer 2

Good Friday:
- Allusion to the Bible
- Peter also rejected Christ, however feels remorse
- Reference to the thief on the cross next to Christ, he too was moved, unlike the reader
- Anaphora “Not so”, emphasises her inability to feel affection for Christ

Question 3

“Not so the Sun and Moon
Which hid their faces in a starless sky,”

Answer 3

Good Friday:
- Further Biblical allusion to the darkness that followed Jesus’ death
- The doubt that Rossetti is interesting as her devout faith lead to her refusing suitors
- It is undeniable that she is courageous to scrutinise her faith

Question 4

“A horror of great darkness at broad noon-
I, only I.”

Answer 4

Good Friday:
- Explicit celestial imagery
- Hushed tone
- Singular “I”, “I” presents her as overwhelmed with isolation, ceasura further seperates her from the rest of the poem

Question 5

“But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;
Greater than Moses,”

Answer 5

Good Friday:
- Evokes the story of Moses who on the instruction of God, struck down a stone so the Israelites would not die in the desert
- Image of a stone in the first stanza is consistent, the barren, cold woman is not awakened, empowered
- Jesus is frequently referred to as a “rock” for humanity
- Paints the rock as the witness, as well as being a source of life giving water when struck by Moses