Rossetti Themes

Question 1

Role Of Women

Answer 1

• Both Rossetti and Ibsen present women who do not conform to contemporary social expectations. They are seen both as products of their surroundings and as independent and strong
• Soeur Louise: both narrative voice and Nora are aware of a negative change between past and present as result of expectations placed upon women.
• NTYJ: Nora and narrative voice rejects male, ultimately adopting cold + direct tone
• W:MS: both persona and nora at beginning of play are flirtatious
• Maude Clare: Maude is sinner, Nell is saint, Nora is both
• From The Antique: Rossetti and Nora are weary with the pre-set existence of being a woman. Both contemplate idea that it would be better to be nothing than a woman
• Goblin Market: Unlike Laura, Nora has no Lizzie to save her

Question 2

Love

Answer 2

• Disappointments of Earthly love are tempered, for Rossetti, by the promise of God’s love.
• Ibsen offers no religious salvation; a man’s love is shown to be self-serving and controlling
• Goblin Market
• Maude Clare
• Twice
• Up-hill
• When I am dead, my dearest
• Good Friday
• Remember
• Echo

Question 3

Sarifice

Answer 3

• Nora expects Torvald to sacrifice himself for her. She waits for ‘the miracle’ which does not happen. Both men and women would have to sacrifice something in order to achieve equality.
• In The Round Tower: ‘I wish I could bear the pang for both’ contrasts Torvald’s ‘do you understand now what it is you have done for me?’
• Goblin Market: Lizzie prepared to sacrifice herself to save her sister, parallels w/ Christ.
• Good Friday: Whilst Rossetti is redeemed by Christ’s sacrifice, Nora is alone. Ibsen’s view could be considered iconoclastic as it denies any religious salvation
• Maude Clare: Unlike Nell, Nora realises that women sacrifice true identity for sake of love and devotion. ‘But no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves’ ‘it is a thing hundreds of thousands of women have done’

Question 4

Desire

Answer 4

• Rossetti’s desires are torn between love of God/ love of man
• Nora realises that she desires to be herself which is impossible unless she leaves restricted role of ‘squanderbird’
• Shut Out
• Soeur Louise
• Goblin Market
• Maude Clare

Question 5

Death

Answer 5

• Rossetti’s thoughts often turn to death when contemplating love
• In her eyes, death allows the move from earth to heaven
• Nora rejects death as a possible escape as, unlike Rossetti, it is a hopeless vision
• When I am dead, my dearest
• Remember
• Echo
• In The Round Tower

Question 6

Memory

Answer 6

• Rossetti presents life after death as a reason for not mourning and remembering
• Nora wishes to be forgotten in order to escape the ties of Torvald’s control
• Echo
• Remember
• When I am dead, my dearest

Question 7

Religion

Answer 7

• Religion offers comfort and redemption for Rossetti
• As an unmarried woman, God’s love is unquestioning and redemptive
• Ibsen offers no such comfort; ‘the miracle’ will never occur as long as society remains unchanged.’
• Good Friday
• Shut Out
• A Birthday
• Up-hill
• Twice
• Soeur Louise
• Gblin Market