Rossetti uses nature in extensive and subtle ways in order
to add depth and meaning to the overall interpretation of the poem and its
characters, as well as to add complexities to her works which indirectly
challenge the consensus of her time. In her childhood, Rossetti read copious
amounts of fairy tales and folklore, as well as romantic poetry and various
religious texts. It is clear in her poetry due to the extensive use of natural
imagery that she loved writing in a similar style. Adapting techniques used by
poets such as Keats, and channelling her deep religiosity by using the power of
nature to capture her relationship with God, and her devout Tractarianism.
Rossetti uses many specific aspects of nature to create
different meanings and tones within her poetry. One of the most common forms of
natural symbolism within her works is water. Water is traditionally used to
represent purity, serenity and femininity. Although Rossetti on occasion uses water
in this way, she also uses water to represent power, or to invert the nature of
a considered scandalous situation.
In ‘Maude Clare’ Rossetti allows the reader a glimpse of the
nefarious love affair, and suggests not only a romantic relationship between
Maude Clare and the lord, but also a sexual one, “That day we waded ankle-deep
for lilies in the beck”. During the 19th century, any exposure of
skin was hyper sexualised, in particular women’s shoulders and ankles. The fact
that Maude Clare and the lord were depicted to be ‘’ankle-deep” is a subtle way
of suggesting that their relationship was scandalous in further ways than
classes intermingling- they may have had sexual relations.
However, the Rossetti uses the term ‘’beck’’ to refer to the
river that they were standing exposed in. The term ‘’beck’’ has religious
connotations, suggesting perhaps the ultimate corruption of humanity, or, that
Maude Clare’s dalliance was not one of entirely malicious content, or of
corruption. The relationship between the term ‘’beck’’ and the bible suggests
that Rossetti is trying to challenge the social consensus towards sex. The
‘sexual malpractice’ between the lord and Maude Clare although considered to be
morally corrupt, was in fact one of purity and expression of love, as the ‘’beck’’
represents purity. However, a ‘’beck’’ is a stream with a stony bed or a rugged
course, suggesting that Rossetti is revealing that although this relationship
was pure and loving, it was doomed from the moment it began, and the nature of
where their love was consummated revealed that it was never to end in a joyful
way.
Additionally, Rossetti uses water to capture the vivacity of
life, and the power that it holds over nature, by frequently placing vivid
imagery of nature alongside water, ‘’flowers bedewed and green’’ and ‘’water’d
shoot’’. In this consistent adjoining of water with beauty, life and plenty,
Rossetti reflects upon the utmost reliance upon water for life. Due to this,
Rossetti associates water in her poetry not only with purity, but also power,
and intensity. Her use of ‘’halcyon sea’’ not only portrays the grandeur and
intensity of the speaker’s heart- as halcyon is a brilliantly intense blue
colour. Not only this, but also the term ‘’halcyon’’ refers to the legend of
Halcyon. This legend focuses upon religious devotion and religious experience,
and reveals the origin of the term ‘halcyon days’- which are days of utmost
calm and tranquillity. This suggests that Rossetti uses this term accompanied with
water to emphasise its calm and intensity, as well as religious focus upon
water, which relates to her strong, Anglican faith.
Rossetti not only uses water within her poetry, but also
focuses upon imagery involving trees. In ‘’Paradise: In a Dream’’ the speaker
refers to the ‘’Tree of life’’ to emphasise the fertility of paradise and it’s
bountiful ‘’fruits’’. The ‘’Tree of Life’’ is traditionally a medieval analogy
for the crucifixion, however, it focuses upon the provision of Jesus’
sacrifice. This correlates with traditional imagery of the tree being a focal
point of provision for the environment around it. Acting not only as a source
of food, but also as a place of shelter; continuous and stable. This reflects Rossetti’s
interpretation of religious imagery and her relationship with faith, which is
interpreted to be one of admiration and gratitude, rather than one of fear and
subjugation.
Additionally, the usage of ‘’Tree of Life’’ relates to how Rossetti’s
works are heavily influenced by fairy tales and folklore. Rossetti’s strong Tractarianism
means any deliberate pagan reference within her works would be denied, however,
the tree of life has been used across many druidic and pagan religions. This image
is deeply embedded within English history due to its old associations with
magic and mysticism.
The image of the tree is further used in ‘A Birthday’, ‘’my
heart is like an apple tree’’. Although apples have connotations within
religion of temptation, and corruption, Rossetti uses the tree to further her
interpretation of God and Jesus, not as condemners, but as providers. Who give
and sacrifice for the benefit of nature. Despite the tree being used positively
within her poetry, Rossetti uses the tree to symbolise death, and the
ritualistic obsession with death in the 19th century. Rossetti refers to the ‘’cypress tree’’ in ‘Song’
whilst addressing the needless focus of physical acknowledgement of death,
rather than the focus on the spiritual side. The cypress tree is traditionally
associated with sacrifice and death, although the association with death is not
a traditional approach from Rossetti, the link between the tree’s symbolism of
sacrifice and the consistent use of trees to represent God and Jesus according
to their sacrifice and provision for us furthers the idea that Rossetti uses
the tree largely to represent the figureheads of her religious devotion.
Moreover, Rossetti also uses various creatures to add
different tones to her poem. In particular, birds. Rossetti uses birds to
create a wistful tone to her speaker, as she associates the bird with a certain
freedom that humans could never attain. This is explored in various ways
throughout her poetry, ‘’soaring bird’’, ‘’the song-birds crossed’’,
associating birds with swiftness, their presence often fleeting in her poetry,
reflects upon how birds can move however they please with no suppression or
regulation. This suggests Rossetti’s desire to be free from her own
responsibilities and expectations which she undertook from a very early age. Frequently,
the birds’ ‘’tender song’’ is associated with poetry, an adamantly key part of Rossetti’s
life. Rossetti often associates birdsong with utmost joy, ‘’sing out thy notes
on high’’ in ‘A Summer’s Wish’ and ‘’My heart is like a singing bird’’ in ‘A
Birthday’ portrays how Rossetti connects the song of the bird with exultation
and passion, not unlike her own towards poetry .The parallels between the role
of the bird in nature and Rossetti’s suppressed desires to be expressive are
only surpassed by her religious devotion; which, in a sense, contain her, as
expected of women in her time.
Likewise, Rossetti also uses flowers to add more depth to
her poetry, as well as creating more intense imagery. The flowers Rossetti uses
most frequently are lilies and roses. Lilies are used in various works such as ‘Maude
Clare’, ‘Song’ and ‘Paradise: In a Dream’. Due to lilies associations with
purity and virtue, its usage in ‘Maude Clare’ creates a confliction with the
entire context of the poem. Perhaps suggesting afore mentioned proposition that
Maude Clare is in fact a pure and moral character, despite her possible sexual
misconduct, when wading ‘’for lilies’’. Additionally, the flowers ‘’roses’’ and
‘’lilies’’ are associated with perfection in ‘’Paradise’’ as they are listed
with various other beautiful flowers in order to recreate the perfection of the
flower the speaker is attempting to describe. The flower in Rossetti’s poetry
is not often used for any controversial sub meanings aside from suggesting
Maude Clare’s purity with the imagery of lilies. The flower is used to
represent utmost beauty and perfection, particularly when Rossetti’s theme is
in reference to paradise.
Rossetti uses nature in numerous ways throughout her poetry
in order to create intense imagery and varied emotional undertones. As well as
to channel her admiration for the beauty that we live amongst, which she
interprets to be created by God. In this sense, nature is most frequently used
in Rossetti’s poetry when the text has a religious theme or a sub context of
religion. Therefore, the focus of nature in Rossetti’s poetry is mainly due to
her admiration of God, and wishing to channel her awe and adoration for them
through the power and perfection that can be found in natural imagery.
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