Compare and contrast the themes of loss of innocence, betrayal and motherhood as portrayed in the poems 'Cousin Kate' by Christina Rosetti and 'The Seduction' by Eileen McAuley

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Compare and contrast the themes of loss of innocence, betrayal and motherhood as portrayed in the poems 'Cousin Kate' by Christina Rosetti and 'The Seduction' by Eileen McAuley

The Seduction by Eileen McAuley is a poem in some ways similar to 'Cousin Kate.' It is set in the early to late 1980s in Liverpool. The urban setting is unpleasant ad the poem has many of the same themes as in Rosetti's poem, such as innocence and naivety. The mood and tone of the poem is dark and depressing. There is not a rigid rhyme scheme to this poem, although in most verses there is an alternate rhyme scheme.

The poem begins with the line; "After the party, early Sunday morning," this gives us a time setting and information about what is happening in the poem. "He led her to the quiet bricks of Birkenhead docks" this sets a seedy atmosphere, and shows us that the male character has the active role, as he is the one doing the leading. The personification of the bricks is there to illustrate the absolute silence of the area they are in. "Far past the silver stream of traffic through the city," gives the impression that the traffic is attractive, or beautiful and this is something they are moving away from, she is being led away from civilization. "Far past the blind windows of the tower blocks," refers back to the silence, no one is aware of what they are doing, as they are sleeping. The repetition of the word 'Far' also emphasizes their withdrawal from society. This is a direct contrast to 'Cousin Kate' as she went to a fairy tale palace of the rich Lord, whereas the girl in the poem is going to a sordid setting.

"He sat down in the darkness, leather jacket creaking madly," reinforces the dark mood of the poem. "He spat into the river," again adds to the unpleasantness of the location. "He handed her the vodka, and she knocked it back like water," this line tells us again that he is the one in control, she appears to be very nervous by the way she drinks the alcohol, like this is a new situation to her. "She giggled, drunk and nervous, and he muttered "little slag," this reveals that the boy has absolutely no respect for the girl. She is likely to be too drunk to realise that he disrespects her. This relates back to Rosetti's poem, in that the narrator was young and naïve as well and believed everything the Lord told her.
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"She had met him at the party, and he'd danced with her all night. He'd told her about football; Sammy Lee and Ian Rush." These lines explain to the reader how they met, and how the boy must have seen her as an easy target as he stayed with her the whole night, perhaps with a plan in mind. He only talks about what he likes, and this shows him as being single-minded. "She had nodded, quite enchanted, and her eyes were wide and bright," this line hints at the probability of her falling in love with him. ...

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