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 poems 'Cousin Kate' by Christina Rosetti and 'The Seduction' by Eileen McAuley both portray young women who lose their virginity to men through naivety and innocence. Both men in the poems use the women for sex and don't care about the consequences of their actions. However, the women are in love with the men and are left pregnant and alone, and these are the themes of the poem - loss, innocence betrayal and motherhood.

Christina Rosetti wrote 'Cousin Kate' around 1860. She was the daughter of an Italian refugee and wrote poetry from an early age. Although she later had two offers of marriage, she declined both. Many of her poems reflect sadness and grief. 'Cousin Kate' is a narrative poem, a story told in verse. The rhyme scheme is pretty consistent; every other line rhymes, starting with the second line in each verse.

Most of the poem is written in the past tense, this tells us that the narrator is reflecting on a past part of