I will be comparing the varying attitudes towards different aspects of the relationships between men and women through four different pre-1900's poems.

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Lil Maisky Year 11

English Poetry Coursework:

-Choose 4 out of 8 poems given on “Men and Women.”

-Discuss the attitudes of the poets towards relationships and how they express it in their poems.

-Compare these with modern attitudes. E.g.: media, cinema…

        I will be comparing the varying attitudes towards different aspects of the relationships between men and women through four different pre-1900’s poems. These attitudes have varied through time and it is sometimes quite surprising how similar the attitudes in the poems reflect our attitudes today. Three of my chosen poems are male and one is written by a woman. The difference is noticeable between the feelings expressed in Christina Rosseti’s poem and those of the three other men.

The attitude in Christina Rossetti’s ‘Remember’ differs greatly from that of the three male poems. There were less prominent female poets at the time, as women were under the dominance of the sexist attitudes with the male society of the time and didn’t have many opportunities involving artistic recognition, or for that matter, any opportunities for a recognised career in general. This may explain the attitude of self-pity and morbidity displayed by the female poet in ‘Remember.’ The poem mentions death:

“For if the darkness and corruption leave…”

The question is, is death a positive or negative outcome of her situation?

 The poem was written in 1848, when Rossetti was only 18 years of age. There are statements of mournfulness and nostalgia throughout the poem reflecting the poet’s attitude towards her departed youth. Even though the poet was only 18 years old when she wrote the poem, her young innocent days are over.

Christina Rossetti had to grow up with an attitude of self-denial and self-discipline. This reflects her attitude towards the female gender expressed in the poem. She felt that women were made to look after men and she wanted the man concerned to remember her many qualities after she was gone. This could be viewed as a reflection of the fact that she was obliged to spend her youth caring for her father. The poem is quite personal and suggests autobiographical hints. It is in sonnet form, which is a good median for displaying the poet’s inner feelings about herself. She feels that her life is gone into nowhere in the sense that she has spent it looking after someone that she doesn’t even necessarily love, but has mothered to the best of her abilities. The plot of the poem could be related either to her relationship with her father of that of her preceding fiancé. She has no say in the situation that she has been placed in but decides that she doesn’t have much option and that she might as well get some gratitude out of her position in taking advantage of the situation.

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“You tell me of our future that you planned.”

She is in need of pity but is trying to express this in a subtle manner so as not to give herself an image of excessive self-pity.

The language used is quite direct and simple, yet effective. The repetition of the title of the poem, “remember” throughout the poem shows that she is trying to get a point across to her failed lover. However, does he understand what she is trying to get through to him? Does he care about her feelings whatsoever?

The poem could be related to the ...

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