The structure of this stanza is written in first person narrative, this means it was written from her point of view, and shows her feelings and no one else. The language used is very early 19th-20th century; it gives the impression of happiness leading to sadness. This is showed where the writer says “Not mindful I was fair, why did a great lord find me out”. This is saying that she was happy with her life and she is questioning herself as to why she was chosen and no one else. She is asking herself rhetorical questions and is not expecting an answer. The structure of the stanza is clear and laid out giving a clear image of her feelings
Stanza 2 goes on to explain about what the lord did to her that was so bad. She explains that she was dragged in by the lord’s charm and fell for his affection, which turned out to be a joke. He only wanted her for one thing, but she was too taken in to notice it. The issues raised by this stanza are clear. It tells us that the lord lured her in, and according to her made her feel wanted and protected. She was taken to his palace home and treated like a queen. It then goes on to say that she is no longer pure. This means she lost her virginity to him and is now known as dirty and impure. She then goes on to tell us about how “I moan an unclean thing”. She is now regretting the whole event and knows that she fell for it all much too easily. According to the poem he treats her like a plaything and she let him do it. The language used is very explanatory.
It says “He changed me like a glove”. This tells us that when he wanted to he would jus disown her and move onto another innocent woman. She feels let down on her behalf. She also writes “Woe’s me for joy thereof” This basically tells us that he wanted her for one thing, sex, and nothing else.
The structure of the stanza is written like stanza 1, going from good to bad gradually. She feels that her life is now over after the one dreadful event. She knows that she will now be rejected and turned down by almost everyone she knows. The next stanzas go on to talk about her family values
Stanza 3 explains about her family and upbringing. She tells the reader about how her father as the most important child chose her cousin and how she was cast away. She is said to have grown fairer than her. She is said to have been “lifted” away from the work to sit with her father on high. This could mean that her father is a noble person who has control over the cottage and decides who leaves the workplace and who doesn’t. The cottage lady feels cheated on by the lord, she feels used and upset. The lord decides that he prefers the cousin ‘Cousin Kate’ and decides to wed her and disown the cottage worker. The theme of this stanza is based on rejection and how the lord treats other women. He ‘plays’ the women. He feels that because he is a lord he can do what he wants when he wants. The structure of this stanza is very repetitive. She keeps asking the question “why”. This tells us that she now realises what has happened and wants to know why he chose her and not another woman.
Stanza 4 is based on the effects of what has happened. This stanza tells us about what the lord does to “Cousin Kate”. The lord ends up marrying cousin Kate and turning away the cottage maiden. “Because you were so good and pure, he bound you with his ring”. This quotation tells us that because cousin Kate was still and virgin, and therefore pure he decides to marry her. She then goes on to talk about people’s opinions of her. “The neighbours call you good and pure, call me an outcast thing”. This tells us that now she has married the lord the neighbours respect her but have rejected the cottage worker and have called her an outcast. People were very judgemental in that era and if you were seen to be ‘easy’ then people would hold opinions of you and hold them against you
“Even though I sit and howl in dust; you sit in gold and sing”. This quotation explains that when the cottage worker is upset and crying in the barn amongst the dust, Cousin Kate is sitting in the lord’s palace and singing happily with him, praising her life and her times with the lord. As we know Cousin Kate does not know about the affair with the cottage maiden, so therefore respects the lord. She then goes on to talk about her upbringing. “Now which of us had tenderer heart, you had the stronger wing”. This quotation explains that they were both normal women with loving and caring hearts, but cousin Kate had the stronger and more loving upbringing, leaving the cottage maiden to ‘fend for herself’ and bring herself up in the ways she feels right. The stronger wing meaning that she had the upper hand on the maiden and that is probably why the lord wanted to marry her and not the maiden. The structure of the stanza is very comparative. The maiden constantly compares her self to Cousin Kate in this stanza. This means that the thoughts running through her mind are trying to find out as to why Kate was chosen and not the maiden. She may, in her mind be trying to get revenge on Kate.
Stanza 5 tells us about the love and hatred in the poem. According to the maiden, Kate’s love was not real. “O cousin Kate my love was true, your love was writ in sand”. This tells us that Kate’s love was going to disappear like sand in the wind, whilst the maiden’s love was real. The maiden may just be saying this for revenge against Cousin Kate to try and make herself feel better but we do not know. The maiden then talks about if the situation had been reversed, that she would not have fallen for the lord and “spat into his face”. She may just be saying this because she wants to make herself feel better by blaming it on someone else. She says that she would not have accepted his proposal for marriage and would have rejected him. The language used in this stanza is very aggressive. The words “spit into his face” give a sharp and clear image of revenge and hatred towards the lord. The language is also very repetitive. She keeps saying “if”. This could mean that she may feel that if she had not have fell for him none of this would have happened, which in reality is true. This stanza is the main section that tells about what happened and what could have been done to avoid all of the incidents. She feels that if she had not been so gullible and easy, it would have all been avoided. She is trying to make herself feel better by thinking of what could have happened rather than what did happen. The next stanza goes on to explain about the main twist in the story, where the maiden has the chance to make herself feel better, and make everyone around her jealous
Stanza 6 goes on to explain about something that the maiden has obtained, something that the Cousin can never get. A baby. The maiden has become pregnant and feels that she has won the battle. “Your father would give lands for one” this quotation tells us that the lord cannot have children, therefore does not have an heir to his throne.
The lord is willing to give whatever needs bee to obtain a child, a son, and heir to his throne. The maiden talks about how Kate will fret that he cannot have children. “For all your clothes and wedding ring” This tells us that for all the material items she has e.g. expensive clothes, rings, and jewellery. She will never have the one thing that she really wants, a baby. The language of this stanza is based on revenge. The maiden feels that she has beaten Kate and won the battle. This goes too show that all the material things in life mean nothing when a woman cannot have children. The structure of the poem acts as a climax. It tells about how even though the maiden was cheated and used she still has the one thing that matters more than anything.
The writer Christina Rossetti has written a very good portrayal of life in early times. It shows how society rejected women who had unlawful sex in earlier times; women were judged and disowned by all people who knew them. Society has now changed. Women are no longer judged or even looked down on by anyone. It has become a way of life that in earlier times may have been conceded as dirty and unlawful, people’s attitudes have changed and it is no longer as big a deal as it was in the early 19th century.
Tim Wakelin
11/1/2003
