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Christina Rossetti. Victorian Times
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- She was born in 1830, in London
- She began to write at the age of 7. Her more important works are: «GoblinMarket», the poem «Remember» and her Christmas carol «In the BleakMidwinter»
- She belonged to the Pre-Raphaelite movement, which was founded by herbrother Dante.
- She had a deep interest in the Catholic Church , so religious devotion took a major role in her life.
- She dies at the age of 64, in 1894.
In the bleak midwinterFrosty wind made moan,Earth stood hard as iron,Water like a stone;Snow had fallen, snow on snow,Snow on snow,In the bleak midwinter,Long ago.
Our God, heaven cannot hold him,Nor earth sustain;Heaven and earth shall flee awayWhen he comes to reign;In the bleak midwinterA stable place sufficedThe Lord God incarnate,Jesus Christ.
Enough for him, whom CherubimWorship night and dayA breast full of milkAnd a manger full of hay.Enough for him, whom angelsFall down before,The ox and ass and camelwhich adore.
Angels and archangelsMay have gathered there,Cherubim and seraphimThronged the air;But his mother only,In her maiden bliss,Worshipped the BelovedWith a kiss
What can I give him, Poor as I am?If I were a shepherdI would bring a lamb,If I were a wise manI would do my part,Yet what I can I give Him —Give my heart.
The Lyric speaker is clearly a member of the Catholic Church, who is presenting thestory of Jesus’ birth
«What can I give him, poor as I am»
This poem is aimed to cultured members of the Catholic Church, able tounderstand the real significance of the poem rather than just the story of howJesus was born.
The most important themes that are present on the poem are: mother’s love, thegreatness of God, and the miracle of a newborn baby.
In the bleak midwinterFrosty wind made moan,Earth stood hard as iron,Water like a stone;Snow had fallen, snow on snow,Snow on snow,In the bleak midwinter,Long ago.
Enough for him, whom CherubimWorship night and dayA breast full of milkAnd a manger full of hay.Enough for him, whom angelsFall down before,The ox and ass and camelwhich adore.
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- The poem consists of 5 stanzas, with 8 verses each
- The rhymes present can be both, assonant or consonant
In the bleak midwinterFrosty wind made moan,Earth stood hard as iron,Water like a stone;Snow had fallen, snow on snow,Snow on snow,In the bleak midwinter,Long ago.
Aural imagerySimile
Simile, oxymoron
Repetition, alliteration
Tone: hopeless
Our God, heaven cannot hold him,Nor earth sustain;Heaven and earth shall flee awayWhen he comes to reign;In the bleak midwinterA stable place sufficedThe Lord God incarnate,Jesus Christ.
Tone: a greatness tone with a sudden change to a calm tone
Hyperbole
Personification
Symbolism
Enough for him, whom CherubimWorship night and dayA breast full of milkAnd a manger full of hay.Enough for him, whom angelsFall down before,The ox and ass and camelwhich adore.
Tone: a tone of admiration and calmness
Symbolism
Personification
Angels and archangelsMay have gathered there,Cherubim and seraphimThronged the air;But his mother only,In her maiden bliss,Worshipped the BelovedWith a kiss
Tone: continues a tone of love and admiration towards the newborn baby
Internal rhyme
Metonymy
Internal rhyme
What can I give him, Poor as I am?If I were a shepherdI would bring a lamb,If I were a wise manI would do my part,Yet what I can I give Him —Give my heart.
Tone: a tone of admiration towards Jesus, but this time coming from the lyric speaker.
Symbolism
