Poems (ePub)

Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830-1894) was an English poet who, with her lyrical prowess and reflective themes, solidified her position as a significant figure in Victorian literature. Born into a family of Italian exiles, her artistic upbringing included her brothers, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, a co-founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and William Michael Rossetti, a critic and editor. Rossetti's poetic works resonate with emotional intensity and explore themes such as love, loss, and spirituality, often interweaving rich imagery and symbolism. Her collection 'Poems' (1875 & 1890) encompasses key strands of her writing, including her most famous piece, 'Goblin Market,' a narrative poem that continues to be the subject of extensive literary analysis. An enduring influence on feminist and literary scholarship, Rossetti's work is characterized by its melancholic beauty and depth of religious sentiment. Firmly rooted in the Tractarian (or Oxford) Movement, her devotional writings reveal the complexities of her faith and its impact on women's roles. Though her poetry contains personal and innovative elements that transcend the era's limitations, it is invariably marked by the imprint of the Victorian ethos. Despite battling illness in later life, Rossetti's reputation as a poet of compelling vision and subtle expressiveness remains undisputed, with her contributions to the canon of English literature celebrated to this day.