Twice (Rossetti)

Final 3 Stanzas:

• The narrator has 'her' heart broken by a character in the poem.
• She then devotes her love to God instead.
• There is a repition of "O my God", which replaces "Oh my Love"

The idea of rejection:

• Reactions:
• Isolation,
• Lashing out,
• Lose confidence,
• Move on,
• Turn to someone else for support,
• Unmovitated,
• Disheartened,
• Self-judgement,
• Trying to improve/better yourself.

Narrator/persona has experienced romantic rejection.

Twice has parralleism. The first line of the stanzas mirrors eachother. Eg. "I TOOK my heart in my hand", "You took my heart in my hand" and "I take my heart in my hand".

COMPARISONS OF "TWICE":

•  Shut Out - The idea of the narrator being rejected.
• Maude Clare - A form of romantic rejection but contrasts with the reaction to the romantic rejection.
• No, Thank you, John. - Idea of male dominance and being in control of the relationship. Romantic rejection, but contrasts with the attitudes of the narrator.
• Song (When I am dead my dearest) - Religious imagery/ideology, same tone of confiedence and inner strength.
• Echo - Repitition and impossiblity of moving on. Contrasts because in Twice she turns to God.

Rossetti: Echo.

Echo:

Narrative: Mourning a death? - a child? - a lover?
                  "soft rounded cheeks" "whose awakening should have been in paradise"

Language: Repitition in all stanzas.
                  Rhyme Scheme: ABABCC.

Not a narrative poem as such, more a poem that is telling emotions.
-A lyric poem.



Language Analysis:

STANZA 1: 

• Imperative of "come" - not commanding but more of a pleading tone. Sets the tone of desperation and longing.
• Repititon of "come" - shows speaker is persistent and again emphasises her desperation and pleads. A soothing, constant.
• Smilie (figurative language) - creates a clear image of the contrast of the "sunlight on a stream" The sunglight on a stream gives it a figurative comparison to nature - Romantic Poets influence.
• Triplet - Abstract nouns which mirror the title as they are echoes. "Memory, hope, love" - addressing her lover, represents her lover.
• Sibilance - "sound" sensual.
• Alliteration
• Oxymoron - "speaking silence"
• "Come back in tears" - ambiguity.

STANZA 2:

• Repititon of "sweet" - oxymoron of "bittersweet", growing madness, nostalgia.
• "Paradise" - capitalised, heaven?
• wants to meet in heaven- ambiguity- who is dead, if anyone?
• "Thirsting, longing eyes" - reinforces pleading tone.
• "lets out no more" - A dark undertone to being in heaven. In heaven, waiting for their lover, isnt an idyllic state. Person who is alive, calling for their dead lover.
• Water imagery - again, Romantic poets infulence on Rossetti.

STANZA 3:

• Lyrical - traditional to be set to music.
• "My very life again tho' cold in death" - wantes to relive their life, an echo of it. Literal meaning and figurative as she thinks she is "cold in death" without her lover.
• Structure/layout -reinfoces an echo on the page.
• "Pulse for pulse, breath for breath" - Speaker dies instead of lover? Closeness of loves? Rhythm is like a pulse/breath. Ambiguous.
• "As long ago, so long ago" - literally long ago- poignant or feels so long ago.
• Complex punctuation - syntax. Slows down the poem, each stanza is a sentance.

Comparisons:
1) Song is a lyric poem and refers to a period after death and a lover dying. However, it is clear it is her own death she is referrring to in Song.
2) Remember is also a lyric poem and has the same quiet, persuasive tone.
3) Shut Out addresses the concept and feelings of 'distance', both figuratively and literally, also.

Maude Clare

Attitudes and Characters shown in Maude Clare:-

Narrator: The Narrator seems to prefer Maude Clare, and may have a bias view because of this.
                  -"Maude Clare was like a queen"

Maude Clare: Maude Clare's language is abrupt and shows that she is resentful towards Nell and Thomas.
-"Lo" Lo is used to draw attention to something and Maude Clare says this before scornful dialogue, which shows she is interrupting with digust, emphasising her bitterness.

Thomas: Thomas is ashamed and seems to be embarrassed by Maude Clare's outburst as he speaks in faltering tones.
-"and hid his face." This is also reinforced in the caesure in his speech. It gives a sense of confusion and apprehenson by:

•  By not knowing how to address Maude Clare, he demonstrates his anxiety about their relationship.
• In hiding his face, he makes a feeble attempt to avoid responding to her insults.
• By remaining silent, he gives Maude the freedom to address Nell with her seemingly prepared speech.

Nell: Nell is proud, which may come from the fact she is marrying Thomas and not Maude Clare. She isn't naive and understands that Maude Clare is "more wise and more fair, but is determined to make their marriage work and demonstates this as her courage increases.
"I'll love him till he loves me best, Me best of alll Maude Clare".
In this final verse she also

Thomas' mother: Thomas' mother expresses her sympathy and concern for the couple by attempting to hide her tears with smiles and blessings.