Poem Analysis for Christina Rossetti’s Vigil of St Bartholomew
Themes:
Devotion
Waiting
Worthy
Ready
Summary:
Rossetti’s ‘Vigil of St Bartholomew’ is derived wholly from biblical imagery as the
style of her poetry becomes increasingly devotional towards the end of her life. The
sole image is one of waiting in purity for God- there is a sense the speaker must be
ready for God- eagerness for the afterlife.
Structure:
The poem is a Petrarchan sonnet, firstly to stress it’s a love poem, secondly to help
reflect the movement of its journey from earth to heaven. The women’s spiritual
journey is shown to be both external and internal as the octave describes what they
do (keep vigil) and the sestet how they feel (so patient, calm and rapt). The sense of
progressing up the earthly “uphill” is emphasised in the octaves traditional ABBA
rhyme scheme, then freed in the sestets rhyme- sense of completeness with the
symmetrical structure of having the first and last line rhyming.
More A* analysis on page 2!
Imagery:
The poem begins with the foregrounded “Lord” which introduces the devotional
element, emphasised by the archaic language such as “thine”. Rossetti creates a
sense of always being watchful “awake while eyelids sleep” suggesting even when
speaker is resting- she is always ready- implying a keen sense of anticipation. The
imagery of “eye” are continued in the next line, perhaps as they are the windows to
ones soul, we are also elevated to the sublime through the alliteration of “watch and
Themes:
Devotion
Waiting
Worthy
Ready
Summary:
Rossetti’s ‘Vigil of St Bartholomew’ is derived wholly from biblical imagery as the
style of her poetry becomes increasingly devotional towards the end of her life. The
sole image is one of waiting in purity for God- there is a sense the speaker must be
ready for God- eagerness for the afterlife.
Structure:
The poem is a Petrarchan sonnet, firstly to stress it’s a love poem, secondly to help
reflect the movement of its journey from earth to heaven. The women’s spiritual
journey is shown to be both external and internal as the octave describes what they
do (keep vigil) and the sestet how they feel (so patient, calm and rapt). The sense of
progressing up the earthly “uphill” is emphasised in the octaves traditional ABBA
rhyme scheme, then freed in the sestets rhyme- sense of completeness with the
symmetrical structure of having the first and last line rhyming.
More A* analysis on page 2!
Imagery:
The poem begins with the foregrounded “Lord” which introduces the devotional
element, emphasised by the archaic language such as “thine”. Rossetti creates a
sense of always being watchful “awake while eyelids sleep” suggesting even when
speaker is resting- she is always ready- implying a keen sense of anticipation. The
imagery of “eye” are continued in the next line, perhaps as they are the windows to
ones soul, we are also elevated to the sublime through the alliteration of “watch and
