Poem Analysis for Christina Rossetti’s A Smile and a Sigh
A smile because the nights are short!
And every morning brings such pleasure
Of sweet love-making, harmless sport:
Love that makes and finds its treasure;
Love, treasure without measure.
A sigh because the days are long!
Long, long these days that pass in sighing,
A burden saddens every song:
While time lags which should be flying,
We live who would be dying.
Themes:
Joy
Love
Time passing
Death
Summary:
Rossetti’s a ‘Smile and a sigh’ explores the joys of life and love yet becomes utterly
sorrow in the second stanza- perhaps to convey to the alternating views on life- a joy
or a burden.
More A* analysis on page 2!
A smile because the nights are short!
And every morning brings such pleasure
Of sweet love-making, harmless sport:
Love that makes and finds its treasure;
Love, treasure without measure.
A sigh because the days are long!
Long, long these days that pass in sighing,
A burden saddens every song:
While time lags which should be flying,
We live who would be dying.
Themes:
Joy
Love
Time passing
Death
Summary:
Rossetti’s a ‘Smile and a sigh’ explores the joys of life and love yet becomes utterly
sorrow in the second stanza- perhaps to convey to the alternating views on life- a joy
or a burden.
More A* analysis on page 2!
