Poem Analysis for Christina Rossetti’s The Greatest of These is Charity
Themes:
Life
Death
Decay
Summary:
In Rossetti’s ‘The greatest of these is charity’ she personifies the ideas of faith, hope
and charity- Jesus' commands, charity being love. In Rossetti’s ‘The greatest of
these is charity’ sje personifies the ideas of faith, hope and charity- Jesus'
commands
Structure:
A Petrarchan sonnet, her most comfortable form to write in, usually to describe love
yet the octave especially is utterly nihilistic, yet ultimately the poem ends of a loving,
pastoral, inviting note.
More A* analysis on page 2!
Imagery:
The poem begins with an unloving image of “a moon impoverished amid stars
curtailed”, conveying a lexis of withering and a lack of care. Through “curtailed” we
discover how the speaker believes life to be cut short- is she unfulfilled?
Furthermore, not the definite article “a” is somewhat detached from the world, much
Themes:
Life
Death
Decay
Summary:
In Rossetti’s ‘The greatest of these is charity’ she personifies the ideas of faith, hope
and charity- Jesus' commands, charity being love. In Rossetti’s ‘The greatest of
these is charity’ sje personifies the ideas of faith, hope and charity- Jesus'
commands
Structure:
A Petrarchan sonnet, her most comfortable form to write in, usually to describe love
yet the octave especially is utterly nihilistic, yet ultimately the poem ends of a loving,
pastoral, inviting note.
More A* analysis on page 2!
Imagery:
The poem begins with an unloving image of “a moon impoverished amid stars
curtailed”, conveying a lexis of withering and a lack of care. Through “curtailed” we
discover how the speaker believes life to be cut short- is she unfulfilled?
Furthermore, not the definite article “a” is somewhat detached from the world, much
