Poem Analysis for Christina Rossetti’s Autumn Violets
Themes:
Love
Youth
Age
Nature
Summary:
In Rossetti’s ‘Autumn Violets’ She equates the violets of spring to the blossoming of
youth. Though the speaker believes love should be kept for those who are young,
she does not completely reject the notion love can come later in life.
Structure:
Petrarchan sonnet- yet with irregular rhyme so doesn’t follow the structure strictly of
such a sonnet. This perhaps mimics the nature of love, love cannot always be kept in
the spring.
More A* analysis on page 2!
Imagery:
The poem begins with the line “keep love for youth and violets for the spring”, yet the
very nature of the title “autumn violets” suggest there can be love later in life.
“Violets” may be an emblem of innocence and modesty, which should be instilled till
marriage- the poem is somewhat didactic. There is a self-denial of love the speaker
explores “if these bloom when worn-out autumn grieves/ let them hide in double
shade of leaves”, exploring if these emblems of love “bloom” in later life, love should
be hid, repressed deep down- love is only befitting to the youth. There is a concept
of age, “others dropped down withering” - violets decayed, older women “wither”.
Rossetti incorporates PRB imagery “violets suit when home birds build and sing”,
Themes:
Love
Youth
Age
Nature
Summary:
In Rossetti’s ‘Autumn Violets’ She equates the violets of spring to the blossoming of
youth. Though the speaker believes love should be kept for those who are young,
she does not completely reject the notion love can come later in life.
Structure:
Petrarchan sonnet- yet with irregular rhyme so doesn’t follow the structure strictly of
such a sonnet. This perhaps mimics the nature of love, love cannot always be kept in
the spring.
More A* analysis on page 2!
Imagery:
The poem begins with the line “keep love for youth and violets for the spring”, yet the
very nature of the title “autumn violets” suggest there can be love later in life.
“Violets” may be an emblem of innocence and modesty, which should be instilled till
marriage- the poem is somewhat didactic. There is a self-denial of love the speaker
explores “if these bloom when worn-out autumn grieves/ let them hide in double
shade of leaves”, exploring if these emblems of love “bloom” in later life, love should
be hid, repressed deep down- love is only befitting to the youth. There is a concept
of age, “others dropped down withering” - violets decayed, older women “wither”.
Rossetti incorporates PRB imagery “violets suit when home birds build and sing”,
