Welcome, dear readers, to a journey into the heart of a truly poignant poem, Christina Rossetti’s “After Death.” As your guide, I invite you to explore the quiet power and profound insights contained within these verses. This poem offers a unique perspective on love, loss, and the lingering echoes of human connection, even beyond life’s final breath. Prepare to uncover the layers of meaning and the masterful use of language that make this piece a timeless classic.
Here is the poem for your contemplation:
The curtains were half drawn,
The floor was swept and laid with rushes, rosemary, and may.
Lay thick upon the bed upon which I lay,
Where through the lattice ivy‑shadows crept.He leaned above me, thinking that I slept,
And could not hear him; but I heard him say,
“Poor child, poor child,” and as he turned away,
Came a deep silence, and I knew he wept.He did not love me living, but once dead, he pitied me,
And very sweet it is to know he still is warm, though I am cold.
Unveiling “After Death”: A Summary and Central Idea
Christina Rossetti’s “After Death,” first published in 1863, stands as a quintessential example of Victorian lyricism, capturing a moment of quiet yet powerful loss. The poem presents a unique narrative: a deceased woman, the speaker, remains conscious enough to observe the world around her, particularly the reaction of a man who was significant in her life. From her deathbed, she witnesses his grief, a tenderness he never displayed during her lifetime.
The central idea of “After Death” revolves around the profound irony of unrequited love and the transformative power of loss. The speaker, now beyond the physical realm, finds a bittersweet solace in the man’s belated pity and sorrow. This unexpected display of emotion, though coming too late, offers a quiet dignity to her acceptance. The poem explores the stark contrast between life and death, the sudden realization of loss, and the enduring nature of human feeling, suggesting that true understanding or affection can sometimes only emerge in the face of absence. It is a poignant reflection on how grief can reshape our perceptions of past relationships and the complex tapestry of human connection.
An In-Depth Analysis of Literary Devices in “After Death”
Christina Rossetti masterfully employs a range of literary devices to imbue “After Death” with its haunting beauty and emotional depth. Each technique contributes to the poem’s unique atmosphere and its exploration of profound themes.
Point of View
The poem’s most striking literary device is its unique point of view. The narrative is delivered in the first person by a speaker who has already died. This allows for an intimate, observational, and almost detached perspective on the living world. For instance, the lines,
He leaned above me, thinking that I slept,
And could not hear him; but I heard him say,
immediately establish this extraordinary perspective. The speaker’s consciousness after death creates a sense of spectral presence, allowing her to witness truths that were perhaps hidden during her life, offering a profound commentary on perception and reality.
Imagery
Rossetti uses vivid and evocative imagery to set the scene and establish the somber mood. The opening lines paint a clear picture:
The curtains were half drawn,
The floor was swept and laid with rushes, rosemary, and may.
The “half drawn” curtains suggest a liminal space, a boundary between light and shadow, life and death. The “rushes, rosemary, and may” are not merely decorative; rosemary is traditionally associated with remembrance and mourning, while rushes and may flowers often carry connotations of fleeting life and funeral rites. This rich sensory detail immerses the reader in the solemnity of the death chamber, hinting at the rituals surrounding death in the Victorian era.
Personification
Personification is subtly used to animate the surroundings, blurring the lines between the living and the inanimate. Consider the line:
Where through the lattice ivy‑shadows crept.
The “ivy‑shadows” are given the human action of “crept.” This gentle, stealthy movement adds a quiet, almost watchful quality to the environment, suggesting that even nature observes the solemn scene. It also subtly reinforces the idea of something unseen or lingering, much like the speaker’s own consciousness.
Irony
The central emotional core of the poem rests upon a powerful irony. The man’s affection and pity only manifest after the speaker’s death. This is explicitly stated in the lines:
He did not love me living, but once dead, he pitied me,
And very sweet it is to know he still is warm, though I am cold.
The irony lies in the belated nature of his tenderness. During her life, the speaker experienced a lack of love, yet in death, she receives his tears and pity. This reversal of expectation is deeply poignant, highlighting the tragic truth that appreciation or understanding can often come too late, after the opportunity for reciprocal affection has passed.
Contrast
Rossetti employs striking contrasts to emphasize the poem’s themes. The most prominent is the opposition between life and death, and the physical states associated with them. The final line encapsulates this beautifully:
And very sweet it is to know he still is warm, though I am cold.
Here, the physical “cold” of the deceased speaker is juxtaposed with the “warmth” of the living man. This contrast extends beyond mere temperature; it symbolizes the emotional states and the chasm between their existences. Her coldness represents her physical end, while his warmth signifies his continued life and, ironically, the awakening of his emotions. This stark division underscores the irreversible nature of death while highlighting the enduring, if belated, impact of human connection.
Sound Devices: Alliteration, Assonance, and Consonance
Rossetti uses subtle sound devices to enhance the poem’s musicality and emotional resonance. Alliteration, the repetition of initial consonant sounds, can be found in phrases like “swept and laid with rushes, rosemary.” The repeated ‘r’ sound in “rushes, rosemary” creates a gentle, flowing rhythm. Assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds, is evident in “thinking that I slept” and “knew he wept,” where the short ‘e’ sound links the man’s perception with the speaker’s understanding of his sorrow. Consonance, the repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words, is particularly effective in the repeated ‘t’ sounds in “swept,” “crept,” “slept,” and “wept.” These sounds create a subtle, almost hushed rhythm that mirrors the quiet, solemn atmosphere of the deathbed scene and the speaker’s passive observation.
Analysis of Poetic Structure and Form in “After Death”
“After Death” exhibits a carefully constructed form that contributes significantly to its impact. While it might initially appear to be a traditional sonnet, its structure deviates in a meaningful way, creating a sense of lingering thought and unresolved emotion.
Stanzaic Structure
The poem is composed of three stanzas: two quatrains (four-line stanzas) followed by a tercet (a three-line stanza). This progression allows the poet to unfold the narrative in a controlled manner:
- The first quatrain establishes the setting and the speaker’s physical state.
- The second quatrain details the man’s arrival and his emotional reaction.
- The final tercet delivers the speaker’s profound reflection and the poem’s central ironic statement.
The unexpected shift to a tercet in the final stanza, rather than a full quatrain or a traditional sonnet’s sestet, creates a sense of abruptness or a final, concise thought, leaving the reader with the speaker’s poignant realization.
Rhyme Scheme
The rhyme scheme of “After Death” is a variation that contributes to its unique musicality and emotional resonance. Analyzing the end rhymes reveals the pattern:
- Stanza 1: drawn (A), may (B), lay (B), crept (C) — ABBC
- Stanza 2: slept (C), say (D), away (D), wept (C) — CDDC
- Stanza 3: dead (E), cold (F) — EF
The interlocking ‘C’ rhyme between the first and second quatrains (“crept,” “slept,” “wept”) creates a subtle connection between the initial scene and the man’s emotional response. The final tercet, with its distinct ‘E’ and ‘F’ rhymes, breaks from the established pattern, mirroring the speaker’s final, isolated reflection and the definitive separation of life and death.
Meter and Rhythm
The poem employs a generally iambic rhythm, meaning it largely follows a pattern of unstressed followed by stressed syllables. However, the meter is not strictly regular, and line lengths vary, contributing to a natural, almost conversational tone that suits the speaker’s quiet observation. For example, while lines like “Where THROUGH | the LAT | tice I | vy SHAD | ows CREPT” exhibit a clear iambic pentameter (five iambs), other lines are shorter or longer, such as:
The curtains were half drawn,
or the longer line:
The floor was swept and laid with rushes, rosemary, and may.
This flexibility in meter prevents the poem from feeling rigid or overly formal, instead lending it an intimate, contemplative quality that draws the reader closer to the speaker’s internal experience.
The Enduring Legacy of “After Death”
Christina Rossetti’s “After Death” remains a powerful and thought-provoking poem, celebrated for its unique perspective and profound emotional resonance. Through its masterful use of literary and poetic devices, the poem invites readers to contemplate the complexities of human relationships, the bittersweet nature of belated affection, and the enduring mystery of consciousness beyond life. It serves as a poignant reminder that even in death, the echoes of our lives and the impact we have on others can continue to resonate, sometimes revealing truths that were obscured in life. This poem truly stands as a testament to Rossetti’s genius and her ability to capture the deepest human feelings with delicate precision.