Love and Time in Rossettis Poems Essay -- Dante Gabriel Rossetti Poet

Love and Time in Rossetti's Poems It is evident that themes of love and time are frequently referred to in several of Rossetti’s poems and I believe that she treats these themes in a variety of ways. Regarding love, Rossetti explores the disappointment and betrayal caused by love, her love of God as though part of an intimate relationship and the temptation that love causes young women to abandon the traditional rules. Using seasonal imagery, Rossetti relates to time contradicting herself as she often implies that we should take time to enjoy and observe life whilst she also states that she is unable to be satisfied with earthly life and it is death that will provide the ultimate fulfilment. Aware of the inevitable that seasons will always change and can never be controlled, Rossetti uses the motif of life cycles in order to demonstrate that we should be satisfied with all that God provided us with on earth. â€Å"Life nursed in its grave by death†, In ‘Spring’ Rossetti implies a significant image that death is the protector of life and nurtures new growing life. Supporting this in ‘Bitter for sweet’, Rossetti stimulates us not to rush through life but observe more and slow down, â€Å"Its sun and perfumes and sweet flowers†. Demonstrating that rapid changes in life take place and as humans we never notice these Rossetti chose to present this poem in only 8 lines, however in this she progresses through 4 months. This conveys that cycles are to be anticipated and using a passage of time through seasons she is able to symbolise the journey through life, â€Å"And even autumn closes†. Looking back at her life in regret in ‘Another Spring’ she confesses â€Å"If I might see another Spring/ I’d listen to the daylight birds†... ...ing to look forward to as she believes that death will enable her a truly satisfying life. To conclude, I believe that Rossetti treats the theme of time by creating a parallel to the inevitability of seasons emphasizing that with all good comes bad and that however hard you try to control life, it never stands still and you will never be able to turn back in time. Presenting her warnings about love and her doubts that she will ever find happiness, Rossetti treats the theme of love as a challenge as she states that if you are able to find love on earth, you are lucky and therefore able to enjoy your time on earth. However if like Rossetti you are unable to find your perfect partner, you may resolve into finding your faith in God as inevitably no one will ever match up to him and he is responsible for our happiness whether we find it on earth or by death.