'Sister Helen' by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
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"Why did you melt your waxen man
Sister Helen?
To-day is the third since you began."
"The time was long, yet the time ran,
Little brother."
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Three days to-day, between Hell and Heaven!)
"But if you have done your work aright,
Sister Helen,
You'll let me play, for you said I might."
"Be very still in your play to-night,
Little brother."
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Third night, to-night, between Hell and Heaven!)
"You said it must melt ere vesper-bell,
Sister Helen;
If now it be molten, all is well."
"Even so,--nay, peace! you cannot tell,
Little brother."
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
O what is this, between Hell and Heaven?)
"Oh the waxen knave was plump to-day,
Sister Helen;
How like dead folk he has dropp'd away!"
"Nay now, of the dead what can you say,
Little brother?"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
What of the dead, between Hell and Heaven?)
"See, see, the sunken pile of wood,
Sister Helen,
Shines through the thinn'd wax red as blood!"
"Nay now, when look'd you yet on blood,
Little brother?"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
How pale she is, between Hell and Heaven!)
"Now close your eyes, for they're sick and sore,
Sister Helen,
And I'll play without the gallery door."
"Aye, let me rest,--I'll lie on the floor,
Little brother."
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
What rest to-night, between Hell and Heaven?)
"Here high up in the balcony,
Sister Helen,
The moon flies face to face with me."
"Aye, look and say whatever you see,
Little brother."
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
What sight to-night, between Hell and Heaven?)
"Outside it's merry in the wind's wake,
Sister Helen;
In the shaken trees the chill stars shake."
"Hush, heard you a horse-tread as you spake,
Little brother?"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
What sound to-night, between Hell and Heaven?)
"I hear a horse-tread, and I see,
Sister Helen,
Three horsemen that ride terribly."
"Little brother, whence come the three,
Little brother?"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Whence should they come, between Hell and Heaven?)
"They come by the hill-verge from Boyne Bar,
Sister Helen,
And one draws nigh, but two are afar."
"Look, look, do you know them who they are,
Little brother?"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Who should they be, between Hell and Heaven?)
"Oh, it's Keith of Eastholm rides so fast,
Sister Helen,
For I know the white mane on the blast."
"The hour has come, has come at last,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Her hour at last, between Hell and Heaven!)
"He has made a sign and called Halloo!
Sister Helen,
And he says that he would speak with you."
"Oh tell him I fear the frozen dew,
Little brother."
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Why laughs she thus, between Hell and Heaven?)
"The wind is loud, but I hear him cry,
Sister Helen,
That Keith of Ewern's like to die."
"And he and thou, and thou and I,
Little brother."
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
And they and we, between Hell and Heaven!)
"Three days ago, on his marriage-morn,
Sister Helen,
He sicken'd, and lies since then forlorn."
"For bridegroom's side is the bride a thorn,
Little brother?"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Cold bridal cheer, between Hell and Heaven!)
"Three days and nights he has lain abed,
Sister Helen,
And he prays in torment to be dead."
"The thing may chance, if he have pray'd,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
If he have pray'd, between Hell and Heaven!)
"But he has not ceas'd to cry to-day,
Sister Helen,
That you should take your curse away."
"My prayer was heard,--he need but pray,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Shall God not hear, between Hell and Heaven?)
"But he says, till you take back your ban,
Sister Helen,
His soul would pass, yet never can."
"Nay then, shall I slay a living man,
Little brother?"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
A living soul, between Hell and Heaven!)
"But he calls for ever on your name,
Sister Helen,
And says that he melts before a flame."
"My heart for his pleasure far'd the same,
Little brother."
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Fire at the heart, between Hell and Heaven!)
"Here's Keith of Westholm riding fast,
Sister Helen,
For I know the white plume on the blast."
"The hour, the sweet hour I forecast,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Is the hour sweet, between Hell and Heaven?)
"He stops to speak, and he stills his horse,
Sister Helen;
But his words are drown'd in the wind's course."
"Nay hear, nay hear, you must hear perforce,
Little brother!" .
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
What word now heard, between Hell and Heaven?)
"Oh he says that Keith of Ewern's cry,
Sister Helen,
Is ever to see you ere he die."
"In all that his soul sees, there am I
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
The soul's one sight, between Hell and Heaven!)
"He sends a ring and a broken coin,
Sister Helen,
And bids you mind the banks of Boyne."
"What else he broke will he ever join,
Little brother?"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
No, never join'd, between Hell and Heaven!)
"He yields you these and craves full fain,
Sister Helen,
You pardon him in his mortal pain."
"What else he took will he give again,
Little brother?"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Not twice to give, between Hell and Heaven!)
"He calls your name in an agony,
Sister Helen,
That even dead Love must weep to see."
"Hate, born of Love, is blind as he,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Love turn'd to hate, between Hell and Heaven!)
"Oh it's Keith of Keith now that rides fast,
Sister Helen,
For I know the white hair on the blast."
"The short short hour will soon be past,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Will soon be past, between Hell and Heaven!)
"He looks at me and he tries to speak,
Sister Helen,
But oh! his voice is sad and weak!"
"What here should the mighty Baron seek,
Little brother?"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Is this the end, between Hell and Heaven?)
"Oh his son still cries, if you forgive,
Sister Helen,
The body dies but the soul shall live."
"Fire shall forgive me as I forgive,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
As she forgives, between Hell and Heaven!)
"Oh he prays you, as his heart would rive,
Sister Helen,
To save his dear son's soul alive."
"Fire cannot slay it, it shall thrive,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Alas, alas, between Hell and Heaven!)
"He cries to you, kneeling in the road,
Sister Helen,
To go with him for the love of God!"
"The way is long to his son's abode,
Little brother."
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
The way is long, between Hell and Heaven!)
"A lady's here, by a dark steed brought,
Sister Helen,
So darkly clad, I saw her not."
"See her now or never see aught,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
What more to see, between Hell and Heaven?)
"Her hood falls back, and the moon shines fair,
Sister Helen,
On the Lady of Ewern's golden hair."
"Blest hour of my power and her despair,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Hour blest and bann'd, between Hell and Heaven!)
"Pale, pale her cheeks, that in pride did glow,
Sister Helen,
'Neath the bridal-wreath three days ago."
"One morn for pride and three days for woe,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Three days, three nights, between Hell and Heaven!)
"Her clasp'd hands stretch from her bending head,
Sister Helen;
With the loud wind's wail her sobs are wed."
"What wedding-strains hath her bridal-bed,
Little brother?"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
What strain but death's, between Hell and Heaven?)
"She may not speak, she sinks in a swoon,
Sister Helen,--
She lifts her lips and gasps on the moon."
"Oh! might I but hear her soul's blithe tune,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Her woe's dumb cry, between Hell and Heaven!)
"They've caught her to Westholm's saddle-bow,
Sister Helen,
And her moonlit hair gleams white in its flow."
"Let it turn whiter than winter snow,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Woe-wither'd gold, between Hell and Heaven!)
"O Sister Helen, you heard the bell,
Sister Helen!
More loud than the vesper-chime it fell."
"No vesper-chime, but a dying knell,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
His dying knell, between Hell and Heaven!)
"Alas! but I fear the heavy sound,
Sister Helen;
Is it in the sky or in the ground?"
"Say, have they turn'd their horses round,
Little brother?"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
What would she more, between Hell and Heaven?)
"They have rais'd the old man from his knee,
Sister Helen,
And they ride in silence hastily."
"More fast the naked soul doth flee,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
The naked soul, between Hell and Heaven!)
"Flank to flank are the three steeds gone,
Sister Helen,
But the lady's dark steed goes alone."
"And lonely her bridegroom's soul hath flown,
Little brother."
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
The lonely ghost, between Hell and Heaven!)
"Oh the wind is sad in the iron chill,
Sister Helen,
And weary sad they look by the hill."
"But he and I are sadder still,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Most sad of all, between Hell and Heaven!)
"See, see, the wax has dropp'd from its place,
Sister Helen,
And the flames are winning up apace!"
"Yet here they burn but for a space,
Little brother! "
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Here for a space, between Hell and Heaven!)
"Ah! what white thing at the door has cross'd,
Sister Helen?
Ah! what is this that sighs in the frost?"
"A soul that's lost as mine is lost,
Little brother!"
(O Mother, Mary Mother,
Lost, lost, all lost, between Hell and Heaven!)
Editor 1 Interpretation
Sister Helen: A Critical Interpretation
The Victorian era was a time of great artistic and literary expression, marked by a renewed interest in the medieval period and a fascination with Gothic themes. Dante Gabriel Rossetti, one of the most prominent poets of the era, was a master of the Gothic style, and his poem "Sister Helen" is a prime example of his skill.
At its core, "Sister Helen" is a poem about revenge and the consequences of seeking it. The story follows a woman named Helen who seeks revenge against her lover's murderer, a man named James. She seeks the help of a witch to cast a spell that will bring James back to life, so that she may kill him herself. The spell works, and James comes back to life, but as a twisted, demonic version of himself. In the end, Helen realizes the futility and destructive nature of revenge, and kills James in a moment of mercy.
One of the most striking aspects of "Sister Helen" is Rossetti's use of language. His vivid descriptions and use of imagery create a dark and eerie atmosphere that draws the reader in. The opening lines, for example, immediately set the tone for the poem:
"Why did you melt your waxen man, Sister Helen? To-day is the third since you began."
These lines are both eerie and puzzling, leaving the reader wondering what the waxen man represents and what it has to do with the story.
As the poem progresses, Rossetti's use of symbolism becomes more prominent. For example, the witch who helps Helen is described as having a "black bright bird" on her shoulder. This bird represents the dark forces that the witch is in tune with, and foreshadows the evil that will come from Helen's desire for revenge.
Another important symbol in the poem is the rose that Helen carries with her. The rose represents her love for James, but also serves as a reminder of the bloodshed that will come from her revenge.
Rossetti's use of repetition is also effective in creating a sense of foreboding. The repeated phrase "Why did you" in the opening lines is echoed later in the poem, when Helen asks herself "Why did I hate him so?" This repetition emphasizes the cyclical nature of revenge and the inevitability of its destructive consequences.
One of the most powerful aspects of "Sister Helen" is the character of James. In life, he is described as a handsome and noble man, but in death, he becomes a twisted and demonic version of himself. This transformation is a representation of the corrupting nature of revenge, and serves as a warning to the reader of the dangers of seeking it.
In the final stanza of the poem, Helen kills James in a moment of mercy. This act is both an act of redemption for Helen, who realizes the futility of revenge, and a warning to the reader of the destructive power of vengeance.
In conclusion, "Sister Helen" is a powerful and haunting poem that explores the destructive nature of revenge. Rossetti's use of language, symbolism, and repetition creates a dark and eerie atmosphere that draws the reader in, while the character of James serves as a warning of the dangers of seeking revenge. Ultimately, the poem is a cautionary tale about the futility of vengeance and the power of forgiveness.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Sister Helen: A Poem of Love, Betrayal, and Redemption
Dante Gabriel Rossetti's "Sister Helen" is a haunting and powerful poem that explores the themes of love, betrayal, and redemption. Written in 1853, the poem tells the story of a woman named Helen who seeks revenge on her lover for betraying her. In her quest for revenge, Helen turns to a witch who promises to help her, but the price of her revenge is the soul of her lover. As the poem unfolds, we see the devastating consequences of Helen's actions and the ultimate redemption that she finds.
The poem begins with a description of Helen's beauty and the love that she and her lover once shared. Rossetti's use of vivid imagery and sensory language creates a sense of intimacy and passion between the two lovers. We can almost feel the warmth of their embrace and the softness of their kisses. However, this idyllic scene is shattered when Helen discovers that her lover has been unfaithful to her. The betrayal is a devastating blow to Helen, and she is consumed by a desire for revenge.
Helen's desire for revenge leads her to seek the help of a witch, who promises to help her get revenge on her lover. The witch tells Helen that she can cast a spell that will cause her lover to suffer and die, but the price of the spell is the soul of her lover. Helen is initially hesitant to pay such a high price, but her desire for revenge is too strong, and she agrees to the witch's terms.
The consequences of Helen's actions are immediate and devastating. Her lover becomes ill and dies, but instead of feeling a sense of satisfaction, Helen is consumed by guilt and remorse. She realizes that her desire for revenge has led her to commit a terrible sin, and she is haunted by the memory of her lover's death.
As the poem progresses, we see Helen's transformation from a vengeful and remorseful woman to a woman seeking redemption. She turns to religion and seeks the forgiveness of God for her sins. Rossetti's use of religious imagery and language creates a sense of spiritual awakening in Helen, and we can feel the weight of her guilt lifting as she seeks forgiveness.
The final stanza of the poem is a powerful and moving conclusion to Helen's story. In this stanza, we see Helen's ultimate redemption as she is forgiven by God and reunited with her lover in death. Rossetti's use of imagery and language creates a sense of peace and serenity, and we can almost feel the warmth of the sun and the softness of the grass as Helen and her lover are reunited in death.
Overall, "Sister Helen" is a powerful and haunting poem that explores the themes of love, betrayal, and redemption. Rossetti's use of vivid imagery and sensory language creates a sense of intimacy and passion between the two lovers, and we can feel the weight of Helen's guilt and the power of her redemption. The poem is a testament to the power of love and the importance of seeking forgiveness for our sins.
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