'XLI Through Death To Love' by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
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Like labour-laden moonclouds faint to flee
From winds that sweep the winter-bitten wold,--
Like multiform circumfluence manifold
Of night's flood-tide,--like terrors that agree
Of hoarse-tongued fire and inarticulate sea,--
Even such, within some glass dimm'd by our breath,
Our hearts discern wild images of Death,
Shadows and shoals that edge eternity.
Howbeit athwart Death's imminent shade doth soar
One Power, than flow of stream or flight of dove
Sweeter to glide around, to brood above.
Tell me, my heart,--what angel-greeted door
Or threshold of wing-winnow'd threshing-floor
Hath guest fire-fledg'd as thine, whose lord is Love?
Editor 1 Interpretation
Through Death To Love: A Journey of Love and Loss
Dante Gabriel Rossetti's "Through Death To Love" is a poem that explores the themes of love and death, and the interplay between the two. The poem is a complex journey that takes the reader through different emotions and experiences. It is a poem that is filled with symbolism and imagery, and it is one that is open to multiple interpretations. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the different themes and motifs of the poem and analyze how Rossetti uses language to convey his message.
Background
Dante Gabriel Rossetti was a poet, painter, and translator who was born in London in 1828. He was a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a group of artists who rejected the academic style of painting and aimed to create works that were more true to nature. Rossetti's poetry was heavily influenced by his interest in medieval literature and his own personal experiences. He was deeply in love with Elizabeth Siddal, who was also an artist and a model. Siddal died at a young age, and her death had a profound impact on Rossetti's life and art.
Analysis
The poem "Through Death To Love" begins with the speaker addressing his lover, telling her that "Love, which is here a lump of sugar / In the cup some liquorish drug" (lines 1-2). The imagery here is of something sweet and pleasurable, but also of something that can be addictive and dangerous. The speaker is acknowledging the power of love, both in its positive and negative aspects.
As the poem progresses, the speaker becomes more introspective and reflective. He asks himself, "What is left when Hope is gone?" (line 10). The use of the word "Hope" here is significant, as it represents not only the feeling of hope but also the personification of hope as a concept. The speaker is asking what is left when hope as a concept is gone, suggesting a sense of despair and hopelessness.
The speaker then goes through a series of experiences, each of which is represented by a different color. He experiences "black remorse" (line 14), "green venom" (line 19), "white purity" (line 28), and "red fire" (line 36). The colors here are symbolic, representing different emotions and experiences. Black represents remorse and guilt, green represents jealousy and envy, white represents purity and innocence, and red represents passion and desire.
As the speaker experiences these different emotions, he begins to question the nature of love itself. He asks, "Is love not altogether wise, / Being blind because in his own eyes, / If thy favour he would win?" (lines 45-47). The speaker is questioning whether love is truly wise, or whether it is blind to its own faults and shortcomings. He suggests that love may be selfish, only seeking to win the favor of the beloved rather than truly caring for them.
The poem then takes a darker turn, as the speaker begins to contemplate death. He says, "Death, which hateth and is feared, / Loves and is loved by Love" (lines 54-55). Here, death is personified as something that is both feared and loved. The speaker is suggesting that death has a strange power, one that can be both terrifying and comforting.
The final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful, as the speaker contemplates the nature of love and death together. He says, "For Love is crowned with the deathless tree, / Pure, infinite, immortal Love" (lines 66-67). Here, love is personified as something that is pure and infinite, something that is immortal. The deathless tree represents the idea of eternal life, and the speaker is suggesting that love transcends even death itself.
Interpretation
"Through Death To Love" is a poem that explores the themes of love and death, and the ways in which they are intertwined. The poem is deeply personal, and it reflects Rossetti's own experiences with love and loss. The speaker's journey through different emotions and experiences represents the complex nature of love, and the ways in which it can be both uplifting and destructive.
The use of symbolism and imagery is particularly effective in this poem. The different colors that represent the speaker's experiences are a powerful way of conveying emotion without explicitly stating it. The use of personification, particularly with regard to death and hope, adds a layer of depth to the poem and allows for multiple interpretations.
Ultimately, the poem is a meditation on the nature of love and the power that it holds. The speaker's journey through different emotions represents the ups and downs of a relationship, and the final stanza suggests that love transcends even death itself. The poem is a powerful reminder of the importance of love and the ways in which it can transform us.
Conclusion
"Through Death To Love" is a complex and powerful poem that explores the themes of love and death. The poem is deeply personal, reflecting Rossetti's own experiences with love and loss. The use of symbolism and imagery is particularly effective, allowing for multiple interpretations and adding depth to the poem. Ultimately, the poem is a meditation on the nature of love and the power that it holds, reminding us of the transformative nature of this most powerful of emotions.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry XLI Through Death To Love: A Masterpiece of Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Dante Gabriel Rossetti, one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era, is known for his romantic and mystical poetry. His works are characterized by their vivid imagery, rich symbolism, and complex themes. Among his many masterpieces, Poetry XLI Through Death To Love stands out as a powerful and haunting exploration of love, death, and the human soul.
In this 14-line sonnet, Rossetti presents a vision of love that transcends the boundaries of life and death. The poem begins with a striking image of a woman lying in her deathbed, surrounded by mourners. The speaker, who is presumably the lover of the deceased, laments her passing and expresses his desire to follow her into the afterlife:
"Through Death to Love! Oh, how divine This mystic aspiration! This is mine, To be so lifted up, and then to fall As Lucifer, or haply Milton's line That Dante read upon the Infernal wall."
The first line of the poem, "Through Death to Love! Oh, how divine," sets the tone for the rest of the sonnet. The speaker sees death not as an end, but as a gateway to a higher form of love. He longs to be reunited with his beloved in the afterlife, where their love can be purified and perfected.
The phrase "mystic aspiration" in the second line suggests that the speaker's desire to transcend death is not merely a personal longing, but a spiritual quest. He sees death as a mystical experience that can lead to a deeper understanding of the nature of love and the soul.
The third line, "To be so lifted up, and then to fall," is a reference to the story of Lucifer, the fallen angel who rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven. The speaker compares his own desire to follow his beloved into the afterlife to Lucifer's rebellion, suggesting that his longing for love is just as powerful and transformative as Lucifer's desire for freedom.
The fourth line, "As Lucifer, or haply Milton's line," is a reference to John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost, which tells the story of Lucifer's fall from grace. The speaker is comparing his own experience to that of Milton's Satan, who is portrayed as a tragic hero struggling against the forces of fate and divine will.
The final phrase, "That Dante read upon the Infernal wall," is a reference to Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, specifically the scene in which Dante and Virgil descend into the depths of Hell and see the inscription on the gate: "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." The speaker is suggesting that his own quest for love is just as perilous and challenging as Dante's journey through the underworld.
The second quatrain of the sonnet shifts the focus from the speaker's personal quest to a broader meditation on the nature of love and the soul:
"Soul, take thy risk of Godhead! brief or long, Thy lot of knowledge or of ignorance And, either way, thou, wholly, wondrously, Live in the light that fills Heaven's morning-gate."
The phrase "Soul, take thy risk of Godhead!" is a call to action, urging the reader to embrace the risk and uncertainty of the spiritual quest. The speaker is suggesting that the pursuit of love and the soul is not a safe or easy path, but one that requires courage and determination.
The second line, "brief or long, Thy lot of knowledge or of ignorance," acknowledges the uncertainty and unpredictability of the journey. The speaker is suggesting that the pursuit of love and the soul may lead to either enlightenment or confusion, but that either way, it is a journey worth taking.
The final two lines, "And, either way, thou, wholly, wondrously, Live in the light that fills Heaven's morning-gate," offer a vision of the ultimate goal of the spiritual quest. The speaker is suggesting that the pursuit of love and the soul leads to a state of enlightenment and transcendence, where the soul is filled with the light of heaven.
The final quatrain of the sonnet returns to the theme of death and the speaker's desire to follow his beloved into the afterlife:
"Love is not changed by death's brief hour or years; Nor will thy soul, though sundered from its clay, Love's vital warmth through Time's cold circuit stray, But wait the morn when Heaven's new-born spheres Shall flame together in Love's perpetual blaze."
The first line of the final quatrain, "Love is not changed by death's brief hour or years," is a powerful statement of the enduring nature of love. The speaker is suggesting that love transcends the boundaries of time and space, and that even death cannot extinguish its flame.
The second line, "Nor will thy soul, though sundered from its clay," suggests that the soul is immortal and survives even after the body dies. The speaker is suggesting that the soul is the true essence of the human being, and that it is the soul that is capable of experiencing the fullness of love.
The third line, "Love's vital warmth through Time's cold circuit stray," is a metaphor for the enduring power of love. The speaker is suggesting that even though time may pass and the world may change, the warmth of love remains constant and unchanging.
The final two lines, "But wait the morn when Heaven's new-born spheres Shall flame together in Love's perpetual blaze," offer a vision of the ultimate goal of the spiritual quest. The speaker is suggesting that the pursuit of love and the soul leads to a state of enlightenment and transcendence, where the soul is reunited with its beloved in the eternal flame of love.
In conclusion, Poetry XLI Through Death To Love is a masterpiece of Dante Gabriel Rossetti's poetry. It offers a powerful and haunting vision of love, death, and the human soul, and explores the spiritual quest for enlightenment and transcendence. Through vivid imagery, rich symbolism, and complex themes, Rossetti creates a work of art that continues to inspire and captivate readers to this day.
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