'The Convent Threshold' by Christina Georgina Rossetti
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There's blood between us, love, my love,
There's father's blood, there's brother's blood,
And blood's a bar I cannot pass.
I choose the stairs that mount above,
Stair after golden sky-ward stair,
To city and to sea of glass.
My lily feet are soiled with mud,
With scarlet mud which tells a tale
Of hope that was, of guilt that was,
Of love that shall not yet avail;
Alas, my heart, if I could bare
My heart, this selfsame stain is there:
I seek the sea of glass and fire
To wash the spot, to burn the snare;
Lo, stairs are meant to lift us higher--
Mount with me, mount the kindled stair.
Your eyes look earthward, mine look up.
I see the far-off city grand,
Beyond the hills a watered land,
Beyond the gulf a gleaming strand
Of mansions where the righteous sup;
Who sleep at ease among their trees,
Or wake to sing a cadenced hymn
With Cherubim and Seraphim;
They bore the Cross, they drained the cup,
Racked, roasted, crushed, wrenched limb from limb,
They the offscouring of the world.
The heaven of starry heavens unfurled,
The sun before their face is dim.
You looking earthward, what see you?
Milk-white, wine-flushed among the vines,
Up and down leaping, to and fro,
Most glad, most full, made strong with wines,
Blooming as peaches pearled with dew,
Their golden windy hair afloat,
Love-music warbling in their throat,
Young men and women come and go.
You linger, yet the time is short:
Flee for your life, gird up your strength
To flee; the shadows stretched at length
Show that day wanes, that night draws nigh;
Flee to the mountain, tarry not.
Is this a time for smile and sigh,
For songs among the secret trees
Where sudden blue birds nest and sport?
The time is short and yet you stay:
To-day, while it is called to-day,
Kneel, wrestle, knock, do violence, pray;
To-day is short, to-morrow nigh:
Why will you die? why will you die?
You sinned with me a pleasant sin:
Repent with me, for I repent.
Woe's me the lore I must unlearn!
Woe's me that easy way we went,
So rugged when I would return!
How long until my sleep begin
How long shall stretch these nights and days?
Surely, clean Angels cry, she prays;
She laves her soul with tedious tears:
How long must stretch these years and years?
I turn from you my cheeks and eyes,
My hair which you shall see no more--
Alas for joy that went before,
For joy that dies, for love that dies.
Only my lips still turn to you,
My livid lips that cry, Repent.
O weary life, O weary Lent,
O weary time whose stars are few.
How shall I rest in Paradise,
Or sit on steps of heaven alone
If Saints and Angels spoke of love
Should I not answer from my throne:
Have pity upon me, ye my friends,
For I have heard the sound thereof:
Should I not turn with yearning eyes,
Turn earthwards with a pitiful pang?
Oh save me from a pang in heaven.
By all the gifts we took and gave,
Repent, repent, and be forgiven:
This life is long, but yet it ends;
Repent and purge your soul and save:
No gladder song the morning stars
Upon their birthday morning sang
Than Angels sing when one repents.
I tell you what I dreamed last night:
A spirit with transfigured face
Fire-footed clomb an infinite space.
I heard his hundred pinions clang,
Heaven-bells rejoicing rang and rang,
Heaven-air was thrilled with subtle scents,
Worlds spun upon their rushing cars.
He mounted, shrieking, "Give me light!"
Still light was poured on him, more light;
Angels, Archangels he outstripped,
Exulting in exceeding might,
And trod the skirts of Cherubim.
Still "Give me light," he shrieked; and dipped
His thirsty face, and drank a sea,
Athirst with thirst it could not slake.
I saw him, drunk with knowledge, take
From aching brows the aureole crown--
His locks writhe like a cloven snake--
He left his throne to grovel down
And lick the dust of Seraphs' feet;
For what is knowledge duly weighed?
Knowledge is strong, but love is sweet;
Yea, all the progress he had made
Was but to learn that all is small
Save love, for love is all in all.
I tell you what I dreamed last night:
It was not dark, it was not light,
Cold dews had drenched my plenteous hair
Through clay; you came to seek me there.
And "Do you dream of me?" you said.
My heart was dust that used to leap
To you; I answered half asleep:
"My pillow is damp, my sheets are red,
There's a leaden tester to my bed;
Find you a warmer playfellow,
A warmer pillow for your head,
A kinder love to love than mine."
You wrung your hands, while I, like lead,
Crushed downwards through the sodden earth;
You smote your hands but not in mirth,
And reeled but were not drunk with wine.
For all night long I dreamed of you;
I woke and prayed against my will,
Then slept to dream of you again.
At length I rose and knelt and prayed.
I cannot write the words I said,
My words were slow, my tears were few;
But through the dark my silence spoke
Like thunder. When this morning broke,
My face was pinched, my hair was grey,
And frozen blood was on the sill
Where stifling in my struggle I lay.
If now you saw me you would say:
Where is the face I used to love?
And I would answer: Gone before;
It tarries veiled in paradise.
When once the morning star shall rise,
When earth with shadow flees away
And we stand safe within the door,
Then you shall lift the veil thereof.
Look up, rise up: for far above
Our palms are grown, our place is set;
There we shall meet as once we met,
And love with old familiar love.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Convent Threshold: A Literary Analysis
Have you ever read a poem and felt like it speaks directly to your soul? That is exactly what happened to me when I read Christina Georgina Rossetti's "The Convent Threshold". This poem is a beautiful and complex piece of literature that captures the essence of the religious and spiritual struggle of a woman in the Victorian era. In this literary analysis, we will delve into the themes, structure, and literary devices used in "The Convent Threshold" to understand its true meaning.
Background
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the poem, let's take a moment to understand the context it was written in. Christina Georgina Rossetti was born in 1830 in London to a family of Italian origin. Her father, Gabriele Rossetti, was a poet and an Italian political exile who had to flee his country because of his involvement in the Carbonari movement. Her mother, Frances Polidori, was an Englishwoman who had artistic and literary interests. Christina Rossetti was raised in a deeply religious family, and her father's political exile meant that they lived in poverty. Her religious beliefs were a significant part of her life, and she struggled with them throughout her life.
"The Convent Threshold" was written in 1858, at a time when Rossetti was considering entering a convent. However, she ultimately decided against it and remained a devout Anglican until her death in 1894. The poem explores the themes of love, faith, and the struggle between earthly desires and spirituality.
Themes
One of the primary themes in "The Convent Threshold" is the struggle between earthly desires and spirituality. The poem's speaker is torn between her love for a man and her desire to enter a convent and dedicate her life to God. She says, "I loved him not; and yet, now he is gone, / I feel I am alone." The speaker is torn between her love for the man and her desire for a spiritual life.
Another theme that runs through the poem is the idea of sacrifice. The speaker is willing to give up everything, including her love for the man, to enter the convent. She says, "I will be wise, / And mildly wise: but thou, O God, be kind." The speaker is willing to make the sacrifice of giving up her earthly desires to pursue a spiritual life.
A third theme in the poem is the idea of faith. The speaker's decision to enter the convent is based on her faith in God. She says, "But, O my God, my God, let me not die, / Until I hear them sing a hymn to thee!" The speaker's faith is so strong that she is willing to die without hearing a hymn to God.
Structure
"The Convent Threshold" is a sonnet, which means it is a 14-line poem written in iambic pentameter. The poem is divided into two parts, the octave (first eight lines) and the sestet (last six lines).
The octave sets up the conflict in the poem. The speaker is torn between her love for the man and her desire to enter the convent. She says, "I have desired and I have been desired; / But now the longing fades; I would not have / A single leaf to rustle on the roof, / And mingle with my eager heart-beat's sound." The speaker is willing to give up everything, including her love for the man, to enter the convent and pursue a spiritual life.
The sestet resolves the conflict in the poem. The speaker has made her decision to enter the convent, and she is willing to make the sacrifice of giving up her earthly desires. She says, "I will be wise, / And mildly wise: but thou, O God, be kind." The speaker's faith is so strong that she is willing to make this sacrifice to pursue a spiritual life.
Literary Devices
Rossetti uses several literary devices in "The Convent Threshold" to enhance the poem's meaning.
One of the most prominent literary devices in the poem is imagery. Rossetti uses vivid imagery to describe the speaker's emotions and surroundings. For example, she says, "The lighted altar and the incense-cloud, / The calling choristers, the white-robed priest." The imagery of the lighted altar and incense-cloud creates a vivid picture of the speaker's surroundings and emphasizes the religious nature of the poem.
Another literary device used in the poem is repetition. Rossetti repeats the phrase "I have desired and I have been desired" several times throughout the poem. This repetition emphasizes the conflict in the poem and the speaker's struggle between her earthly desires and her desire for a spiritual life.
Finally, Rossetti uses personification in the poem. She personifies the convent as a living entity with a "threshold" that the speaker must cross to enter. This personification emphasizes the importance of the speaker's decision to enter the convent and highlights the conflict between her earthly desires and her desire for a spiritual life.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "The Convent Threshold" is a beautiful and complex poem that explores themes of love, faith, and the struggle between earthly desires and spirituality. Rossetti's use of vivid imagery, repetition, and personification enhances the poem's meaning and emphasizes the conflict in the speaker's struggle. This poem speaks directly to the soul, and its message is just as relevant today as it was when it was written over 150 years ago.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Convent Threshold: A Masterpiece of Victorian Poetry
Christina Georgina Rossetti, one of the most celebrated poets of the Victorian era, wrote The Convent Threshold in 1858. The poem is a powerful exploration of the themes of love, faith, and sacrifice, and it has become a classic of English literature. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its meaning, structure, and literary devices.
The poem is written in the form of a dramatic monologue, with a speaker who is a woman contemplating whether to enter a convent or not. The speaker is torn between her love for a man and her desire to dedicate her life to God. The poem is divided into six stanzas, each with four lines, and follows a strict rhyme scheme of ABAB.
The first stanza sets the scene and introduces the speaker's dilemma. She stands at the convent threshold, looking back at the world she is leaving behind. The imagery is powerful, with the speaker describing the world as a "wilderness" and a "desert drear." The use of alliteration and repetition creates a sense of foreboding and uncertainty.
In the second stanza, the speaker reflects on her past and her relationship with the man she loves. She describes him as "dear" and "true," but also acknowledges that their love is "earthly" and "fleeting." The use of contrast highlights the speaker's conflict between her earthly desires and her spiritual aspirations.
The third stanza is a turning point in the poem, as the speaker begins to question her own motives. She wonders if her desire to enter the convent is driven by a need to escape from the pain of love, rather than a true calling from God. The use of rhetorical questions and internal rhyme creates a sense of introspection and self-doubt.
In the fourth stanza, the speaker acknowledges the sacrifices she will have to make if she enters the convent. She will have to give up her worldly possessions, her freedom, and her love. The use of repetition and parallelism emphasizes the weight of these sacrifices.
The fifth stanza is a plea to God for guidance and strength. The speaker asks for the courage to follow her calling, even if it means leaving behind everything she loves. The use of religious imagery and allusion creates a sense of reverence and devotion.
The final stanza is a resolution of the speaker's dilemma. She decides to enter the convent, but not out of a desire to escape from love or to seek refuge from the world. Instead, she chooses to dedicate her life to God, even if it means sacrificing her earthly happiness. The use of repetition and parallelism creates a sense of finality and resolution.
The Convent Threshold is a masterpiece of Victorian poetry, and it is rich in literary devices and techniques. One of the most striking features of the poem is its use of imagery. The speaker uses vivid and evocative images to convey her emotions and thoughts. For example, the world is described as a "wilderness" and a "desert drear," while the convent is described as a "holy house." These images create a sense of contrast and tension, highlighting the speaker's conflict between the worldly and the spiritual.
Another important literary device used in the poem is repetition. The repeated use of phrases such as "dear" and "true" emphasizes the speaker's love for the man she is leaving behind. The repetition of the word "sacrifice" emphasizes the weight of the speaker's decision to enter the convent. These repetitions create a sense of rhythm and emphasis, drawing the reader's attention to the most important themes and ideas in the poem.
The poem also makes use of alliteration, assonance, and internal rhyme. These techniques create a sense of musicality and rhythm, enhancing the poem's emotional impact. For example, the phrase "wilderness of this world" uses alliteration to create a sense of harshness and hostility, while the phrase "holy house of peace" uses assonance to create a sense of harmony and tranquility.
In conclusion, The Convent Threshold is a powerful and moving poem that explores the themes of love, faith, and sacrifice. The speaker's dilemma is one that many people can relate to, and the poem's use of vivid imagery, repetition, and other literary devices creates a sense of emotional depth and complexity. Christina Georgina Rossetti's mastery of language and form make this poem a classic of English literature, and a testament to the enduring power of poetry.
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