'Passing Away, Saith The World' by Christina Georgina Rossetti
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Passing away, saith the World, passing away:
Chances, beauty and youth, sapp'd day by day:
Thy life never continueth in one stay.
Is the eye waxen dim, is the dark hair changing to grey
That hath won neither laurel nor bay?
I shall clothe myself in Spring and bud in May:
Thou, root-stricken, shalt not rebuild thy decay
On my bosom for aye.
Then I answer'd: Yea.
Passing away, saith my Soul, passing away:
With its burden of fear and hope, of labour and play,
Hearken what the past doth witness and say:
Rust in thy gold, a moth is in thine array,
A canker is in thy bud, thy leaf must decay.
At midnight, at cockcrow, at morning, one certain day
Lo, the Bridegroom shall come and shall not delay:
Watch thou and pray.
Then I answer'd: Yea.
Passing away, saith my God, passing away:
Winter passeth after the long delay:
New grapes on the vine, new figs on the tender spray,
Turtle calleth turtle in Heaven's May.
Though I tarry, wait for Me, trust Me, watch and pray.
Arise, come away, night is past and lo it is day,
My love, My sister, My spouse, thou shalt hear Me say.
Then I answer'd: Yea.
Editor 1 Interpretation
"Passing Away, Saith The World" by Christina Georgina Rossetti: A Literary Analysis
Are you looking for a poem that will make you ponder about the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death? Then "Passing Away, Saith The World" by Christina Georgina Rossetti is the perfect poem for you. In this 16-line poem, Rossetti uses vivid imagery and a melancholic tone to convey the message that everything in this world, including life itself, is transitory and will eventually pass away.
The Poem's Structure and Form
Before we dive into the poem's meaning, let's first take a look at its structure and form. "Passing Away, Saith The World" is a sonnet, a 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and meter. However, Rossetti adds two additional lines at the end, which gives the poem a unique structure. The poem is written in iambic pentameter, which means each line consists of ten syllables that alternate between stressed and unstressed syllables. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, which means that the first and third lines rhyme with each other, as do the second and fourth lines, and so on.
The poem's form is significant because it adds to the poem's overall message. The sonnet is a poetic form that has been used since the 13th century to express intense emotions, such as love, loss, and grief. By using this form, Rossetti is signaling to the reader that the poem will deal with a weighty subject matter.
The Poem's Meaning
Now, let's get into the nitty-gritty of the poem's meaning. The first line, "Passing away, saith the world, passing away," sets the tone for the entire poem. Rossetti is stating that the world is constantly changing, and nothing remains the same. This line is also an example of anaphora, a rhetorical device in which a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. By repeating the phrase "passing away," Rossetti emphasizes the transitory nature of life.
The second and third lines, "Chances, beauty and youth sapp'd day by day," follow on from the first line and continue the theme of decay and loss. Rossetti is saying that all the good things in life, such as opportunities, physical beauty, and youthfulness, are gradually destroyed over time. The word "sapp'd" is particularly effective because it suggests something being slowly drained away, like the sap from a tree.
The fourth line, "Thy life never continueth in one stay," is a direct address to the reader. Rossetti is reminding us that our lives are not constant, and we should not take anything for granted. This line is significant because it brings the abstract idea of passing away into a concrete reality that we can relate to.
The fifth and sixth lines, "Is the eye waxen dim, is the dark hair changing to grey / That hath won neither laurel nor bay?" are another example of direct address to the reader. Rossetti is asking us if we have noticed the signs of aging in ourselves, and she is also questioning whether our lives have been successful or not. The mention of laurels and bays is a reference to the wreaths of leaves that were given to victorious athletes in ancient Greece. Rossetti is asking if we have achieved anything noteworthy in our lives.
In the seventh and eighth lines, "Is the tall waist now lower than her knee, / Hardly to suck the sleeve which was once easy?" Rossetti continues to describe the physical changes that come with aging. The line about sucking the sleeve is an example of synecdoche, a figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole. Rossetti is saying that even small tasks become difficult as we age.
The ninth and tenth lines, "Do the bright stars fade, is the moon too wan, / And thyself, what of thee?" take a different direction than the previous lines. Rossetti is expanding the scope of the poem to include the entire universe. She is asking if even the stars and moon, which seem eternal, are subject to decay. Then, she brings the focus back to the reader and asks what will become of us.
The eleventh and twelfth lines, "Art thou a thing of beauty, then must die / Like summer roses, or be laid aside," are a direct statement about the inevitability of death. Rossetti is saying that even if we are beautiful, we will eventually die or be forgotten.
The thirteenth and fourteenth lines, "Or sweetest notes that for the season sighed / The laboring bee doth drop upon the ground," continue the theme of loss and decay. Rossetti is saying that even the sweetest sounds, like the humming of bees, will eventually come to an end.
The final two lines, "And youth's shorn tresses fall, and footsteps fleet / Already on the threshold death doth stand," are a powerful conclusion to the poem. Rossetti is saying that death is already waiting for us, and we should not waste a moment of our lives.
Interpretation
"Passing Away, Saith The World" is a poem that is full of melancholy and sadness, but it is also a poem that imparts wisdom. Rossetti's message is clear: everything in this world is temporary, and we should not take anything for granted. The poem is a warning and a reminder to live in the present moment and to appreciate everything we have while we have it.
Rossetti's use of vivid imagery, rhetorical devices, and direct address to the reader make the poem all the more powerful. The sonnet form adds to the poem's weightiness and gives the poem a sense of timelessness.
In conclusion, "Passing Away, Saith The World" is a beautiful and haunting poem that speaks to the universal human condition. It is a poem that will make you reflect on your own mortality and the fleeting nature of life. If you have not read this poem before, I highly recommend it.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry Passing Away, Saith The World: A Timeless Masterpiece by Christina Georgina Rossetti
Christina Georgina Rossetti, a renowned Victorian poet, is known for her exceptional works that explore themes of love, death, and spirituality. Her poem, Poetry Passing Away, Saith The World, is a timeless masterpiece that delves into the fleeting nature of art and the transience of human existence. In this 2000-word analysis, we will explore the poem's themes, structure, and literary devices, and understand why it continues to resonate with readers even today.
The poem begins with the world proclaiming that poetry is passing away. The speaker then asks, "What care I for the world's opinion?" indicating that the speaker is not concerned with the world's views on poetry. The speaker then goes on to say that poetry is not passing away, but rather, it is the world that is passing away. The speaker argues that poetry is eternal and will continue to exist even after the world has passed away.
The theme of the poem is the transience of human existence and the enduring nature of art. The speaker argues that while the world may pass away, poetry will remain. The poem is a reflection on the human condition and the inevitability of death. The speaker suggests that poetry can provide solace in the face of mortality and that it can offer a sense of permanence in a world that is constantly changing.
The structure of the poem is simple, with four stanzas of four lines each. The rhyme scheme is ABAB, and the meter is iambic tetrameter. The simplicity of the structure allows the poem's message to shine through without any distractions. The poem's brevity also adds to its impact, as it conveys a powerful message in just sixteen lines.
The poem's literary devices are also worth noting. The use of personification is evident in the first line, where the world is given a voice and is personified as proclaiming that poetry is passing away. The use of rhetorical questions is also prevalent throughout the poem, with the speaker asking questions such as "What care I for the world's opinion?" and "What is it but transient foam?" These questions are used to challenge the world's views on poetry and to emphasize the speaker's belief in its enduring nature.
The use of metaphor is also evident in the poem. The world is compared to "transient foam," which suggests that it is fleeting and impermanent. In contrast, poetry is compared to a "rock," which suggests that it is enduring and permanent. The metaphor of the rock also suggests that poetry can provide a solid foundation in a world that is constantly changing.
The poem's language is simple yet powerful. The use of repetition in the phrase "passing away" emphasizes the poem's theme of transience. The use of alliteration in "Poetry Passing Away" also adds to the poem's impact, as it creates a memorable phrase that emphasizes the poem's message.
In conclusion, Poetry Passing Away, Saith The World is a timeless masterpiece that explores the enduring nature of art and the transience of human existence. The poem's simple structure, powerful message, and effective use of literary devices make it a memorable and impactful work of poetry. Christina Georgina Rossetti's poem continues to resonate with readers even today, as it offers a message of hope and solace in the face of mortality.
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