GOOD FRIDAY Flashcards
(4 cards)
What is the key context/ points about this poem?
- this is a devotional meditation
- Rossetti and her religion
- link to woman hood, the virgin mary and Mary magdelan.
Could be seen in light of a proverb? - it was typical for Rossetti to not overcomplicate religion, she wanted to remain true to the text.
- poem is seen as a prayer to respond to the cruxifixction, if you can believe that, you can believe anything.
key quotes and their significance?
“I am not a stone and not a sheep”- repeated reference to religion.
“thy cross”
“I, only I”- sense that the speaker is different to those around her, as she is not moved by such events- belief that she is a bad Christian.
the religious images are not evolved by the speaker, “greater than moses”.
key interpretation and analysis of the poem
“Am I a stone, and not a sheep”- the questioning tone of the poem helps to reveal the major concerns- religious doubt
The stone is a reference to the Book of Exodus, Moses- he is able to save his people through his faith
The sheep is an image of the flock of the congregation and that fact that christ is seen to be a shepherd.
The trochee “not so” interrupts the previously iambic rhythm and displays the difficulty that the speaker is experiencing.
The Sun and the moon which “hid their faces”, this is a reference to the gospel of Luke and the image of darkness spreading over the Earth.
“greater than moses”- reaffirms that Moses is a good leader
“smite a rock”- sense that the speaker will be able to experience the level of faith that they wish.
key context for the poem?
Good Friday commemorates the cruxifixction of Jesus Christ, this is the most important in the christian calendar and it was at this point that Jesus died to redeem mankind.
