John Mcrae's Streetcar lecture - Scene 4:

Choral commentary – music in the background
The tragedy represents that ‘life goes on’
Unknown of the actual tragedy – some critics see it as ‘unfulfilled desire’
Mitch is emblem of unfulfilled desire

 

‘DESIRE’

-          Money would be nice, but desire is the key

 

MOTH
Contrast what her mind feels and what her emotions do
Blanche always has a dream involving a male who will help her out
Blanche does not give up hope
‘Shep Huntley’ may be one of blanches fantasies
However, Blanches husband did exist

 

‘But the only way to live with such a man is to--go to bed with him! And that's your job--not mine!’
-          The only way you could put up w a man is to sleep with them
-          ‘your job’  a woman’s role is to sleep with her husband
-          ‘job’ – talking about money

‘bestial’ – contrast between a man who will live with his emotions explicitly out there, and one who would live not like that

Blanche admires the violence

‘survivor of the stone age’ – juxtaposition, modern America relating to history
 Stella has accepted her role, blanche has never been able to have that role

 

‘trains passing’ – sexual symbol

 

“In some kinds of people some tenderer feelings have had some
little beginning! That we have got to make grow! And cling to, and hold as our flag!”

 

‘flag’ – the confederate flag of southern states
Feelings are permitted, feelings should grow

John Mcrae's Streetcar lecture - Scene 3:

Steves joke:
Rooster chasing the hen – represents the males of society, group of men joking about sex
Priorities, picks corn over sex    
This represents the male dominant society and male's proities

‘Nigger’ – doesn’t think about it

Mitch and Blanche’s conversation

‘The little boys room’ – flirting
Mitch and Blanche’s relationship is for physical needs
MITCH – lives alone w his mum, potential sign that he’s gay
Only one actual gay character in this play – Allan
‘Gallantry’ – old world style of courtship, old fashioned

GONE W THE WIND – Blanche DuBois also played heroine

Play about America growing up

Mitch grows up – sees Blanche for who she really is
Blanche does not grow up

Poker game scene

violence

Clash of egotistical males and their values
‘They’re crazy about each other’ – sex, physicality
Blanche cannot relate to Stella and Stanley’s world of violence and rough relationships – only gallantry

Christina Rossetti, a Victorian poet, expressed nature to portray spiritual imagery in her poetry. Rossetti wrote about nature in her poetry often, comparing its beauty to her emotions surrounding death, like in 'Song'. Although she lived in London, the theme of nature being paradisiac is constant throughout her poetry. A lot of this imagery was influenced by earlier poet John Keats, such as the nightingale in her poem 'Song'. As a high Anglican, Rossetti embraces nature, as it was seen as a gift from God. Describing it as utopian, she constistently related her love of nature to her love of God. Overall, Rossetti uses nature to project her love for God, and the admiration she has for nature, due to the freedom it gives her.

The rejection of classic religious rituals is hinted at by Rossetti in her poem 'Song'. The persona demands that "no roses" should be left at her head "nor shady cypres tree". These plants were both often used at funerals, as religious rituals after death. These commands imply that although Rossetti was High Anglican, she does not want to be remembered by a ritual, which is forced and artificial. The command "Be the green grass above me" also suggests this, as it implies that she would rather be a continuum of natures cycle. The stress of the word "be", forcing a break in the iambic trimeter is used. This furthers the command and makes it an unnatural rhytm, perhaps used to highlight the personas rejection for artificial remembrance. This idea is also featured in the poem "Paradise: in a dream", when the persona describes the tree of life's fruit as "sweeter than honey". Again, a rejection for ritual is suggested, as Christ is supposed to be signified as a plain piece of wafer bread. The taste of honey is described as being the best taste possible, reinforcing the idea that the poet is projecting her dislikening for man-made foods and rituals, such as wafer bread. Because honey is created by bees, the sweetness of it may imply the persona's adoration for creation, hinting that the bees represent God, who creates natural perfection. Describing honey as an idyllic taste, the persona applies this to nature being the best thing created by God. Through personas, Rossetti clearly portrays her lack of interest in religious rituals and amplifies her love for God through nature in each of her poems.

The persona in the poem "Shut Out" uses birds to suggest the poet's lack of freedom. In this poem, the persona enviously describes how the birds are able to easily fly in and out of what was once her garden. "Song birds crossed" depicts how easily the birds are able to enter and leave the garden, as pedestrians would cross a road, or how they can leave their homes whenever they please without fear of it being taken away. This may also suggest the poet's feelings surrounding her lack of freedom during the time the poem was written, when the Women's Suffrage movement became national due to the fact that men and women were not seen as equals in society, and social norms were often based on patriarchal views. Although Rossetti was not a part of the Women's Suffrage movement, she was heavily affected by the inequality between sexes in society. In the poem 'Song', the persona also uses a bird to project the poet's lack of freedom. In this poem, the persona states "I shall not hear the nightingale / sing on, as if in pain;". This implies that death frees the persona, and also perhaps the poet, from hearing anymore pain. It may also imply that the persona is free from the burden of inequality, a pain caused by the patriarchal society of the time. Relating to context, Rossetti helped women who wanted to come out of prostitution in the 1860s. This may link to these lines in the poem, because Rossetti, much like the persona of this poem, does not wish to hear of other people's pain.The word 'Nightingale" follows a different, spontaneous rhythm in comparison to the iambic trimeter used in the rest of the poem. The differentiated rhythm highlights the spontaneity of nature in comparison to the repetivity of man-made ritual mentioned in the stanza before. The break in the continous rhythm may also suggest the persona's break from man-made reality, and newly found freedom in death.

Compare and contrast how Rossetti shows her views on death and the after-life in the poems ‘Song’ and ‘Remember’.

Heavily influenced by earlier poet John Keats, Christina Rossetti features the theme of death often in her poetry. Particularly in the poems ‘Song’ and ‘Remember’, Rossetti uses a persona to present her ideas about the transition from life to death, and how their lovers should feel about it. The theme of death is typical for poetry written in the Romantic era (approximately from 1800-1850), a period both Keats and Rossetti belonged to. Romantic poems would often feature nature, and the sensations felt around this, and the repressed feelings the poets may have surrounding life and death.

In the poem ‘Song’, Rossetti uses natural imagery to present the persona’s feelings about their death. In the third and fourth lines of the poem, the persona requests that no ‘roses’ should be planted on his/her grave, and no ‘shady cypress tree’ should be placed in their memory. This perhaps suggests that the persona is telling their lover to move on, and that once they’re dead they don’t want a declaration of love or remembrance. The rejection of roses may symbolize the personas rejection of femininity and beauty, implying that they don’t want their death to be remembered as something over exaggeratedly beautiful, they wish for simplicity, as mentioned in the fifth line of the stanza, when they voice that they want ‘green grass’. The rejection of femininity and beauty from the persona may also reflect Rossetti’s rejection of society’s expectation of women at the time. In the Victorian times, women were expected to be feminine and should obey husbands. Although this was the case, Christina Rossetti was against this view, as she was assertive rather than meek and rejected this expectation of her. Similarly, in the poem ‘Remember’, the persona reflects Rossetti's challenging view on the expectation of women held by society. The persona takes back power, by saying 'only remember me'. This command shows authority, as the speaker is commanding their lover on how to feel after they're dead, contrasting on the point made before stating this, telling her lover not to tell her of their future that 'you plann'd'. By using the word 'you' it makes it clear to the audience that the persona is isolated in the planning of them and their lover's future, again reflecting societies views on power between sexes at the time the poem was written. This isolation felt by the persona is then forced upon their lover, when they die and leave them behind whilst controlling their lover's emotions, just like they were. 

Both poems also use structure to reflect on how the persona struggles to imagine whether they would be remembered or forgotten. In the poem 'Song', both words 'remember' and 'forget' have a caesura before them, to project the final message at the end of the first stanza, the person's insecurity on whether they'll be remembered after death. Although the rhythm in the word 'remember' is elongated, mirroring the memory of the persona lasting after death, the rhythm is immediately stopped after the word 'forget' due to use of a heavy caesura. This rhythm represents the finality of death once a person stops being remembered, and highlights that the persona's fear lies with being forgotten rather than dying. Again, in the poem 'Remember', a caesura is used after the word 'remember', to make it last slightly longer. The idea of remembrance is the key theme in this poem, highlighting how important it is to the speaker to be remembered once they are dead. 

Goblin Market Critics

One critic, Terrance Holt infers the poem 'Goblin Market' by Christina Rossetti to be entirely based on the theme of gender and sexuality. Holt also suggests that the poem is treating the relationship between the goblins (who represent males in Victorian society) and the women - Laura and Lizzie - as a business deal, due to the economic language used, such as the repetition of 'come buy' and words such as 'golden', 'coin' and 'fee'. He also states that due to the hinted theme of sexuality, the poem is 'not only based on gender relations'.

‘NO, THANK YOU, JOHN’ INITIAL ASSESSMENT

In the poem ‘No, Thank you, John’, Christina Rossetti uses a persona to challenge the patriarchal views held by society in the Victorian times – the time this poem was written. The speaker begins by telling ‘John’ that it wasn’t her fault he “made her his toast”. This suggests that the character the poem is addressed to has lied, and told everyone he was in a relationship with the speaker. The word “made” projects that the speaker was forced into this and had no say, making them seem weak. However, Rossetti juxtaposes this view by portraying an assertive view throughout the rest of the poem from the speaker. In the following stanza, the speaker declares her pity for John, by saying “pity on you”, making her seem more powerful than him. This challenges the patriarchal society that existed at the time the poem was written, and shows an unusual female dominance over men. The assertive tone used by the persona is also unusual, as women were expected to fit into society’s ideas of being ladylike and feminine. Women living in the Victorian era were also expected to obey their husbands and respect other men, as they were more powerful than them. This expectation was held until the women’s suffrage became a national movement in 1872. Masculine-like assertiveness is progressed as the speaker continues addressing John throughout the poem, stating that she would “rather answer ‘no’ to fifty Johns, than answer ‘yes’” to him. Using humour as a defence mechanism, the speaker is perhaps mocking John’s attempt to give her affection. This highlights the power the persona has, which contrasts to the idea that she was “made” to be in a relationship with John. Having this juxtaposition makes the audience even more aware of her power and dominance over John, despite how society expected women to behave.

Rossetti also uses a persona in this poem to relate love and relationships to a battle or war. By using the word “treaty”, the speaker makes it known that she wants peace between her and John. As a “treaty” is used to declare peace after battle, the poet immediately links the speaker’s relationship with John to a battle. This may link to the context of the poem, as this poem was written around the same time as the woman’s suffrage movement, a battle for rights. In saying this, the speaker may be ‘battling’ against John’s affection, as because she is a woman she evidently is less powerful than him and has to fight for her rejection to be heard. The speaker’s assertiveness also relates to a soldiers tone of voice. “Rise above” almost commands John to get over the speaker, as a soldier may be commanded to battle, or to follow orders. This may imply that the speaker wants John to fight against his affection for her as at the time the poem was written, men were seen as the more strong and powerful sex, and were expected to be less emotive as women. The use of caesura emphasises the command, as it halts the rhythm of the poem and therefore makes the command stand out. This is almost as if the calm is disrupted and a slight aggression is released from the speaker, making her seem more commanding and powerful, similarly to a high-ranking soldier.

Christina Rossetti also breaks the rhythm in the poem when the speaker mocks John. At the beginning of the fourth stanza, the speaker says “I have no heart?”, perhaps sarcastically questioning one of John’s insults towards her. This question breaks the speaker’s rhythm in the poem, implying that she is amazed at his critism. The speaker also mocks John when she says he is “mad to take offense” at her rejection, and tells him “use your common sense”. Again, projecting her assertiveness, the speaker mockingly treats John as if he’s a child as opposed to her lover. This links to the idea that Rossetti uses the speaker to declare her negativity towards the patriarchal society of the time, and implies that she thinks male dominance over females is comical.

MAUDE CLARE

PLOT:

The poem is about a woman named Maude Clare, who was romantically involved with a man named Lord Thomas, despite being of a lower class. The story in the poem begins when Maude Clare follows Lord Thomas and a woman named Nell into a church on their wedding day. However, Lord Thomas is unable to marry Maude Clare, although they love each other, because of their difference in classes. Lord Thomas’s mother is also featured at the beginning of the play, reinforcing the idea that he is expected to marry someone of the same class as him, no matter whether he loves them or not.

CHARACTERS:

Maude Clare:

·         Naturally poetic and authorative, makes her seem more powerful despite her class.

·         Speaks the most in the poem, highlights that she is of a lower class so her words have less effect, and needs to speak more.

·         Uses gift ritual at weddings ironically, her gifts have no materialistic value to people of a higher class; her memories are the most valuable thing to her, as she is of a poor class.

Nell:

·         Speaks last in the poem, has the final say – which may suggest that class is more powerful than love.

·         Juxtaposition – ‘and what you leave I’ll take’, beggar like, picking up the scraps, like lower class citizens.

·         Takes Maude Clare’s most valuable possession – her memories with her lover, which highlights that higher classes get the best in society, from lower classes.

·         (relating to above point) this may relate to money and material wealth, the higher classes take from lower classes, because of their status.

Mother:

·         Is the first person to actually speak, highlights that her influence is most powerful – she is the most powerful person out of all of the characters.

·         ‘Had just your tale to tell’ – she was in the same situation, persuading her son to marry this woman for their reputation, rather than for his happiness.

·         ‘With smiles, almost with tears’ – quite unusual as she’s more happy that her son is marrying someone for wealth and status, not for his feelings for them. This highlights that people of a higher class may care more about wealth and status than romance and affection.

‘WHAT POINT DO YOU THINK ROSSETTI IS MAKING ABOUT THE VICTORIAN CLASS SYSTEM?’

I think that Rossetti uses each of the characters to represent the importance of class and wealth in the Victorian times. She uses this story to project to her audience that society at the time the poem was written cared more about possession and status than they do love and happiness. She uses the character ‘Lady Nell’ to show that although the lower class character ‘Maude Clare’ has her husband’s heart, she doesn’t have the status and high class that Nell does, so is unable to be with him. Rossetti also shows the heavy influence that parents had on people of high classes, as the character of the Lord’s mother is shown to be the most powerful in the poem. This character is the first to speak, which highlights her authorative influence from the start of the poem. Although she doesn’t say much, especially in comparison to Maude Clare, she is clearly more influential over Lord Thomas as he listens to her advice to marry Nell, and is not persuaded to go back to Maude Clare at all. Relating to context, men born into higher classes in Victorian times were expected to carry on the family name with another woman of a high class. It would have been frowned upon for the character of Lord Thomas to marry Maude Clare, because of her lower social class.