‘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.