Rossetti - critical interpretations for religion, death, and the afterlife

William Rossetti - Christina’s childhood

‘in innate character she was vivacious and open to pleasurable impressions…what came to pass was of course quite the contrary.’

William Rossetti - Christina’s attitude towards her religion

He described Christina’s attitude as ‘I believe because I am told to believe…My faith is my faith.’

William Rossetti - Religion’s impact on Christina

He described as having ‘an awful sense of unworthiness’ and a ‘sadly smitten invalid’

William Rossetti - Christina’s isolation as a result of her religion

‘isolated devoteeism’

Frances Thomas - lack of joy in religion

‘For all her talk of religion, she seldom spoke of its joys.’

Frances Thomas

Rossetti’s religion was that ‘of an old-fashioned rigidity that turned her into a bitter and constant struggle for spiritual perfection.’

Suzanne Williams - In the Round Tower

Rossetti creates a very conventional pairing. the husband is protector and the wife is infantilised