Born: December 5, 1830, London, England
Died: December 29, 1894, London, England
Nationality: English
Literary Period/Movement: Victorian
Introduction
Christina Rossetti (1830–1894) was an English poet whose devotional intensity and lyrical precision made her one of the most distinctive voices of Victorian poetry. Her work explores love, faith, and the tension between earthly desire and spiritual devotion.
Early Life and Education
Born into a family of Italian scholars and artists, Rossetti grew up surrounded by literature and creativity. Her brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti co-founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and Christina shared their fascination with art, symbolism, and moral beauty. Educated mostly at home, she was deeply influenced by her Anglo-Catholic faith, which became the guiding force in her writing.
Literary Career and Major Works
Rossetti began writing poetry as a child and published her first collection, Goblin Market and Other Poems (1862), to wide acclaim. The title poem, a haunting allegory of temptation and sisterly devotion, remains one of her most celebrated works. Her later collections, including The Prince’s Progress (1866) and A Pageant and Other Poems (1881), reveal her mastery of religious and lyrical verse.
She also wrote devotional prose and children’s poetry, maintaining a delicate balance between emotional depth and spiritual discipline.
Style, Themes, and Influence
Rossetti’s poetry is marked by musical rhythm, restrained passion, and symbolic imagery. Her recurring themes — renunciation, redemption, mortality, and divine love — reflect both personal experience and theological conviction. While her work appears gentle on the surface, it often carries a quiet strength and subtle feminism, asserting the moral and spiritual autonomy of women.
Her influence can be seen in later poets such as Gerard Manley Hopkins and modern writers who admire her introspection and clarity.
Later Life and Legacy
Rossetti lived a largely reclusive life, devoted to her family and faith. Declining marriage proposals for religious reasons, she remained committed to her spiritual ideals. Suffering from ill health in her later years, she continued to write until her death in 1894.
Today, Christina Rossetti is recognized as one of the great lyric poets of the English language — a writer whose spiritual sensitivity and emotional honesty continue to move readers.
Notable Works
- Goblin Market and Other Poems (1862)
- The Prince’s Progress (1866)
- A Pageant and Other Poems (1881)
- Sing-Song: A Nursery Rhyme Book (1872)
- Time Flies: A Reading Diary (1885)
Related Poets
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Dante Gabriel Rossetti
