"After Death"

by Christina Rossetti

 

A New Critical Theory Analysis

By Ashley Zizich

After Death

By Christina Rossetti

 

The curtains were half drawn, the floor was swept

And strewn with rushes, rosemary and may

Lay thick upon the bed on which I lay,

Where through the lattice ivy-shadows crept.

He leaned above me, thinking that I slept

And could not hear him; but I heard him say,

‘Poor child, poor child’: and as he turned away

Came a deep silence, and I knew he wept.

He did not touch the shroud, or raise the fold

That hid my face, or take my hand in his,

Or ruffle the smooth pillows for my head:

He did not love me living; but once dead

He pitied me; and very sweet it is

To know he still is warm though I am cold.

"Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of the light on broken glass." This quote by Russian playwright and short story writer Anton Chekhov perfectly sums up the importance of imagery in written pieces. Imagery is the use of descriptive language, which appeals to all of the senses. Imagery often makes writing more interesting through the use of sensory details and can add a layer of deeper symbolic meaning to the story or poem.  The images in "After Death" help create a deeper meaning of the poem. The curtains being "half drawn" and "shadows crept" help the reader imagine a scene of light growing into darkness, connoting life to death. Images of flowers being strewn about are reminiscent of mourning as flowers are a symbol of mourning. The image of a "shroud" covering the woman's face also helps cement the picture of her death. The juxtaposition of the words "ruffle" and "smooth" help create an image of something soft, yet violent. The words "warm" and "cold" also create an image of life and death.