Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti

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Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti

The poem cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti is about a young girl who

falls in love with a great lord (a rich and powerful man), but then he

leaves her for her cousin. Eventually she finds out that she is

pregnant (cousin Kate) but had to deal with the consequences all by

herself. As the great lord does not want to be involved in a baby when

not married (this was highly disrespected at this time).It is set

sometimes during the 1800's and a young cottage maiden was living a

happy life with her friends, but she was taken away by a powerful man.

I get the picture that she was happy without him as she says

"contented with my cottage mates". I like this as it hints an idea

that something may go wrong.

Cousin Kate is the cousin she has, who gets chosen over her. She is

reluctant to think about not going off with the lord, even though that

her cousin is pregnant by him.

The girl who is the victim of this poem, seems to think she cares more

about the lord. She thinks she loves him, where as "cousin Kate" is

with him for just the money.

"Your love was writ in sand" I favor this metaphor as it's saying in a

way that "cousin Kate's" love can easily be washed away.

The victim of this poem as it were seems to have been a innocent and

pretty girl, as she says he "lured" her "to his palace home". Almost

like a stranger "luring a child into a car" This is why I despise of

this line.

"Woe's me for joy there of" this means that she's unhappy/depressed at

the way things have turned out between them both, at this stage I feel

sorry for her, She's yound, pregnant, and heartbroken.

"Shameless, shamef...

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...ilst I like Cousin Kate more as it's not as grubby as the seduction.

The content difference is that the seduction tells more detail like

how the "kisses tasted of nicotine"; Where as cousin Kate just skips

to the point.

Also the styles are different as in "the seduction" seems to blame it

on the male. Whilst in "Cousin Kate" the assault is focused more on

Kate. "Cousin Kate" is set is the past as well.

So although the two poems are about the same thing, young girls

getting pregnant "When she discovered she was three months gone"…and

getting hurt…. "She sobbed" They're still very different as the woman

in "Cousin Kate" is out for revenge. Whilst the girl in "the

seduction", just wants to have fun.

I prefer the poem "Cousin Kate" overall as it's short, and it flows.

Unlike The poem called "the seduction".

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