Christina Rossetti: #9: 'Up-Hill'

- Title: can mean the journey from birth to death to the afterlife, or an analogy for life's progression, or it could convey a spiritual journey. Can either be a struggle or up-lifting spiritual enlightenment.
-ABAB rhyme structure
- very structured
-Lots of rhetorical questions, one sided conversation - one question then one answer etc.
- Interrogative tone
- Rossetti worked with the poor so understood life's struggle, represented in this.
- Weary tone, showing length of the journey.
- 'road' 'journey' show journey, common metaphor for life.
- 2 characters: - 1: attitudes: concerned, seeking reassurance.
                        - 2: attitudes: reassuring, kind, comforting, self-assured, all knowing. Feels like the voice of religion or faith.
- 'Inn' security, could be analogy for religious faith or love and protection, Rossetti did have this love but rejected it.
- 'Those who have gone before' people who've died, the idea of being reunited with lost love/people. Reassuring, spiritual tone.
- Different to most of her poems, simple lexical choices; could imitate the narrator's confusion. Also represents a realistic speaking voice.
-Typical, obvious imagery.