Indepth Analysis of Christina Rossetti's "When I am Dead, My Dearest"

Hersh Patel Poetry Project AP English III "When I Am Dead, My Dearest" Literal and Figural Meaning <Tab/>The poem literally illustrates the speaker's reflection upon whether or not he or she and the "dearest" shall remember one another when the speaker dies. Yet, figuratively, the poem conveys the poet's perception of death as a dreamy, intermediate existence that compares to "twilight". Structure and Meaning <Tab/>Christina …

…layers" of meanings that perplex the reader, which reflects the mystification that readers undergo when relating to Rossetti's themes of love and death. Furthermore, through effective use of logos, McGann refers to various poems by Rossetti to illustrate her "spinster and fallen woman" appearance; for example, he provides themes from "The Triad", "The Iniquity of the Fathers Upon the Children", and "The Lowest Room" to convey Rossetti's despise for marriages, yet possession of lustful emotions.