Cousin Kate Context

• Cousin Kate was written by Christina Rossetti.
• Christina Rossetti was a 19th century women’s rights advocate and went against social convention.
• The form of the poem is 6 stanzas and 8 lines. This means it’s an octrain. This mimics the constraints of society due to its set form.
• The poem is a narrative poem meaning it tells a story.
• The poem features an unreliable narrator as her opinions of Kate are clouded by resentment but some of her opinions contradict each other.
• The poem shows a feeling of injustice and anger along with a bitter tone which leads to bitter sweet satisfaction by the end.