Title - A Helpmeet for Him

• The Title 'A Helpmeet for Him' echoes Genesis 2:18, which states: "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him" - This passage suggests that woman was created by God specifically to assist and accompany man, positioning her as subordinate yet necessary - Rossetti’s use of this title reinforces traditional Christian views of gender roles, where a woman’s existence is framed as purposeful only in relation to man - By anchoring the poem in scripture, Rossetti evokes the spiritual authority of this idea, aligning femininity with divine service and religious duty
• The Title 'A Helpmeet for Him' can be interpreted as suggesting that woman’s primary identity is shaped by her usefulness to man - The phrase "helpmeet" - often mistakenly read as a single noun - was originally intended to describe someone who is "meet" (suitable) to "help", implying that her role is designed entirely around male needs - This interpretation reflects the Victorian ideology that upheld women as domestic angels, useful only in their capacity to soothe, serve, and support men emotionally, morally, and practically - In this light, the title exemplifies how language reduces female autonomy, casting her as a secondary figure
• The Title 'A Helpmeet for Him' initially suggests passive servitude, Rossetti may be using "helpmeet" ironically to draw attention to the quiet, stabilising power women hold - Within the Tractarian view, spiritual strength is found in humility, patience, and suffering - traits often associated with femininity - Therefore, the woman as a "helpmeet" can be seen as embodying strength through endurance, guiding and upholding man without asserting dominance - The title, while appearing to confirm submission, subtly gestures toward proto-feminist ideas by honouring a woman’s indispensable presence and her hidden authority
• The Title 'A Helpmeet for Him' uses a biblically loaded and somewhat antiquated term that reflects the linguistic codification of patriarchal values - By employing "helpmeet", Rossetti invokes a cultural and theological vocabulary that has historically reinforced gender hierarchies, shaping how society conceives of women’s roles - This use of language mirrors the rigid structures Victorian women were confined by - structures that masked dependence and control as divine will - The title therefore becomes not just a label but a symbol of the ideological constraints imposed on women through both scripture and social convention
• The Title 'A Helpmeet for Him' proposes a divine ideal: a woman created in perfection to serve, support, and exist alongside man in harmony - However, Rossetti’s portrayal of womanhood in the poem complicates this idea by emphasizing her endurance, moral strength, and emotional labour - This contrast highlights the dissonance between religious expectations and lived female experience, where the ideal of "helpmeet" masks a more nuanced and often burdensome reality - Through this lens, the title reveals a tension between theological prescriptions and the quiet, often unacknowledged power women wield within them