Context - As froth on the face of the deep

• Christina Rossetti wrote 'As froth on the face of the deep' in 1893 - Rossetti lived during a time of scientific upheaval (e.g. Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, 1859), which led to a crisis of faith for many - However, she moved in the opposite direction - turning more deeply toward Christian devotion - This poem illustrates the idea that hope, unless rooted in God, is empty and fleeting, much like “froth” or “foam”
• Rossetti’s later life was marked by chronic illness (Graves’ disease), and she was frequently reminded of her own mortality - This perhaps influenced the imagery of impermanence throughout the poem: “dreams at the waking of sleep”, “gourd of a day and a night,” and “harvest that no man shall reap” - Each metaphor reinforces the idea that life is ephemeral, and only faith in God offers permanence
• Rossetti was closely connected to the Oxford Movement or Tractarianism, which emphasised personal piety, divine judgment, and the insignificance of earthly life - The poem’s almost ascetic tone - dismissing worldly hope - mirrors this doctrine - The poem could thus be seen as a devotional lyric, designed to encourage submission to divine will over earthly desire