Form - Babylon the Great

• The poem 'Babylon the Great' is written as a Petrarchan Sonnet, Rossetti’s use of the rigid Petrarchan sonnet form mirrors the structured doctrines of religion attempting to contain and impose order upon the moral chaos represented by Babylon - The sonnet's tightly controlled Volta and metrical discipline act as a metaphor for the boundaries religion sets against temptation and sin - Through this structure, Rossetti suggests that only through spiritual discipline can one resist the seductive pull of moral disintegration
• The poem 'Babylon the Great' is written as a Petrarchan Sonnet, Traditionally reserved for the expression of romantic and idealised love, the Petrarchan sonnet is here subverted by Rossetti to explore themes of lust, damnation, and spiritual decay - This ironic contrast heightens the disturbing nature of the subject, as the form typically used to venerate feminine beauty is instead turned against it - In doing so, Rossetti critiques not only sensual love but the poetic tradition that has often glamorise
• The poem 'Babylon the Great' is written as a Petrarchan Sonnet, with its clear division between octave and sestet, allows Rossetti to construct a two-part moral argument - first exposing Babylon’s seductive evil, then delivering a spiritual warning - This binary mirrors the dichotomy between appearance and essence, temptation and consequence, reinforcing the poem’s cautionary tone - The formal shift at the Volta thus serves as a turning point from illusion to revelation
• The poem 'Babylon the Great' is written as a Petrarchan Sonnet, this recalls Renaissance poetry’s frequent concern with inner conflict between earthly desire and divine aspiration - Rossetti reactivates this tension in a Victorian context, presenting the figure of Babylon as a catalyst for spiritual testing - The form itself becomes a vehicle for negotiating the soul’s turmoil, echoing historical literary struggles between flesh and spirit
• The poem 'Babylon the Great' is written as a Petrarchan Sonnet, by employing the revered Petrarchan sonnet, Rossetti lends formal gravitas to her religious allegory, elevating the poem beyond mere moralising into the realm of high art - The classical elegance of the form contrasts with the grotesque imagery of Babylon, creating a jarring yet compelling tension - This juxtaposition reflects the allure of sin cloaked in beauty - a theme central to both the poem’s content and its stylistic execution
• The poem 'Babylon the Great' is written in Iambic Pentameter, the steady, measured beat of iambic pentameter mirrors the disciplined rhythm of religious devotion, reinforcing the poem’s moral framework - Just as the metre insists on order and regularity, so too does Christian doctrine strive to regulate human behaviour in the face of temptation - Rossetti uses this consistent metre as a structural metaphor for spiritual control amidst the chaos embodied by Babylon
• The poem 'Babylon the Great' is written in Iambic Pentameter, this lends the speaker a voice of solemn authority, reminiscent of biblical prophecy or liturgical incantation - The rhythmic certainty strengthens the poem’s cautionary tone, suggesting that the warning against Babylon is not emotional hyperbole but divinely sanctioned truth - Rossetti harnesses the metre to imbue her voice with gravity, aligning it with sacred pronouncements
• The poem 'Babylon the Great' is written in Iambic Pentameter, the refined, almost elegant flow of iambic pentameter starkly contrasts with the grotesque imagery and moral filth described within the poem - This dissonance heightens the disturbing effect, as the metre’s formal beauty underscores the seductive exterior of Babylon while concealing the rot beneath - In this way, the metre becomes complicit in the theme of deceptive appearances
• The poem 'Babylon the Great' is written in Iambic Pentameter, this has historically been a hallmark of male literary authority, particularly within Shakespearean and Miltonic traditions - Rossetti adopts and reclaims this powerful metrical form to voice a female-centric religious warning, placing herself firmly within - and against - the literary canon - Her control over such a traditionally masculine rhythm subverts gendered expectations while asserting her own poetic command
• The poem 'Babylon the Great' is written in Iambic Pentameter, the relentless forward march of iambic pentameter mimics the inescapable passage of time leading to Babylon’s eventual destruction - Each line’s rhythmic beat echoes the ticking of divine judgement drawing near, lending the poem a sense of fatal momentum - Rossetti uses the metre to suggest that no matter how alluring Babylon appears, her downfall is both preordained and unstoppable