Context - Babylon the Great

• 'Babylon the Great' was likely written during the mid to late 19th century, within Christina Rossetti’s mature period as a poet - While the precise date is unknown, it reflects her lifelong engagement with religious themes and is firmly rooted in the Victorian era's moral and spiritual anxieties
• 'Babylon the Great' is deeply informed by Victorian values, particularly the era’s emphasis on sexual purity, piety, and the moral responsibilities of women - In a time when female virtue was idealized and urban temptations were viewed with suspicion, Rossetti’s warning against the seductive but morally bankrupt figure of “Babylon” echoes widespread fears about the corrupting influence of modernity and sensual indulgence
• 'Babylon the Great' reflects Rossetti’s connection to the Pre-Raphaelite movement, with its rich visual imagery and symbolic depth - However, unlike some of her male contemporaries who romanticized sensuality, Rossetti uses the figure of Babylon to critique it, aligning more with religious allegory and the moral tradition of medieval literature
• 'Babylon the Great' functions as an allegory for temptation and moral decay - She is not just a woman, but a symbol of worldly seduction - adorned with gold and jewels, yet inwardly corrupted - Her destruction at the poem’s end signifies divine judgement and the ultimate downfall of those who pursue vanity over virtue
• 'Babylon the Great' confronts the allure of lust and the consequences of indulgence - Rossetti contrasts external beauty with internal filth, warning that behind the glittering surface lies spiritual death - The final image of Babylon set on fire is a metaphor for divine retribution and the inevitable fate of those led astray by carnal desires
• 'Babylon the Great' and Rossetti’s Anglican faith deeply permeates the poem - Her belief in spiritual warfare, salvation through renunciation, and the deceptive power of the world is central - Babylon is a symbol of the soul’s adversary, enticing but damned - The poem serves as a devotional meditation as much as a poetic warning
• 'Babylon the Great' can be read as a subtle critique of Victorian materialism and the commodification of femininity - Babylon is adorned with “gold and gem and pearl,” suggesting the excesses of consumer culture - Her seductive dance reflects the way beauty and performance in society can distract from spiritual truth and moral duty
• 'Babylon the Great' and though some may see the poem as reinforcing patriarchal fear of female sexuality, it can also be read as Rossetti’s critique of how society constructs and demonizes women who transgress - Babylon becomes a vessel for society’s anxieties around women’s agency, presenting a figure both feared and punished for her power
• 'Babylon the Great' and the tone of the poem is austere, prophetic, and cautionary - Rossetti’s purpose is not only to condemn sin but to awaken moral awareness - With apocalyptic imagery and stern warnings, the poem urges the reader to reject illusion and remain spiritually vigilant, lest they too become ensnared by worldly desires
• 'Babylon the Great' by Christina Rossetti uses the extended metaphor of a seductive yet damned woman as a cautionary allegory for spiritual and moral corruption - Babylon becomes a microcosm of worldly temptation, her opulent appearance masking an inner decay that reflects the soul's peril when led astray by lust and vanity - Through this richly symbolic figure, Rossetti exposes the deceptive allure of sin, drawing on apocalyptic imagery to underscore divine judgement - The metaphor transcends the individual, warning society at large of the consequences of idolising beauty without virtue