Rossetti Context

• Soul Sleep

  • Refers to the 'waiting time' between the death and reunion of the soul and body on the Last Day
• 'Fallen Women'

  • Prostitute or woman who had sex out of wedlock
  • The 'fallenness' was associated with a downward spiral of their social status
  • Her work at Highgate House for the fallen women uplifting women through prayer and show them their worth
  • In 'Goblin Market' Lizzie nurses her sister back to life as the role Rossetti played to the fallen women
• Reserve

  • Theory that stated people had to work hard in their life to gain religious knowledge in order to gain access to heaven
• Failed engagements

  • Both on religious grounds
  • James Collinson converted to Roman Catholicism whilst Rossetti was an Anglo-Catholic
  • Refused proposal to Charles Cayley