Cousin Kate

• I was a cottage-maiden


  Has connotations of innocence and virginity that will soon be taken.
• What does "Contented with my cottage mates show?"

  Shows that she wasn't thinking about men or marriage once again, showing her innocence
• "Who might have been a dove"

  Dove shows innocence and purity showing that the nobleman has ruined her
• "My fair haired son, my shame my pride"


  Shows that her son is a gift from the lord however, she suffers from being a 'fallen woman' due to having a child out of wedlock
• "To wear his coronet"


  Is a reminder to her that Kate doesn't have a son and therefore once the nobleman dies, he will inherit his land/riches
• Contextual points

  Rossetti worked with fallen women
• "He changed me like a glove"


  Disguise and secrecy which reflects their relationship which would have been seen as bad in the eyes of the Victorian audience
• "Your love was writ in sand"?


  Shows Kate's that temporarily love/ the purpose of their marriage(- for wealth and status) has no tangible base
• Purpose of ABCB rhyme scheme?

  Creates a constant flow within the poem to show her constant / consistent hatred towards the nobleman
• Purpose of monologue?


  Condenses all the feelings the speaker feels towards her situation in a single text
• How is a ballad formed in cousin Kate?

  ABCB rhyme scheme to disguise the angry and distraught message by the jovial tone
• Where is Zoomorphism found?

  "I sit and howl in dust. You sit in gold and sing"
• Purpose of Zoomorphism ?

  Metaphorically relates her to a wolf which are pack animals to contrast how she's an outcast to society