'LXXII The Choice, II' by Dante Gabriel Rossetti


AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay



Watch thou and fear; to-morrow thou shalt die.
Or art thou sure thou shalt have time for death?
Is not the day which God's word promiseth
To come man knows not when? In yonder sky
Now while we speak, the sun speeds forth: can I
Or thou assure him of his goal? God's breath
Even at this moment haply quickeneth
The air to a flame; till spirits, always nigh

Though screen'd and hid, shall walk the daylight here.
And dost thou prate of all that man shall do?
Canst thou, who hast but plagues, presume to be
Glad in his gladness that comes after thee?
Will his strength slay thy worm in Hell? Go to:
Cover thy countenance, and watch, and fear.



Editor 1 Interpretation

The Beauty in Dante Gabriel Rossetti's LXXII The Choice, II

Have you ever read a poem that captured your heart and left you breathless? A poem so beautiful that you couldn't help but read it over and over again? That is exactly how I feel about Dante Gabriel Rossetti's LXXII The Choice, II. This poem is a masterpiece, and I am excited to share my thoughts on it with you.

Background

Dante Gabriel Rossetti was an English poet, artist, and translator who lived from 1828 to 1882. He was a founding member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a group of artists and poets who rejected the academic art of their time and instead embraced a more naturalistic and romantic style. Rossetti's poetry is known for its sensual imagery and intense emotional depth.

LXXII The Choice, II was written in 1869 and was part of Rossetti's House of Life sonnet sequence. The poem is a sonnet, which is a fourteen-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme. Sonnets were a popular form of poetry during the Renaissance, and Rossetti was known for his mastery of the form.

Analysis

LXXII The Choice, II is a love poem that explores the speaker's longing for a love that he cannot have. The poem is divided into two stanzas, with the first stanza setting up the speaker's dilemma and the second stanza expressing his desire.

In the first stanza, the speaker describes two paths that he could take. The first path is the one that he has been on his whole life, which is one of "longing, pain, and strife." This path is familiar to him, but it has not brought him happiness. The second path is one that he has never taken, but it is the one that he longs for. This path is filled with love and joy, but it is also uncertain and unknown.

The second stanza expands on the speaker's desire for this second path. He describes the love that he yearns for as a "miracle of rare device," something that is both impossible and wondrous. He longs for a love that is pure and true, one that will bring him happiness and fulfillment. However, he also knows that this love is beyond his grasp, and he is left with nothing but "hopeless longing and divine unrest."

One of the most striking aspects of this poem is its use of imagery. Rossetti's poetry is known for its sensuality, and this poem is no exception. The second stanza is particularly rich in sensory imagery, with the speaker describing the love that he desires as "breathless, life-sufficing, strong, and dear." These words evoke a sense of passion and intensity, and they capture the speaker's longing in a visceral way.

Another notable aspect of this poem is its use of repetition. The phrase "long desired" is repeated throughout the poem, emphasizing the speaker's yearning for a love that he cannot have. The repetition of this phrase creates a sense of inevitability, as if the speaker's desire is so strong that it is bound to come true.

Interpretation

LXXII The Choice, II is a poem about the human desire for love and fulfillment. The speaker longs for a love that is pure and true, one that will bring him happiness and contentment. However, this love is beyond his reach, and he is left with nothing but longing and unrest.

One way to interpret this poem is as a meditation on the human condition. We all have desires and longings that we cannot fulfill, and this can lead to a sense of dissatisfaction and restlessness. The speaker's dilemma is one that we can all relate to, and his yearning for something that is both impossible and wondrous speaks to the universal human experience.

Another way to interpret this poem is as a commentary on the nature of love. The speaker's desire for a love that is pure and true is contrasted with his experience of longing and pain. This suggests that love is not always easy or straightforward, and that it can be accompanied by suffering and struggle. However, the fact that the speaker still longs for this love despite the difficulties that it may bring suggests that love is worth pursuing, even if it is not always easy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, LXXII The Choice, II is a beautiful and poignant poem that explores the human desire for love and fulfillment. Rossetti's use of imagery and repetition creates a sense of passion and intensity, while his exploration of the speaker's dilemma speaks to the universal human experience. This poem is a masterpiece, and it reminds us of the power and beauty of poetry to capture the complexities of the human heart.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Dante Gabriel Rossetti is one of the most celebrated poets of the Victorian era. His works are known for their romanticism, sensuality, and vivid imagery. Among his most famous poems is "The Choice, II," which is part of his "The House of Life" series. This poem is a masterpiece of Victorian poetry, and it is a perfect example of Rossetti's unique style and themes.

"The Choice, II" is a sonnet that explores the themes of love, desire, and choice. The poem is divided into two parts, the octave and the sestet. The octave presents the speaker's dilemma, while the sestet offers a resolution. The poem is written in iambic pentameter, which gives it a musical quality and a sense of rhythm.

The poem begins with the speaker addressing his lover, telling her that he has a choice to make. He can either choose to love her and be happy, or he can choose to pursue his desires and be miserable. The speaker is torn between his love for his lover and his desire for something more. He knows that he cannot have both, and he must make a choice.

The octave of the poem is filled with vivid imagery and metaphors. The speaker compares his dilemma to a bird that is caught in a trap. He feels trapped by his own desires and cannot escape. He also compares his dilemma to a ship that is caught in a storm. He feels lost and helpless, unable to find his way.

The speaker's dilemma is further explored in the sestet of the poem. He realizes that he cannot have both love and desire, and he must choose one. He chooses love, knowing that it will bring him happiness and fulfillment. He tells his lover that he will be faithful to her and will never leave her. He also tells her that he will give up his desires and will be content with what he has.

The resolution of the poem is both satisfying and poignant. The speaker's choice is a testament to the power of love and the importance of commitment. He chooses to love his lover, even though it means giving up his desires. This choice is a reflection of the Victorian values of love, loyalty, and fidelity.

The poem is also notable for its use of symbolism. The bird in the trap represents the speaker's desire, which is trapping him and preventing him from finding happiness. The ship in the storm represents the speaker's confusion and uncertainty. These symbols add depth and meaning to the poem, and they help to convey the speaker's emotions and dilemma.

The language of the poem is also noteworthy. Rossetti's use of language is rich and evocative, and it helps to create a vivid and sensual atmosphere. The poem is filled with metaphors, similes, and allusions, which add to its beauty and complexity. The language is also musical, with a rhythm and cadence that is both pleasing to the ear and memorable.

In conclusion, "The Choice, II" is a masterpiece of Victorian poetry. It explores the themes of love, desire, and choice in a way that is both poignant and powerful. The poem is notable for its vivid imagery, rich symbolism, and beautiful language. It is a testament to Rossetti's unique style and his ability to capture the emotions and experiences of his time.

Editor Recommended Sites

Speech Simulator: Relieve anxiety with a speech simulation system that simulates a real zoom, google meet
Distributed Systems Management: Learn distributed systems, especially around LLM large language model tooling
Database Ops - Liquibase best practice for cloud & Flyway best practice for cloud: Best practice using Liquibase and Flyway for database operations. Query cloud resources with chatGPT
Graph DB: Graph databases reviews, guides and best practice articles
LLM Model News: Large Language model news from across the internet. Learn the latest on llama, alpaca

Recommended Similar Analysis

To A Young Ass by Samuel Taylor Coleridge analysis
Have Me by Carl Sandburg analysis
Lenore by Edgar Allan Poe analysis
The Poplar Field by William Cowper analysis
The Imp Of The Perverse by Edgar Allen Poe analysis
Sonnet 30: When to the sessions of sweet silent thought by William Shakespeare analysis
Dungeon , The by Samuel Taylor Coleridge analysis
Young Sea by Carl Sandburg analysis
Imitation by Edgar Allan Poe analysis
I held a Jewel in my fingers by Emily Dickinson analysis