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Cousin Kate Summary & Analysis by Christina Rossetti

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
• Poetic Devices
• Vocabulary & References
• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
• Line-by-Line Explanations

“Cousin Kate” is a dramatic monologue by the British poet Christina Rossetti. Rossetti wrote “Cousin Kate” while she was a volunteer at the St. Mary Magdalene house for "fallen women," a derogatory 19th-century term for supposedly unchaste women (such as unmarried mothers and sex workers). The poem is told from the perspective of one such woman, who is seduced by a powerful lord and bears his child out of wedlock. "Cousin Kate" is specifically addressed to the speaker's cousin, who marries the lord despite his mistreatment of the speaker. Like many of the other poems included in Rossetti's first and most famous book of poetry, Goblin Market and Other Poems , "Cousin Kate" explores the hypocrisy of gender roles and the dangers of temptation.

• Read the full text of “Cousin Kate”

The Full Text of “Cousin Kate”

1 I was a cottage maiden

2 Hardened by sun and air

3 Contented with my cottage mates,

4 Not mindful I was fair.

5 Why did a great lord find me out,

6 And praise my flaxen hair?

7 Why did a great lord find me out,

8 To fill my heart with care?

9 He lured me to his palace home -

10 Woe's me for joy thereof-

11 To lead a shameless shameful life,

12 His plaything and his love.

13 He wore me like a silken knot,

14 He changed me like a glove;

15 So now I moan, an unclean thing,

16 Who might have been a dove.

17 O Lady kate, my cousin Kate,

18 You grew more fair than I:

19 He saw you at your father's gate,

20 Chose you, and cast me by.

21 He watched your steps along the lane,

22 Your work among the rye;

23 He lifted you from mean estate

24 To sit with him on high.

25 Because you were so good and pure

26 He bound you with his ring:

27 The neighbors call you good and pure,

28 Call me an outcast thing.

29 Even so I sit and howl in dust,

30 You sit in gold and sing:

31 Now which of us has tenderer heart?

32 You had the stronger wing.

33 O cousin Kate, my love was true,

34 Your love was writ in sand:

35 If he had fooled not me but you,

36 If you stood where I stand,

37 He'd not have won me with his love

38 Nor bought me with his land;

39 I would have spit into his face

40 And not have taken his hand.

41 Yet I've a gift you have not got,

42 And seem not like to get:

43 For all your clothes and wedding-ring

44 I've little doubt you fret.

45 My fair-haired son, my shame, my pride,

46 Cling closer, closer yet:

47 Your father would give his lands for one

48 To wear his coronet.

“Cousin Kate” Summary

“cousin kate” themes.

Gender, Morality, and Hypocrisy

• See where this theme is active in the poem.

Lust, Love, and Temptation

Line-by-line explanation & analysis of “cousin kate”.

I was a cottage maiden Hardened by sun and air Contented with my cottage mates, Not mindful I was fair.

Why did a great lord find me out, And praise my flaxen hair? Why did a great lord find me out, To fill my heart with care?

He lured me to his palace home - Woe's me for joy thereof- To lead a shameless shameful life, His plaything and his love.

Lines 13-16

He wore me like a silken knot, He changed me like a glove; So now I moan, an unclean thing, Who might have been a dove.

Lines 17-20

O Lady kate, my cousin Kate, You grew more fair than I: He saw you at your father's gate, Chose you, and cast me by.

Lines 21-24

He watched your steps along the lane, Your work among the rye; He lifted you from mean estate To sit with him on high.

Lines 25-28

Because you were so good and pure He bound you with his ring: The neighbors call you good and pure, Call me an outcast thing.

Lines 29-32

Even so I sit and howl in dust, You sit in gold and sing: Now which of us has tenderer heart? You had the stronger wing.

Lines 33-36

O cousin Kate, my love was true, Your love was writ in sand: If he had fooled not me but you, If you stood where I stand,

Lines 37-40

He'd not have won me with his love Nor bought me with his land; I would have spit into his face And not have taken his hand.

Lines 41-44

Yet I've a gift you have not got, And seem not like to get: For all your clothes and wedding-ring I've little doubt you fret.

Lines 45-48

My fair-haired son, my shame, my pride, Cling closer, closer yet: Your father would give his lands for one To wear his coronet.

“Cousin Kate” Symbols

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Clothing and Accessories

“Cousin Kate” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

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Parallelism

Rhetorical question, “cousin kate” vocabulary.

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• Silken knot
• Mean estate
• Fair-haired
• See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Cousin Kate”

Rhyme scheme, “cousin kate” speaker, “cousin kate” setting, literary and historical context of “cousin kate”, more “cousin kate” resources, external resources.

Gender and Sexuality in the 19th Century — A collection of articles on gender and sexuality in the Victorian era, written by a biographer of Christina Rossetti and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

In Our Time: Christina Rossetti — A 45-minute podcast episode in which literary scholars discuss Rossetti's life and work for BBC Radio 4.

The Oxford Movement — The Wikipedia page for the Oxford Movement, including a list of associated figures.

Rossetti's Biography — An in-depth account of of Rossetti's life, including a detailed discussion of her writings and links to many of her poems.

A Reading — A reading of "Cousin Kate" on YouTube.

Art Term: Pre-Raphaelites — A brief, straightforward overview of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood from the Tate Museum.

LitCharts on Other Poems by Christina Rossetti

An Apple Gathering

Babylon the Great

From the Antique

Good Friday

In an Artist's Studio

In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)

Maude Clare

No, Thank You, John

Piteous my rhyme is

Sister Maude

Soeur Louise de la Miséricorde

Some ladies dress in muslin full and white

Song (When I am dead, my dearest)

Winter: My Secret

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Cousin Kate

By Christina Rossetti

‘Cousin Kate’ speaks to the circumstance of women during the Victorian era. The period in which Rossetti wrote this poem makes the message all the more meaningful.

Christina Rossetti

Her most important collection is Goblin Market and other Poems.

Poem Analyzed by Allisa Corfman

Degree in Secondary Education/English and Teacher of World Literature and Composition

The time period in which this poem, ‘ Cousin Kate ,’ was written makes the message all the more meaningful. The writer, Christina Rossetti , was a woman of the Victorian era. Born in 1830, Rossetti lived during a time when women had no choice but to be chaste. Anything else was to be outcasted from society. On the other hand, men were known often to use prostitutes as an outlet for their sexuality until (and sometimes after) they were married.

However, during this period, women were also thought to be inferior to men in many ways, including physically and intellectually. However, they were thought to be superior to men morally. Thus, a much higher moral expectation was placed on women. They were thought to have little to no sexual desire aside from for the purpose of becoming a mother. Therefore, when a woman was found out to have had sexual relations outside of marriage, it was treated as something entirely different from when men had premarital sex. It was looked upon as an act of defiance for women against family, society, and God. For men, it was seen as a moment of weakness in which they gave in to an overwhelming sexual desire.

During this time, women were also considered the property of men. They were to obey them. This presented a problem for women. If a Lord, Duke, or perhaps even the King wanted to have a woman sexually, she was expected to obey him. And when he was done using her, she bore the shame of losing her virginity before the marriage. This poem speaks to that exact kind of circumstance.

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• 1 Summary of Cousin Kate
• 2 Analysis of Cousin Kate
• 3 Christina Rossetti Background

Summary of Cousin Kate

The speaker in ‘ Cousin Kate’ was lured away by a lord. His magnificence and place in life probably made her feel intimidated. Her whole life, she was taught that a woman’s role was to obey men, especially a man in a position of authority. Thus, when the lord sought her out, it was natural for her to obey. Her cousin, Kate, watched the whole thing. Then, when the lord was tired of the speaker, he went after her cousin, Kate. Kate, having seen her cousin brought to shame by the lord, denied him sexually. Because she did this, the lord married her, and she was brought to a place of honor while her poor cousin was destined to live the rest of her life in shame.

Analysis of Cousin Kate

I was a cottage maiden Hardened by sun and air, Contented with my cottage mates, Not mindful I was fair. Why did a great lord find me out, And praise my flaxen hair? Why did a great lord find me out To fill my heart with care?

‘Cousin Kate’ begins with the description of a beautiful young maiden who spent her days out in the sun and the air. This young maiden was content to be with her cottage mates. She had no thought for a man and no desire for anything that she did not already have. She claims that she did not even know that she was a beautiful girl until a great lord found her out. She asks, “Why did a great lord find me out,/ And praise my flaxen hair?” The tone of this question suggests that the affair with the great lord will not end well for the speaker.

She asks again, “Why did a great lord find me out to fill my heart with care?” This reveals that the great lord made the speaker feel something for him. While she was once a beautiful young maiden without a care in the world, the attentions of the great lord caused her to become a young maiden quite in love with someone much above her in social status.

Of course, during the Victorian era, few people married for love. Most men married when a handsome dowry could be offered, and most women sought to marry in such a way that would move them up the societal ladder.

He lured me to his palace home– Woe’s me for joy thereof– To lead a shameless shameful life, His plaything and his love. He wore me like a silken knot, He changed me like a glove; So now I moan, an unclean thing, Who might have been a dove.

The speaker uses the word “lured” to suggest further that the great lord did not have pure intentions in his praise of her. The speaker says that when he took her into his home, he “woe[ed her] for joy thereof.” Here, the readers can see that what the great lord did for his own joy was the woe of the young maiden. She says that he took her “to lead a shameless shameful life” and to make her “his plaything and his love.” The way the speaker describes her life as the mistress of the great lord reveals that he used her for his own satisfaction without a thought for the way that it would alter the course of her life for the rest of her days.

In the sixth line of this stanza , the speaker reveals that he finally set her aside completely. She says, “He changed me like a glove.” She clearly felt that she was nothing more than a toy or an article of clothing to this man. He would use her while she was new and exciting, but he would set her aside when he was done with her. He had no concern for what it would do to her. But she cries out to tell her story through these words. She says, “So now I moan, an unclean thing who might have been a dove.” Her place in society, her future, and her value for herself were all destroyed and all so that a powerful man might use her to amuse himself for a while.

Stanza Three

O Lady Kate, my cousin Kate, You grew more fair than I: He saw you at your father’s gate, Chose you, and cast me by. He watched your steps along the lane, Your work among the rye; He lifted you from mean estate To sit with him on high.

There is a shift with this stanza so that the speaker is not talking to the readers anymore but to her cousin, Kate. It is possible that she has been talking to Kate all along. When she calls her “Lady Kate,” she makes it clear that her cousin has risen in social status to become a Lady. The speaker reveals that her little cousin grew to be more beautiful than she was herself. And the great lord saw her at her father’s gate, chose her, and cast aside the speaker.

Stanza Four

Because you were so good and pure He bound you with his ring: The neighbours call you good and pure, Call me an outcast thing. Even so I sit and howl in dust, You sit in gold and sing: Now which of us has tenderer heart? You had the stronger wing.

With this stanza, the speaker reveals that Kate was “good and pure” and so “he bound [her] with his ring.” The lord married her because Kate would not allow the great lord to take her to his bed without marriage. Thus, she rose to the position of a lady. The speaker says to her, “the neighbors call you good and pure, call me an outcast thing.”

Then she says that she sits in the dust and howls. This imagery comes from the biblical book of Job, and the description of sitting in the dust and howling is well known as the epitome of despair. The speaker contrasts herself with Kate, saying that Kate sings while she sits in gold. This is a stark contrast to the speaker, who howls in the dust.

But then, the speaker asks Kate a question. She says, “Which of us has a tenderer heart?” The question implies that the speaker believes herself to have a more feeling heart than Kate.

In the last line of this stanza, the speaker claims that Kate “had the stronger wing,” but her previous question leaves the readers with a picture of the speaker as the sweeter and more tender of the two, while Kate was the stronger.

Stanza Five

O cousin Kate, my love was true, Your love was writ in sand: If he had fooled not me but you, If you stood where I stand, He’d not have won me with his love Nor bought me with his land; I would have spit into his face And not have taken his hand.

With this stanza, the speaker begins to draw a more distinct line between herself and her cousin. She appeals to her, exclaiming, “O cousin Kate, my love was true, Your love was writ in sand.” This reveals that the speaker did feel herself in love with the lord, though he used her as he did. She compares her true love with the love of her cousin, which she claims was not true and deep love, but one that was written in the sand and could have been washing away by the tide.

The speaker continues to explain her heart to her cousin. She says, “If he had fooled not me but you,/ If you stood where I stand, He’d not have won me with his love.” Kate was fortunate enough to be able to watch what happened with her cousin before the lord took an interest in herself. The speaker says that if it had been the other way around, and the lord had seduced Kate first, and she herself “would have spit into his face and not have taken his hand.” The speaker clearly regrets that she allowed herself to care for this man and to go into his bed. She wants Kate to know that the difference between the two of them really came down to the coincidence that the lord went after the speaker first and Kate second.

Yet I’ve a gift you have not got, And seem not like to get: For all your clothes and wedding-ring I’ve little doubt you fret. My fair-haired son, my shame, my pride, Cling closer, closer yet: Your father would give lands for one To wear his coronet.

In the final stanza, the speaker continues to contrast herself with Kate. Up until now, she has shown that she is living a life of shame while Kate lives a life of glory. She has shown that Kate was stronger, but the speaker’s own love was more true. Here, she says to Kate, “I’ve a gift you have not got and seem not like to get.” She goes on to dismiss Kate’s clothes and her wedding ring. She tells her cousin that she knows that she must fret about what she does not have.

Then she reveals what this gift is. The great lord had given her a “fair-haired son,” which she calls her “shame” and her “pride” in one breath. This son brought her shame in the eyes of society. And yet, as every mother can understand, the child was also her pride and joy. She does not consider him a curse but a gift. Then, she tells Kate, “Your father would give lands for one/ To wear his coronet.” A coronet, a small, simple crown, was often worn by lesser royalty. The speaker reminds Kate that although she is named a Lady and has a great husband, she herself will come to nothing without a son to inherit the wealth of his parents and grandparents.

Women were married away with a dowry during this time, but they were not given an inheritance. It is not clear whether Kate was unable to have children or whether she seemed to have only baby girls. Whatever the case, the speaker asserts that Kate seemed likely not to have a boy. It is very likely, then, that the speaker’s own boy would inherit the wealth of his father. Often if there were no legitimate son to inherit wealth, an illegitimate son would be named heir. Thus, despite losing her husband and place in society, the speaker clings to the hope that one day her son will have a better life through inheriting the wealth of his father.

Christina Rossetti Background

Given the author’s background, ‘ Cousin Kate’ is somewhat ironic . One might expect to find that Rossetti had once been in the same position as the speaker, but it does not appear so. From what is known about Rossetti, she was a highly religious woman who never married and even broke off an engagement because her fiance had become a Roman Catholic. She was a loyal member of the Anglican church. Perhaps her adherence to her beliefs led her to this kind of sympathy for a woman in the position of the speaker of ‘ Cousin Kate’ . After all, Jesus himself had a heart for the woman who was caught in the very act of prostitution.

Likewise, though seemingly pious and religious, Rossetti shows sympathy for her fellow women who were not so fortunate as to have escaped being lured in by a man. Her poem particularly shows sympathy for women and the skepticism of men. The man in ‘ Cousin Kate’ is clearly vile, and the women are at his mercy. Perhaps this fear of men and their power over women is what lead Rossetti to remain single, though she received two offers of marriage.

Christina Rossetti received a second offer of marriage – her suitor in this instance, being a man of letters and pre-eminently a scholar. Again, she was favorably disposed to her suitor and again actuated by religious scruples, and she was constrained to reject his offer (Bell).

This reveals that the author had probably been in love more than once in her life, but that she was afraid to do the wrong thing and sought to adhere to the church rather than marry when she was not sure that it was entirely right to do so. Although the author could not entirely identify with her speaker in ‘ Cousin Kate ,’ she clearly was able to have empathy for all the women in her society who had given in to their passions and been ruined by them. ‘ Cousin Kate’ also reveals the fear that she may end up cast aside if she responds to her suitors.

Works Cited:

• Bell, Mackenzie. Christina Rossetti: A Biographical and Critical Study . Thomas Burleigh, 1898.
• Murray, Janet Horowitz. Strong-minded women: and other lost voices from nineteenth-century England . Pantheon, 1982.

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Didn’t they design Fortnite?

i love the poem it repeats a few lines for example when it says why did a great lord find me out it adds rhyming to it.

When a poem repeats lines it is called a refrain, it’s a common poetic device that often helps to cement an idea in the readers mind – fun fact!

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Corfman, Allisa. "Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti". Poem Analysis , https://poemanalysis.com/christina-rossetti/cousin-kate/ . Accessed 19 September 2024.

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Cousin Kate, Christina Rossetti Poem Analysis/Annotations

• March 10, 2019
• All Poems / GCSE Edexcel

Cousin Kate, Christina Rossetti

FULL POEM - SCROLL DOWN FOR LINE-BY-LINE ANALYSIS​

I was a cottage maiden

Hardened by sun and air

Contented with my cottage mates,

Not mindful I was fair.

Why did a great lord find me out,

And praise my flaxen hair?

To fill my heart with care?

He lured me to his palace home –

Woe’s me for joy thereof-

To lead a shameless shameful life,

His plaything and his love.

He wore me like a silken knot,

He changed me like a glove;

So now I moan, an unclean thing,

Who might have been a dove.

O Lady Kate, my cousin Kate,

You grew more fair than I:

He saw you at your father’s gate,

Chose you, and cast me by.

He watched your steps along the lane,

Your work among the rye;

He lifted you from mean estate

To sit with him on high.

Because you were so good and pure

He bound you with his ring:

The neighbors call you good and pure,

Call me an outcast thing.

Even so I sit and howl in dust,

You sit in gold and sing:

Now which of us has tenderer heart?

You had the stronger wing.

O cousin Kate, my love was true,

Your love was writ in sand:

If he had fooled not me but you,

If you stood where I stand,

He’d not have won me with his love

Nor bought me with his land;

I would have spit into his face

And not have taken his hand.

Yet I’ve a gift you have not got,

And seem not like to get:

For all your clothes and wedding-ring

I’ve little doubt you fret.

My fair-haired son, my shame, my pride,

Cling closer, closer yet:

Your father would give lands for one

To wear his coronet.

LINE-BY-LINE ANALYSIS

A ‘maiden’ is an unmarried girl or woman. The past tense of this first line creates a reminiscent tone, suggesting something happened to her for the worse thereby turning her away from this seemingly picturesque existence. The ‘sun’ and the ‘air’ create a beautiful, natural tone.

This line describes how the girl wanted nothing more from life – not a man, or wealth, or anything. Instead, she was content with her lower-class life with her ‘cottage mates’.

This states that she was not aware of her own beauty.

This rhetorical question gives an insight into her regret as if she is lamenting the fact that the ‘lord’ found her and ‘praised [her] flaxen hair’. We would expect her to be elated at such compliments and look back at this recognition with pleasure.

The repetitive nature of the rhetorical questions heightens the tone of regret like she is mourning her previous life. The word ‘care’ may imply that she had feelings for the ‘Lord’ or, instead, she is reflecting on her carefree nature which he stole.

Rossetti’s use of the verb ‘lured’ makes the Lord sound sinister, predatory and animalistic. This menace juxtaposes the luxury of his ‘palace home’.

This line narrates how the Lord caused her great sorrow for his own joy. His use of her mirrors his predatory nature in the previous line – he is feeding off her for his own joy.

This oxymoron encapsulates the conflicting emotions of the woman. She’s ‘shameless’ because of her newfound life of wealth and attention but ‘shameful’ as she’s aware that she’s being taken advantage of. With contextual knowledge of Victorian times, this shame she feels becomes more significant as it links to the view that women were not allowed to have sex out of wedlock and were viewed as inpure if they did.

‘Plaything’ shows that the relationship was just temporary to the Lord and that, to him, she was nothing more than an object of his pleasure – he didn’t ‘love’ her just the pleasure she provided for him.

A ‘silken knot’ is a piece of jewellery worn like a brooch and its effect here is to signify that she was merely an accessory to him – a possession to flaunt with little underlying emotion.

This line is pivotal in the poem as it illustrates how the woman was permanently changed by the Lord’s selfish pursuits of pleasure. The image of the ‘glove’ repeats how she was just an accessory for the Lord to flaunt.

She is now viewed by society as ‘unclean’ as, in Victorian times,  women who lost their virginity were viewed as in pure and having lost their innocence.

This line highlights just how much life the woman has to mourn. The pure, innocent image of the white ‘dove’ juxtaposes with how she is now ‘unclean’, and this contrast emphasises the extent of her loss.

O Lady kate, my cousin Kate,

The narrative shifts in this stanza as the speaker addresses her ‘cousin Kate’.

The speaker describes that whilst she was the Lord’s ‘plaything’ she lost her innocence as well as her beauty but her cousin’s beauty grew to become greater.

These two lines reveal why the speaker addressed Kate as ‘O Lady Kate’ at the start of this stanza. The ‘He’ is the ‘Lord’ and the speaker reveals how, upon seeing Kate, he cast the speaker away in favour of her.

These two lines narrate how the ‘Lord’ turned his attention towards Kate and became fixated on her and the attraction that he felt for her that the speaker could no longer offer.

There is a symmetry the Lord taking away Kate now as he did with the speaker in the events of the first stanza. The fact ‘he lifted’ her away creates a power imbalance in his favour just like previously. The height in the last line is a metaphor for her elevation in the social hierarchy.

The speaker implies that Kate refused to have sex with him out of wedlock, hence, retaining her purity. His attraction described in the last stanza motivated him to ‘bound [her] with his ring’ or propose to Kate. Ironically, Kate’s initial rejection of the Lord resulted in their marriage and the retention of her purity whilst still receiving the joys of living in luxury.

This line also offers us some contextual analysis as it shows that the view of society in Victorian England was held in great esteem. The perception of the ‘neighbours’ is a metaphor for the perception of the entire Victorian society/

The contrasting societal views of the two women becoming more evident with the contrast between ‘good and pure’ of Kate and the ‘outcast thing’ of the speaker. The pronoun ‘thing’ signifies her status as almost sub-human.

There juxtaposing comforts of life are now elaborated on. The animalistic imagery of the speaker howling in the dust links with the dehumanisation in the previous line and it brutally contrasts with the pleasantness of singing and the luxury of the ‘gold’, compared to the coarseness of the dust.

This rhetorical question implies that the speaker is questioning how easily moved Kate is in comparison to her. The inference is that the speaker believes her own heart has become more tender and compassionate as a result of her hardship, whilst Kate’s has become less due to her life of luxury.

The speaker doesn’t answer her rhetorical question (the ambiguity, I think, suggests she feels it’s herself) but does conclude that Kate was stronger willed and surmises that it is this which has led to their juxtaposing outcomes in life.

The narrator reveals that her love for the Lord was real and, ultimately, this sincerity of her love brought about her tragic downfall.

The description of Kate’s love as ‘writ in sand’ is a metaphor for the lack of meaning and substance to her love, just as writing in the sand is insignificant and temporary because it gets washed away by the sea.

The tone of regret returns as the narrator once again laments how she was fooled by the lord. A tinge of contempt for her cousin is also evident here, as the narrator feels betrayed and envious of Kate who, in a way, benefitted from witnessing the demise of her relationship with the lord.

The narrator describes that if she was in Kate’s position having seen Kate be fooled like she was, she too, would not have been charmed and ‘bought’ by the Lord and his power.

The narrator follows the previous lines by reinforcing the fact that, had their roles been reversed, her love would have turned into contempt for the Lord.

The narrator makes another comparison between herself and her cousin. But this time she has the upper-hand – she previously mentions Kate’s life of luxury compared to her own life of poverty, but now she has a ‘gift’ that Kate may never have.

The language and structure here have an effect of belittling these material possessions and their importance. It is a touch ironic as this is what compelled the narrator to the Lord in the first place. But the main inference is that this ‘gift’ exceeds any material possession that Kate may have.

The narrator reveals that this incredible gift is a ‘son’. With contextual knowledge, we know the extent of the importance of having a son in Victorian times – to continue the family name and inheritance. Her son is her ‘shame’ because of the out-of-wedlock sex and loss of innocence he personifies, but his historical significance and the connection between mother and baby also make him her ‘pride’.

Your father would give his lands for one

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Cousin Kate (Christina Rossetti)

Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti is a narrative poem that tells the story of a young woman who is seduced and abandoned by a wealthy lord. The speaker, Kate's cousin, reflects on her own past relationship with the lord and the consequences of his betrayal. Despite the speaker's love and loyalty, the lord chooses Kate over her, leaving the speaker feeling betrayed and abandoned. However, as the poem progresses, the speaker reveals that Kate's relationship with the lord has also brought her suffering, as she is now left alone with his child while the speaker has found love and happiness elsewhere. You can read the poem below and find analysis further down the page.

Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti

I was a cottage-maiden

Hardened by sun and air,

Contented with my cottage-mates,

Not mindful I was fair. 

Why did a great lord ­ find me out

And praise my ‑ flaxen hair?

To ­ fill my heart with care?

He lured me to his palace-home –

Woe’s me for joy thereof –

To lead a shameless shameful life,

His plaything and his love. 

He wore me like a golden knot,

He changed me like a glove: 

So now I moan an unclean thing

Who might have been a dove.

O Lady Kate, my Cousin Kate,

You grow more fair than I: 

He saw you at your father’s gate, 

Chose you and cast me by.

He watched your steps along the lane,

Your sport among the rye: 

He lifted you from mean estate

To sit with him on high.

Because you were so good and pure

He bound you with his ring:

The neighbours call you good and pure,

Call me an outcast thing. 

Even so I sit and howl in dust

You sit in gold and sing:

Now which of us has tenderer heart? 

You had the stronger wing. 

O Cousin Kate, my love was true,

Your love was writ in sand: 

If he had fooled not me but you, 

If you stood where I stand,

He had not won me with his love

Nor bought me with his land:

I would have spit into his face

And not have taken his hand.

Yet I’ve a gift you have not got

And seem not like to get:

For all your clothes and wedding-ring

I’ve little doubt you fret.

My fair-haired son, my shame, my pride,

Cling closer, closer yet:

Your sire would give broad lands for one

To wear his coronet.

Title and Subject Matter:

The title "Cousin Kate" immediately introduces the central characters of the poem: Kate and the speaker, who is Kate's cousin. The poem explores themes of love, betrayal, and societal expectations, particularly regarding the roles and expectations placed on women in Victorian society.

Structure and Form:

"Cousin Kate" is written in quatrains with a regular rhyme scheme (ABAB), creating a sense of rhythm and structure. The use of regular meter and rhyme scheme contributes to the poem's narrative flow and emotional impact.

Language and Tone:

Rossetti uses simple, yet evocative language to convey the speaker's emotions and experiences in a direct and relatable manner.

The tone of the poem is melancholic and reflective, with the speaker lamenting the betrayal and abandonment she has experienced at the hands of the lord.

Characterisation and Point of View:

The poem is narrated from the perspective of the speaker, Kate's cousin, allowing readers to empathise with her feelings of betrayal and resentment. Through the speaker's reflections, Rossetti explores the complexities of relationships and the societal expectations placed on women during the Victorian era.

Love and betrayal: The poem explores the theme of love and betrayal, as the speaker recounts her past relationship with the lord and the subsequent betrayal by both him and Kate.

Social expectations and gender roles: Rossetti examines the societal expectations placed on women, particularly regarding relationships and marriage, highlighting the injustices and constraints faced by women in Victorian society.

Redemption and resilience: Despite the speaker's initial feelings of betrayal and abandonment, she ultimately finds redemption and happiness, showcasing her resilience and strength.

Key Quotes:

"O cousin Kate, my love was true, / Your love was writ in sand:"

"He changed me like a glove; / So now I moan, an unclean thing, / Who might have been a dove."

"Yet I've a gift you have not got, / And seem not like to get: / For all your clothes and wedding-ring, / I've little doubt you fret."

Conclusion:

Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti is a poignant exploration of love, betrayal, and societal expectations in Victorian society.   Through the speaker's reflections, Rossetti delves into the complexities of relationships and the injustices faced by women, particularly regarding the expectations placed on them by society.   The poem's inclusion in the Edexcel GCSE English Literature Conflict Poetry Anthology provides students with an opportunity to explore themes of love, betrayal, and gender roles, as well as to engage with the social and historical context of Victorian society.

You can find analysis of all the Edexcel Conflict Poetry Anthology Poems here . 

Cousin Kate

I was a cottage maiden Hardened by sun and air, Contented with my cottage mates, Not mindful I was fair. Why did a great lord find me out, And praise my flaxen hair? Why did a great lord find me out To fill my heart with care? He lured me to his palace home? Woe’s me for joy thereof? To lead a shameless shameful life, His plaything and his love. He wore me like a silken knot, He changed me like a glove; So now I moan, an unclean thing, Who might have been a dove. O Lady Kate, my cousin Kate, You grew more fair than I: He saw you at your father’s gate, Chose you, and cast me by. He watched your steps along the lane, Your work among the rye; He lifted you from mean estate To sit with him on high. Because you were so good and pure He bound you with his ring: The neighbours call you good and pure, Call me an outcast thing. Even so I sit and howl in dust, You sit in gold and sing: Now which of us has tenderer heart? You had the stronger wing. O cousin Kate, my love was true, Your love was writ in sand: If he had fooled not me but you, If you stood where I stand, He’d not have won me with his love Nor bought me with his land; I would have spit into his face And not have taken his hand. Yet I’ve a gift you have not got, And seem not like to get: For all your clothes and wedding-ring I’ve little doubt you fret. My fair-haired son, my shame, my pride, Cling closer, closer yet: Your father would give lands for one To wear his coronet.

Summary of Cousin Kate

Analysis of poetic devices used in ‘cousin kate’.

I was a cottage maiden Hardened by sun and air, Contented with my cottage mates, Not mindful I was fair.

Quotes to be Used

He’d not have won me with his love Nor bought me with his land; I would have spit into his face And not have taken his hand.

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Cousin Kate

Cousin kate lyrics.

How to Format Lyrics:

• Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
• Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
• Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
• Use italics ( <i>lyric</i> ) and bold ( <b>lyric</b> ) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
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To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum

The poem is a dramatic monologue , directly addressed to the eponymous Cousin Kate, who is called “you” throughout, although she is clearly not present. As in all good dramatic monologues, the reader can track the gamut of emotions, contradictions and inconsistences in this unreliable narrator’s story. We are left with a fascinating picture of confused motives, injustice and self-delusion.

The emotional story is complex, and one can read into it possible comments about gender imbalance, class inequality and family strife. All this derives from a simple plot. A ‘great lord’ is able to pick and choose from the poor girls living nearby. The narrator and her cousin are comparable, but one, Kate, is fortunate to be raised to the position of his wife. The narrator is less lucky and becomes shunned and ruined as his sexual plaything. As in another comparable poem by Rosetti, ‘Sister Maude’, it also tells a story of bitter family rivalry.

It is worth noting that the dramatic nature of the stories that appealed to Victorian readers, especially women, were often histrionic and Gothic; an escape for those who lived dull, oppressive middle-class lives.

Structure It is written in a traditional ballad form. This means that it alternates 8 and 6 syllable lines — that is an unstressed and a stressed syllable called a iamb forming a metric foot — with a regular rhyme scheme. There are six stanzas, each of eight lines. Ballads are often narrative poems, like this one.

The rhyme scheme is complex. The first stanza forms ABCBDBDB. The other stanzas, when analysed, show slight variations on this basic pattern. This sounds confusing yet when read or spoken the poem flows naturally and is an indication of Rosetti’s ability to manipulate rhyme.

Language and Imagery This is written in the first person singular,‘ I’, a dramatic monologue in which the ‘cottage maiden’ tells her story. The language is that of a country girl with limited education, direct and without complex metaphors, but the effect is dramatic and moving.

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

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Sixth Form English

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Cousin Kate by Christina Georgina Rossetti: poem analysis

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This is an analysis of the poem Cousin Kate that begins with:

I was a cottage maiden Hardened by sun and air ... full text

More information about poems by Christina Georgina Rossetti

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• Analysis of A Baby's Cradle With No Baby In It
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Compare Cousin Kate by Christina Rosetti and Poison Tree by William Blake (Edexcel GCSE)

Here’s a sample essay for Edexcel GCSE English Literature (Paper 2) – demonstrating a comparison between “Cousin Kate” by Christina Rosetti and “Poison Tree” by William Blake. These poems are both from the Edexcel GCSE Conflict anthology.

Have a read through this, and pretend you are marking the exam. What would you change about the essay and why? Have I met all the key marking criteria – and do you know what this is!?

Remember, you’ll have 35 minutes in the real thing – so why not have a go yourself, and write a comparison of another two poems in your anthology? But in the meantime, let’s get some inspiration…

Re-read “Cousin Kate”. Choose one other poem from the Conflict anthology. Compare how difficult emotions are presented in the two poems. In your answer, you should consider the: poets’ use of language, form and structure (AO2) influence of the contexts in which the poems were written (AO3)

In both Cousin Kate by Christina Rosetti and Poison Tree by William Blake, the poets present the destructive force of negative emotions and injustice in society. Whilst the two poems are contrastingly written from male and female perspectives, they both utilise conventional poetic forms and present narrators striving to regain personal agency and power (with varying degrees of success!).

The regular form and rhyme scheme of both poems (Blake using four quatrains formed of rhyming couplets and Rosetti utilising a traditional ballad form with an ABAB rhyme scheme) provides an outward illusion of regularity and control. Whilst these accessible forms allowed both poets to reach a wider audience with their didactic messages of social reform, they hide the deeply subversive actions of their narrators. Whilst Blake presents the shocking fact that his narrator is “glad” his foe has been poisoned, Rosetti’s narrator is similarly triumphant in her defeat of Cousin Kate; a family member she may have been expected to support in her marriage.

In both poems the volta comes early. In a Poison Tree, this comes after the first two lines when the focus switches from anger between friends to anger between enemies (“I told it not, my wrath did grow”). In Cousin Kate, the volta comes after the second stanza where the narrator’s focus shifts from her own treatment to Cousin Kate who had “grew more fair than I”. After this point, both poems deal with the jealousy and anger experienced by each narrator. Blake was a well known social reformer, and the ambiguous reference to “foe” (the reader never finds out the cause of the disagreement) could perhaps refer to the necessity of open communication to avoid anger and violence within society.

Despite the similarity of both poems depicting the destructive potential of unchecked anger – Rosetti’s narrator arguably has much more to be “angry” about. Rosetti’s own charitable work with “fallen women” at the St Mary Magdalene House of Charity informed her interest in women looked-down upon by Victorian Society. These were often prostitutes and single women with little power and agency in society. Indeed, she only utilises active verbs to describe the male character. The great lord “wore me”, “changed me” (with similes comparing her to inanimate knots and easily disposable gloves) and then “watched” and “lifted” fair Cousin Kate once he tired of the narrator. The narrator (just like Victorian women in a patriarchal society) was powerless to reject his advances which have now made her an “unclean thing” in the eyes of society.

Whilst the nobleman stole the woman’s potential to have remained an innocent “dove” – Blake’s antagonist also attempts to steal from the narrator. Even though he “knew that it was mine”, he tries to steal the “apple bright” from the narrator’s garden. The image of the apple is an allusion to the fruit eaten by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden – destroying their innocence and bringing sin into the world. Despite these negative religious connotations, it also represents the moment of triumph for the narrator, who had been obsessively growing this trap (and “sunned it with smiles” and “soft deceitful wiles”) to entice his foe. The sibilance of “sunned it with smiles” enhances the threatening tone, leaving the reader in little doubt that the foe “outstretched beneath the tree” has met an untimely end.

Just as Blake’s narrator enjoyed ultimate triumph over their enemy, Rosetti’s narrator also revels a strange “revenge” on Cousin Kate and the Great Lord. With the alliterative phrase “I’ve a gift you have not got, and seem not like to get” she introduces her son (likely begot from the Lord himself). The juxtaposition of “my shame, my pride” reflects the opinions of society more generally (shame at a child born out of wedlock), as well as the woman’s personal love for her child. A legitimate son is what the man deeply desires – and would “give lands” for one to “wear his coronet”. It becomes the only thing the female narrator has the power to keep from him.

In conclusion, both Cousin Kate by Christina Rosetti and Poison Tree by William Blake…

How would you conclude this essay!? Remember to make sure this matches both your introduction and the things you’ve talked about during the essay as a whole. How are they similar, and how are they different? Have a go at writing a few sentences to summarise the key points – and good luck! 😊

Edexcel Mark Scheme: Level 5

N.B. If you struggled with knowing what to mark in the essay – here’s the things Edexcel say you’ll need for top marks:

The writing is informed by perceptive comparisons and contrasts, with a varied and comprehensive range of similarities and/or differences between the poems considered. There is perceptive grasp of form and structure and their effect. The response offers a cohesive evaluation of the poets’ language and its effect on the reader. Relevant subject terminology is integrated and precise. There is excellent understanding of context, and convincing understanding of the relationship between poems and context is integrated into the response.

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Power and Gender in Christina Rossetti's "Cousin Kate"

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Introduction

I. structural analysis.

II. Language and Imagery

Iii. gender and power dynamics, iv. conclusion.

Power and Gender in Christina Rossetti's "Cousin Kate". (2016, Sep 14). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/a-poem-cousin-kate-by-christina-rossetti-essay

"Power and Gender in Christina Rossetti's "Cousin Kate"." StudyMoose , 14 Sep 2016, https://studymoose.com/a-poem-cousin-kate-by-christina-rossetti-essay

StudyMoose. (2016). Power and Gender in Christina Rossetti's "Cousin Kate" . [Online]. Available at: https://studymoose.com/a-poem-cousin-kate-by-christina-rossetti-essay [Accessed: 18 Sep. 2024]

"Power and Gender in Christina Rossetti's "Cousin Kate"." StudyMoose, Sep 14, 2016. Accessed September 18, 2024. https://studymoose.com/a-poem-cousin-kate-by-christina-rossetti-essay

"Power and Gender in Christina Rossetti's "Cousin Kate"," StudyMoose , 14-Sep-2016. [Online]. Available: https://studymoose.com/a-poem-cousin-kate-by-christina-rossetti-essay. [Accessed: 18-Sep-2024]

StudyMoose. (2016). Power and Gender in Christina Rossetti's "Cousin Kate" . [Online]. Available at: https://studymoose.com/a-poem-cousin-kate-by-christina-rossetti-essay [Accessed: 18-Sep-2024]

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Resources you can trust

Understanding 'Cousin Kate' by Christina Rossetti

Develop GCSE English Literature students' understanding of Christina Rossetti's celebrated poem with this downloadable classroom worksheet.

This lesson resource includes a set of eight questions focusing on context, form, structure, language and poetic devices, with answers for self or peer marking in class. It is designed to support students with Edexcel's Poetry Anthology: Conflict.

It could be used for homework, as a group activity or as a lesson resource. 

Example questions from the resource: 

• Summarise what this poem is about.
• What form is this poem?
• How has structure been used in this poem?
• Find a quotation to illustrate each of the following techniques. Explain the effect of the technique in each quotation (s ibilance, oxymoron, anaphora etc.).

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Cousin Kate

By christina rossetti, cousin kate poem text.

Cousin Kate (Excerpt)

I was a cottage maiden Hardened by sun and air Contented with my cottage mates, Not mindful I was fair. Why did a great lord find me out, And praise my flaxen hair? Why did a great lord find me out, To fill my heart with care? He lured me to his palace home - Woe's me for joy thereof- To lead a shameless shameful life, His plaything and his love. He wore me like a silken knot, He changed me like a glove; So now I moan, an unclean thing, Who might have been a dove.

Cousin Kate Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Cousin Kate is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Study Guide for Cousin Kate

Cousin Kate study guide contains a biography of Christina Rossetti, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Cousin Kate
• Cousin Kate Summary
• Character List