Poetry Analysis

“Cousin Kate”

What is the name of the poem? Cousin Kate

What is the name of the poet? Christina Rossetti

What is “Cousin Kate”about?
It talks about a fair maid who catches the interest of a man. The
man decides to let her work in his place, and shows her love,
but then quickly loses interest and replaces her as soon as they
sleep together. The man then proceeds to show interest and
love to her cousin- who is much fairer than her. The man ends
up marrying the cousin because she is clean and pure- while the
other fair maid is considered dirty and his playtoy.

What might Rossetti be - Rossetti is communicating to us the resentfulness and

communicating to you in “Cousin
Kate” ? (There can be many and this
is your interpretation).
[What meaning do you make from the
poem?]
bitterness of the maiden who was replaced by her cousin
Kate by the man who had a love interest in her first.
Rossetti also communicated her struggles she had to
deal with while she was cast by the man who claimed he
loved herr.

Analysis Example(s) with line #s

What is the tone
“Cousin Kate”? How
does the tone develop
what Rossetti
communicates to you?
- The tone is resentful and regretful “who might have been a
- It shows us the bitter side of the dove” (l. 16)
character and helps us relate the main “Even so I sit and howl in
character's side of the story and dust,”​(l.29)
perspective.

How is language used
in “Cousin Kate” to
develop what Rossetti
communicates to you?
- The language is used to communicate to “Not mindful I was fair.”​(l.4)
us whether it was in a modern or old
setting. In addition, the language is also
used to emphasize some of the words
so the reader can get the frustration and
tone of the character.

How is structure used - The way the structure is positioned (L.4)

in “Cousin Kate” to
develop what Rossetti
communicates to you?
brings out the questions and the (L.4-8)
sentences properly and helps the reader
to understand the flow of the story and
message the poet is trying to
communicate.

Anything else that you The imagery develops what Rossetti (L.13-15)
want to talk about in communicates to us because of the way she
“Cousin Kate” that uses a simile to help compare the character to
develops what Rossetti things, this helps the reader to imagine what the
communicates to you? author is talking about and to also get a clear
image of what it looks like in their mind.
Connections Explanation Example(s) with line #s

Global Issue(s)​ seen in Culture, identity and community (L.18-25)

“Cousin Kate” - In my opinion, one of the global issues
that must be conveyed in Cousin Kate
is - colorism. The poet states that the
man goes for the maiden's cousin ,who
the maiden describes is far more lighter
than her.

- This depicts that the man chose the

maidens' cousin because her skin tone
was lighter than her. And that she is
“good and pure”.
- In the world today- there is a common
stereotype that comes with black and
white, the more light you are , the more
you are perceived as a person with
good moralistic values while a person
with a darker shade is portrayed as bad
and harmful to society.

Concept(s)​ seen in
“Cousin Kate”