A Birthday

Description

Although Christina Rossetti has had a difficult life, much of her poetry emphasized her devotion and love for her Christian beliefs and genuine faith. She wrote A Birthday as a fun, yet deeply meaningful poem describing the depth of her love and the arrival of the “birthday of her life.”

A Birthday is a famous and meaningful poem that highlights both Rossetti’s literary skills and her impressive ability to express thoughts and emotions that most would consider to be beyond the reach of any words. The poem speaks about the comparison of her heart with different natural symbols of love, freedom, joy and overflowing richness of spirit. It also hints to renewal through metaphors and comparisons that seem to point to a deeper connection with spring.

The poem speaks in deep, empathic ways about the euphoric joy that this inner connection can bring. Although most readers would believe that it simply depicts the romantic encounter expectation of encountering “her love” Rossetti mentions no details about “who” that may be, and many would interpret this as a clear hint to her devotion toward Divinity and her deep ability to feel that connection in her own life.

Some have taken the interpretation of Rossetti’s poem to an even further level, claiming it may constitute her understanding of the Second Coming, highly significant for Christian believers. According to those interpretations, the poem seems to speak of the state of renewal and happiness that the Second Coming of Christ would bring into the hearts of all human beings, comparing it to a “birthday” or day of celebration that doesn’t necessarily focus on a single person, but on the loving acceptance of Christ and the enriching life that acceptance could bring to all.

Despite its simplicity, A Birthday is seen as one of Christina Rossetti’s most important and brilliant works – a true gem rich in symbolism and a clear expression of Rossetti’s own feelings and beliefs.
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