Interview

(Q): Could you tell me a little bit about where you are from, and what your family life was like?

Christina Rossetti (Answer-A-):

I am from London, England, but my parents are from Italy. I’ve actually spoken Italian sense I was an infant. My brother is also an artist. My brother, Dante Rossetti, likes to paint, as well as draw with pencils. My brother and I were very close. He painted and pencil drew many pictures of me. Dante, like me, was very interested in Pre- Raphaelitism, a movement of art and literature opposing the growing materialism of industrialized England, and the low standards of British art.

 My father was Gabrielle Rossetti. He was a professor of Italian at King's College London. In 1853 my father’s failing eyesight forced him into an early retirement. After my father’s retirement my mother and I attempted to start a small day school, which failed, leaving my life very retiring.

(Q):  What early events in your life would you say sparked your interest in writing?

(A):  I published my first poem in 1848, when I was 18 years old. I did not write very often in my younger years. I would say that much of my writing inspiration came with age. I was very interested in Pre-Raphaelitism, and I contributed to the literary magazine, The Germ, published by the Pre-Raphaelites.

            One of my most famous poems is called Remember. This poem is about loosing someone I love. I gained experience in this matter because twice I had to leave men that I loved, both for religious reasons. I was in love with first James Collinson, then later with Charles Cayley. Another of my most well known poems is called: The Goblin Market. Like many of my poems, The Goblin Market, holds subtle critique against materialism. For my entire life I looked around me and was bothered by the constant desire of people to buy.

                 

(Q): What role did mentors play in helping you develop the interests and talents you have as an artist? What role did teachers and mentors play in helping you develop your interest and talent in writing?

(A): I was educated completely at home. I did not have a specific mentor. The Rossetti’s are a very artistically talented family and, my siblings and I edited much of one another’s work.

My brother Dante and I were particularly close. I mentioned earlier that he was a visual artist. Dante wrote poems as well as drawing pictures. He and I edited each other’s writings frequently. My father, Gabriele Rossetti was also a poet. He and I occasionally edited for one another.

(Q): What was the writing field like when you entered into that realm by publishing your first poem in 1848, at the age of 18?

(A): Actually, I found much of the art in industrialized Britain, which was where I lived my whole life, to be very low class. I joined the Pre-Raphaelitism movement for this very reason. The Pre-Raphaelites protest materialism, and the low class new age art.

            I believe that art is a very important part of culture and society. That is why I joined the Pre-Raphaelitism movement. I want to see a shift in religious and artistic cultures.

(Q): How did the major cultural, economic and political situations of 1800s time period impact your work?

(A): I do not appreciate the over rating of materialism. Neither do I appreciate the treatment of women during the 1800s. I am not a radical feminist, but I do include a certain amount of subtle criticism of the treatment of women in many of my writings.

            I have never been greatly influenced by economics, except as they pertain to materialism and the drive to buy constantly, which I believe to be pushing industrialized Britain, which has always been my home. As for politics, I do have a somewhat feminist philosophy. I have already said that I am very interested in Pre-Raphaelitism, which involves religion and art, two very important aspects of cultural life.

(Q): What types of methods did you use in your art? What were your major accomplishments?

(A): I am a poet. I did contribute to some Pre-Raphaelitism based magazines, but my main field is poetry. I like to write stories told in the form of poetry. My poetry style is clearly evidenced in my famous poem The Goblin Market. You may have heard the Christmas carol, In the Bleak Midwinter. That is one of my best-known pieces. If you listen carefully to the lyrics, you can see that they tell the story of Jesus Christ’s birth.

            My major accomplishments began when I was first published at the age of 18, as I mentioned earlier. My best-known poems are: Remember, a love poem, The Goblin Market, speaking out against both materialism and misogynistic mind-sets, and the Christmas carol, In the Bleak Midwinter.

(Q): What types of key opportunities lead you to your place among famous poets of the industrialized era?

(A): I believe that I was truly lucky to be born into the Rossetti family. Nearly all of my relatives are well known for being talented in the arts. I think that many doors were opened to me by my respectable heritage. I know that my father Gabriele Rossetti, a Professor and a poet, certainly paved the path for many of my early publishing opportunities.

            I mentioned earlier that many of my first poems to be published were edited by my brother Dante. He was already published and involved with the literary magazine, The Germ, at that time. He assisted in publishing many of my earlier poems, as well as editing them.

(Q): What hardships or roadblocks did you have to overcome in order to become a published and well-known poet?

(A): Getting started was absolutely the biggest struggle. Being published for the first time was tricky, though of course my brother Dante and my families overall respect level from the general public did help somewhat with that particular issue. I did not face many issues with getting started as a poet because of my family, which is filled with important artists.

            Of course I had to go through due processes and learn about publishing poetry before I could make a name for myself as an important poet. That was another struggle. I had to gain publicity, and make myself, and my poetry known first locally, and then attempt to gain national publicity.

(Q): Who are people that you admire both in the arts and beyond and why do they inspire you?

(A): I admire my family members. My father Gabriele Rossetti, who was both a professor and a poet, is a very important figure in my life. My brother Dante, who assisted in editing many of my poems, and publishing them, is also a greatly admitted and inspiring person in my eyes. I think that I am very lucky to belong to such a talented family.

                  I  may not be exactly inspired by my mother, but I certainly admire her. After my father was forced into early retirement , the two of us attempted, and failed, to start a day school. She is hard working, and I believe that she has been a wonderful mother.

(Q): What personal anecdotes best illustrate how you became successful in the arts?

(A):I have written some love poems. My most famous undoubtedly being Remember. I have fallen in love twice in my life, as I believe I mentioned earlier. I believe that while leaving the men in my life whom I loved was not easy, it certainly was an inspiration for writing.

            I can also say that my interest in Pre-Raphaelitism had a large impact on my writing. I was raised a Christian, and have remained in that faith. Many of my poems mirror my religious views.

     Works Cited

Lawrence, Lawrence Mielniczuk. "Collection Level Description: Autobiographical Writings of Gabriele Ro." Bodleian Library. University of Oxford

Everett, Glenn. "The Life of Christina Rossetti." The Victorian Web. University of Tennessee at Martin, 1988. Web. 1 Mar 2012.

"Genealogy - Family Tree." Rossetti Family. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Feb 2012. <http://www.lafamigliarossetti.com/Genealogy.htm>.

"Pre-Raphaelites." The Free Dictionary by Farlex. Farlex, 2012. Web. 20 Feb 2012. <http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Pre-Raphaelites>.

Moore, Caroline. "Christina Rossetti." muffinsnspices. WordPress.com, December 29. Web. 27 Feb 2012. <http://muffinsnspices.wordpress.com/tag/authors/>.

"Remember by Christina Rossetti." Poetry Archive. N.p., 2002. Web. 1 Mar 2012. <http://www.poetry-archive.com/r/remember.html>.

Culross, Melissa. "Love as an Influence on Christina Rossetti ." Victorian Web. Cambridge: Harvard UP, '92, December 1989. Web. 25 Feb 2012. <http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/rossetti2.html>.

Landow, George. "How Deprived Was Christina Rossetti by Being Educated at Home?." Victorian Web. N.p., 22 April 2000. Web. 2 Mar 2012. <http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossett

Engels, Frederick. "1892 English Edition Introduction [General Introduction and the History of Materialism]." Socialism: Utopian and Scientific. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Mar 2012. <http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1880/soc-utop/int-mat.htm>.

"Christina Rossetti." Enotes.com. N.p., 2005. Web. 2 Mar 2012. <http://www.enotes.com/christina-rossetti-criticism/rossetti-christina-137923>.

"Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti." Reflections. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Mar 2012. <http://plexipages.com/reflections/goblin.html>.

Gustav Holst. In The Bleak Mid Winter (Christina Rossetti/Gustav Holst cover). 2010. video. Youtube

englishonline@actis.co.uk, . "Classic Poets Christina Rossetti (1830-1894) - Biography." English Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Mar 2012. <http://www.englishonline.co.uk/freesite_tour/resource/literature/rossetti.html>.