The Blessed Damozel by
Gabriel Rossetti
About Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Dante Gabriel Rossetti was born in 1828 in London, England to Italian parents. When he was young, Rossetti hoped to become a painter and was, along with his siblings, a very talented child. After school Rossetti apprenticed to the painter Ford Madox Brown, as well as independently extending his knowledge and love for literature.
Rossetti is most well-known for his founding of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in 1848, along with a number of other painters. These men shared an interest in poetry and distaste for conventions of Fine Art. Another, and perhaps the best known, member of the group, was John Everett Millais who would become the president of the Royal Academy in London. In the late 1840s, while starting to exhibit his paintings, Rossetti met an Elizabeth Eleanor Siddal who would work as one of his models, and eventually become his wife. She committed suicide in 1862 after losing a child. Rossetti buried the only finished manuscript of his poems along with her body.
Rossetti never completely recovered from “Lizzie’s” death, but his reputation was growing. After her death, Rossetti moved to Chelsea where he began a “more aesthetic and sensuous approach to art.” He no longer painted the themes from the literature he’d loved as a child, but now focused on painting his mistresses. He had published a book of translations, The Early Italian Poets, in 1860 and during this time turned once more to poetry and decided to exhume his manuscript from Elizabeth Siddal’s grave. These poems were published in 1870 under the title, Poems. In 1872 his health began to fail and he spent his time as an invalid in his home in Chelsea. Rossetti died in 1882 after his health took a turn for the worse.
The Blessed Damozel Summary
"The Blessed Damozel" is about a woman who has died and yearns to be reunited with her lover, who is still on Earth, in Heaven. In Stanza I, the speaker describes the damozel's body position, as she leans out over the edge of Heaven. She is very beautiful, her eyes are as deep as still waters, she holds three lilies in her hands, and she has seven stars in her hair. In Stanza II, the speaker describes how the damozel is dressed: her robe is unclasped and loose around her body, and it is unadorned with anything other than a single white flower which was a gift from the Virgin Mary. The speaker also describes the damozel's hair, which is "yellow like ripe corn." In Stanza III, the speaker notes that to the damozel, it feels like scarcely a day that she has been in Heaven. However, to her loved ones on Earth, it feels like she has been gone for ten years.
In Stanza IV, the damozel's lover yearns for her and imagines her leaning over him so that he can feel her hair on her face. It turns out that instead of being his lover's hair, he felt a falling leaf, which also signals the passing of time. In Stanza V, the speaker describes the damozel as standing on the "rampart" of Heaven, which is so high above the universe that the damozel can barely see the Sun. In Stanza VI, the speaker describes Heaven further, stating that the rampart acts as a bridge between space and Heaven. The damozel can see the "tides of day and night" beneath her as time passes, and she sees the Earth, which looks like an anxious insect. In Stanza VII, the damozel is surrounded by newly reuniting lovers as souls ascend to heaven. She can also see more souls ascend to heaven, which look like "thin flames." In Stanza VIII, despite the commotion surrounding her, the damozel looks downwards towards the Earth and longs for her lover. The speaker notes that her body heat must have warmed up the "gold bar" of Heaven.
In Stanza IX, the damozel watches as Time moves on and "shakes" the world. The damozel remains rooted with her gaze towards the Earth, waiting for her lover. In Stanza X, it is nighttime and the sun has set; a crescent moon has risen in the sky. The damozel begins to speak, and her voice sounds like all the stars in the sky singing together. In Stanza XI, the damozel's lover thinks that he can hear his beloved's voice in birdsong and hear her footsteps in the chimes of bells. In Stanza XII, the damozel wishes that her lover would come to her. She asks whether she has not prayed hard enough, or whether he has not prayed enough. She wonders whether the strength of their combined prayers is enough to bring them together, and whether she should feel afraid.
In Stanza XIII, the damozel muses that once her lover ascends to heaven, dressed all in white and wearing a halo, she'll take his hand and go with him to bask in the glory of God. In Stanza XIV, the damozel also muses that she and her lover will lie in a sacred temple in Heaven that collects the prayers from Earth. Since her and her lover's prayers will have been answered, they will watch their old prayers melt away like clouds. In Stanza XV, the damozel says that she and her lover will lie in the shadow of the Tree of Life, where the Holy Ghost resides in the form of a dove and each leaf of the tree sings his name. In Stanza XVI, the damozel plans on teaching him the songs that he sings, and presumes that he will learn the songs slowly, taking lots of breaks so that he can soak up as much knowledge as possible.
In Stanza XVII, the lover wonders whether his prayers will be strong enough to convince God to unite him with his lover forever. In Stanzas XVIII-XX, the damozel plans on going to the groves where Mary weaves with her lover and telling Mary about their love. In Stanza XXI, the damozel hopes that Mary will bring her and her lover hand-in-hand to kneel before God and listen to angels play music. In Stanza XXII, the damozel plans on asking Christ if she and her lover can stay together for eternity in Heaven. However, in Stanza XXIII, once she has stopped musing, the damozel realizes that her lover still has not ascended. She smiles. In Stanza XXIV, the final stanza of the poem, the lover watches as the damozel smiles and then realizes that her lover has not arrived yet in Heaven. The damozel begins to weep, and her lover watches: "I heard her tears."
Symbols
Three Lilies
Lilies are another flower often used as a Christian symbol. White lilies are traditional at Easter as a symbol of Christ's resurrection. In Rossetti's poem the damozel holds three lilies, symbolizing the three persons of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These solidify the damozel's connection to God and her religious devotion. As the damozel watches and longs for her lover, the lilies appear to be asleep, suggesting they reflect the damozel's state of waiting. Lilies have also been associated with virginity, suggesting the damozel's virginity.
Seven Stars
In Revelation 1:16, John's vision of Christ describes him as having seven stars in his hand, which are later identified as angels: "the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches" (Revelations 1:20). In "The Blessed Damozel" the damozel has seven stars in her hair. These stars represent the angels in Christ's hand, suggesting the damozel is blessed by Christ and protected by angels.
Dove
In the poem the Dove is said to live within the "secret" growth of "That living mystic tree"—presumably the tree of life from which Adam and Eve were barred when they were cast out of Eden. In the poem the tree is located in Heaven, and those in that blessed realm can shelter in its shade. Biblically, the dove is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, which descends on Christ at his baptism. According to John 1:32, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him." Thus, the presence of the Dove symbolizes the presence of God.
Themes
Three Lilies
Lilies are another flower often used as a Christian symbol. White lilies are traditional at Easter as a symbol of Christ's resurrection. In Rossetti's poem the damozel holds three lilies, symbolizing the three persons of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These solidify the damozel's connection to God and her religious devotion. As the damozel watches and longs for her lover, the lilies appear to be asleep, suggesting they reflect the damozel's state of waiting. Lilies have also been associated with virginity, suggesting the damozel's virginity.
Seven Stars
In Revelation 1:16, John's vision of Christ describes him as having seven stars in his hand, which are later identified as angels: "the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches" (Revelations 1:20). In "The Blessed Damozel" the damozel has seven stars in her hair. These stars represent the angels in Christ's hand, suggesting the damozel is blessed by Christ and protected by angels.
Dove
In the poem the Dove is said to live within the "secret" growth of "That living mystic tree"—presumably the tree of life from which Adam and Eve were barred when they were cast out of Eden. In the poem the tree is located in Heaven, and those in that blessed realm can shelter in its shade. Biblically, the dove is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, which descends on Christ at his baptism. According to John 1:32, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him." Thus, the presence of the Dove symbolizes the presence of God.
Themes
Love Beyond Death
"The Blessed Damozel" is about two people who were in love on Earth when one of them died and was taken to Heaven. Now, death and the vastness of space that lies between Earth and Heaven separate them. However, they both long to be together and fantasize about a time when they will be reunited. So far, that time has not come, and the poem expresses some concern that it may never come. The damozel's lover worries that the best part of him is the part that loves the damozel and without her he might not be worthy of Heaven.
This depiction of love presents an emotionally complex picture. On the one hand, the picture is comforting. The afterlife exists, and the love of two people continues even after one of them has died. Neither forgets the other, and their connection transcends death. On the other hand, this means they are both miserable. Since death is—potentially—only a temporary parting, they have not moved on. The damozel can't be blissful in Heaven because she keeps watching and hoping her lover will come. Her lover cannot move on with his life because he is still in love with a woman who still exists but is separated from him. So they are suspended in a state of waiting. Immobilized by their love, the only action they can take is envisioning being together again. The damozel's fantasy is elaborate and highly religious. She imagines that her lover will come to her, and she'll bring him to Mary and profess their love. Mary will bring them before Christ, and they will live together in Heaven for eternity. The lover's fantasy is less complex and more sensual. He imagines he can hear her voice and feel the brush of her hair on his face. Yet their sense of longing is the same.
There are hints in the poem that all may not work out as they hope. The damozel is deeply disappointed at the end because she thought the angels were bringing her lover to her when they were not. This may foreshadow a disappointing end to her story, either because he never comes or because he finds another lover. For his part, the lover is concerned that only the damozel's presence in his life made him good enough for heaven. Thus, he fears he may not be worthy of Heaven on his own. The fact that his fantasies are less religious and more sensual than hers also suggests his piety might not be sufficient to enter God's presence. With disappointment a possible outcome of this romance, there is a subtle message that love may be sweet but ultimately causes pain.
The Distance Between Heaven and Earth
Much of the poem's imagery describes Heaven and the separation between Earth and Heaven. Heaven is like a castle, and the damozel can lean out over a gold bar on a rampart and see Earth far below. God built his castle so far above Earth that it seems to be in outer space. The damozel can see the Earth spinning, making the cycle of day and night visible to her. She can see the sun and moon across the great gulf that separates her from her lover. However, aside from the damozel's own sad state, Heaven seems blissful. Parted lovers are reunited all around her. The tree of life grows there, and the light of God flows like a stream.
"The Blessed Damozel" is about two people who were in love on Earth when one of them died and was taken to Heaven. Now, death and the vastness of space that lies between Earth and Heaven separate them. However, they both long to be together and fantasize about a time when they will be reunited. So far, that time has not come, and the poem expresses some concern that it may never come. The damozel's lover worries that the best part of him is the part that loves the damozel and without her he might not be worthy of Heaven.
This depiction of love presents an emotionally complex picture. On the one hand, the picture is comforting. The afterlife exists, and the love of two people continues even after one of them has died. Neither forgets the other, and their connection transcends death. On the other hand, this means they are both miserable. Since death is—potentially—only a temporary parting, they have not moved on. The damozel can't be blissful in Heaven because she keeps watching and hoping her lover will come. Her lover cannot move on with his life because he is still in love with a woman who still exists but is separated from him. So they are suspended in a state of waiting. Immobilized by their love, the only action they can take is envisioning being together again. The damozel's fantasy is elaborate and highly religious. She imagines that her lover will come to her, and she'll bring him to Mary and profess their love. Mary will bring them before Christ, and they will live together in Heaven for eternity. The lover's fantasy is less complex and more sensual. He imagines he can hear her voice and feel the brush of her hair on his face. Yet their sense of longing is the same.
There are hints in the poem that all may not work out as they hope. The damozel is deeply disappointed at the end because she thought the angels were bringing her lover to her when they were not. This may foreshadow a disappointing end to her story, either because he never comes or because he finds another lover. For his part, the lover is concerned that only the damozel's presence in his life made him good enough for heaven. Thus, he fears he may not be worthy of Heaven on his own. The fact that his fantasies are less religious and more sensual than hers also suggests his piety might not be sufficient to enter God's presence. With disappointment a possible outcome of this romance, there is a subtle message that love may be sweet but ultimately causes pain.
The Distance Between Heaven and Earth
Much of the poem's imagery describes Heaven and the separation between Earth and Heaven. Heaven is like a castle, and the damozel can lean out over a gold bar on a rampart and see Earth far below. God built his castle so far above Earth that it seems to be in outer space. The damozel can see the Earth spinning, making the cycle of day and night visible to her. She can see the sun and moon across the great gulf that separates her from her lover. However, aside from the damozel's own sad state, Heaven seems blissful. Parted lovers are reunited all around her. The tree of life grows there, and the light of God flows like a stream.
However, despite the religious imagery in the poem, Heaven is a remarkable "earthy" place. It is full of sensory pleasures, and those who live there are fleshly beings. The damozel is described as if she were still alive: "Until her bosom must have made / The bar she lean'd on warm." Her body heat—the heat of her bosom, no less—is capable of warming the gold bar of heaven. In addition the damozel's fantasy about being with her lover in Heaven, though religious, is also quite sensuous. She and her lover will bathe together in a stream. They will lie together in a place that is "withheld, untrod"—that is, hidden and private. Then they will lie together in the shade of a tree, and they will hold hands. Stripped of their heavenly setting and religious context, these actions might take place on Earth.
Furthermore, all the damozel says she wants is to "live as once on Earth," with the only difference being Heaven's eternal nature. Heaven, then, is only a place of eternal bliss if the damozel can have her lover with her "as once on Earth." Earth, it seems, was practically Heaven because she doesn't want to change anything about their relationship except to make it like it was before she died. In essence it is the presence of her lover that makes a place heavenly. Being united is the true Heaven, and being lonely in Heaven is no heaven at all.
However, despite the religious imagery in the poem, Heaven is a remarkable "earthy" place. It is full of sensory pleasures, and those who live there are fleshly beings. The damozel is described as if she were still alive: "Until her bosom must have made / The bar she lean'd on warm." Her body heat—the heat of her bosom, no less—is capable of warming the gold bar of heaven. In addition the damozel's fantasy about being with her lover in Heaven, though religious, is also quite sensuous. She and her lover will bathe together in a stream. They will lie together in a place that is "withheld, untrod"—that is, hidden and private. Then they will lie together in the shade of a tree, and they will hold hands. Stripped of their heavenly setting and religious context, these actions might take place on Earth.
Furthermore, all the damozel says she wants is to "live as once on Earth," with the only difference being Heaven's eternal nature. Heaven, then, is only a place of eternal bliss if the damozel can have her lover with her "as once on Earth." Earth, it seems, was practically Heaven because she doesn't want to change anything about their relationship except to make it like it was before she died. In essence it is the presence of her lover that makes a place heavenly. Being united is the true Heaven, and being lonely in Heaven is no heaven at all.
Grief Beyond Death
The emotions of the poem—hope, longing, disappointment—originate with the death of the damozel. The poem says she has been dead 10 years, and to the lover left on Earth it seems 10 times that long. Despite the passage of so much time, he remains in the grip of grief. He feels the loss even more keenly than when she died because the longing for her has compounded over time, not lessened. Their love was so powerful and lasting that it has not allowed him to recover from the grief of her passing. Boundless love, then, causes boundless grief.
Even in Heaven the damozel grieves the loss of her lover. In a realm where she should be free of grief and sadness, according to Christian tradition, she still suffers. Furthermore, there is only one possible remedy for this grief: bringing the two lovers together. Time cannot cure it; going to Heaven cannot cure it. There is an emotional truth in this depiction of grief even if it seems flawed from a religious perspective. When a person is grieving, the grief feels boundless and without remedy. Time does not seem to bring healing, only more days of sorrow. No bliss is blissful enough to erase the grief. The poem poignantly evokes this sense of grief.
The emotions of the poem—hope, longing, disappointment—originate with the death of the damozel. The poem says she has been dead 10 years, and to the lover left on Earth it seems 10 times that long. Despite the passage of so much time, he remains in the grip of grief. He feels the loss even more keenly than when she died because the longing for her has compounded over time, not lessened. Their love was so powerful and lasting that it has not allowed him to recover from the grief of her passing. Boundless love, then, causes boundless grief.
Even in Heaven the damozel grieves the loss of her lover. In a realm where she should be free of grief and sadness, according to Christian tradition, she still suffers. Furthermore, there is only one possible remedy for this grief: bringing the two lovers together. Time cannot cure it; going to Heaven cannot cure it. There is an emotional truth in this depiction of grief even if it seems flawed from a religious perspective. When a person is grieving, the grief feels boundless and without remedy. Time does not seem to bring healing, only more days of sorrow. No bliss is blissful enough to erase the grief. The poem poignantly evokes this sense of grief.
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