Nasreen
2/23/2014 11:08:16 pm
Kate is not the narrator's alter ego due to the title 'Cousin Kate'. The word 'cousin' is not convincing enough to reflect the alter ego because 'sister' reveals a more intimate relationships. In addition to that, the fact that the narrator calls the alter ego cousin Kate instead of me. Therefore Kate is an actual person in which the narrator despises because she has all the qualities that the narrator lacks. Also how can the Lord 'bound' Cousin Kate with his ring and then 'outcast' the narrator if they are the person?
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Amrita Ahluwalia
3/1/2014 06:13:16 pm
Read other interpretations below to see if your original interpretation changes.
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Sadiya
3/1/2014 08:42:44 pm
First of all there are no dialogues in favor of the fact that Kate is an actual person. Therefore, we could interpret that she is the other side of the narrator. Adding to that, the quote 'bound you with his ring' could be seen in a metaphorical sense, as in Lord is controlling Kate (the alter ego of the narrator) just like a ring master controls animals in a circus (remember that even the narrator went through the dominant behavior of Lord). Also, note the fact that connotations of animals like 'howl in dust' are also used which made me and Nasra come up with this conclusion. Moreover, we also thought that the narrator is targeted by the illness schizophrenia because of the juxtaposition she uses such as 'shameless shameful', these are complete opposite words and the fact that narrator uses this shows she has two conflicting sides of her revealing her mental problems. Also, if you can try reading the poem by standing in front of a mirror, you could see how the narrator might be talking to herself the whole time.
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sana
2/24/2014 08:43:38 pm
‘He chose you, and cast me by’ This quote echoes the individuality of the narrator, as one cannot simply be chosen and out casted simultaneously, unless Rossetti deliberately wanted to infer the narrators conflicting emotions, a point that would could call to question the narrator’s sanity. ‘He saw you at your fathers gate’ evokes a clear distinction between cousin Kate and the narrator, as narrator herself ,a poor ‘cottage maiden’ unable to afford housing cannot be the daughter of a rich father who owns ‘a gate’ assumingly to protect his lavish property .’The neighbours call you good and pure, call me an outcast thing’ whilst in the sentence it’s clear the neighbours have spoken, it can still be disputed whether they were talking to one person, with various contrasting opinions or two people. ‘If he had fooled not me, but you’ once again reinforces the independence of the narrator as she describes herself as the ‘fooled’ women, opposite her ‘good and pure’ cousin. ’if you stood where I stand’ reoccurring projects the narrator as a different person by referring to their different positions or metaphorically status, ultimately signifying the distance between them whether psychical or metaphorical. In agreement whilst Rossetti had stirred some confusion by projecting Cousin Kate through he same light as the narrator , it’s made quite clear that they are two different people thereby cannot be assimilated into one dominating character though it can be ,reasonably be disputed otherwise.
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Safiya
2/26/2014 09:20:04 pm
However, although the narrator was made an ‘outcast’, the narrator feels like she is above ‘Cousin Kate’ as the narrator has something that her cousin does not have. ‘Cousin Kate’ was smarter which is analogous to the beliefs of 19th century Britain; women were denied full education because society believed that it would cause their reproductive organs to malfunction; perhaps this is the cause of her infertility. The speaker gets her revenge because she gave birth to a son, who in the future would be able to inherit the Lord’s assets. This suggests that as a woman in the 19th century, ‘Cousin Kate’ would not be able to fulfill the role of a wife if she is not able to conceive and continue the family name.
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Amrita Ahluwalia
3/1/2014 06:17:07 pm
Are you then suggesting that Rossetti condones the idea that if a woman was educated her reproductive organs would malfunction? What is Rossetti's point by not making Cousin Kate have children?
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Sade
5/14/2014 08:03:11 am
Perhaps through Cousin Kate being unable to have children, Rossetti signifies the lack of importance that an infertile woman has within an aristocracy. The passing down of the family name and status through generations held great importance during the time. By Rossetti allowing the narrator to have a 'gift' that Kate does not have, it demonstrates how a woman, regardless of status, can very easily be cast aside. Leave a Reply. |
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