Summary
Christina Rossetti's poem "The Prince's Progress," published in her 1866 volume, is her only other significant narrative work besides "Goblin Market." Known for her lyrical style, Rossetti struggled with sustaining narratives in both fiction and poetry. Initially composed as a sixty-line piece titled "The Alchemist," it culminates the poem (lines 481-540) and first appeared in Macmillan’s magazine in May 1863.
Influence and Structure
Rossetti's brother, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, played a pivotal role in expanding the poem beyond its original form, encouraging his sister to flesh out the underlying story. The poem's narrative portion, consisting of 480 lines, echoes the fairy-tale essence and the rhythmic creativity that "Goblin Market" is known for. It comprises eighty six-line stanzas with an aaabab rhyme scheme, lending a rhythmic, almost song-like quality that challenges Rossetti’s rhyming capabilities. Most lines maintain four beats, with the final line in each stanza tapering to three beats, signifying closure.
The Prince's Journey
The story follows a prince who is repeatedly cautioned by the distant voices of his bride's attendants, urging him to hasten to her side. Despite these warnings, he is sidetracked by various enticements. A milkmaid tempts him with refreshments but insists he spend the day with her; an aged alchemist offers him shelter, demanding he assist in crafting his "elixir of life"; and enchanting ladies save him from drowning, coaxing him to linger with them. Eventually, he heeds the attendants' calls, hastening to his bride with hopes that the alchemist’s concoction will vindicate his delay. Tragically, he arrives to find her deceased.
Poetic Form and Themes
In the concluding sixty lines, the poem's form shifts to six ten-line stanzas with an abcbdbebfb rhyme scheme, where only the even lines rhyme, intensifying the rebuke directed at the prince for his tardiness. This change underscores Rossetti's recurring themes. The motif of love thwarted, prevalent throughout her early work, manifests in the bride's longing for her absent prince. Another theme, the urgency of seizing the moment, is juxtaposed with Rossetti’s typical emphasis on renunciation. However, in this context, the moment signifies the sacred union that the prince fails to grasp, ultimately costing him his bride.
Conclusion
"The Prince's Progress" weaves together several of Rossetti's thematic threads through a narrative that is both inventive and cautionary. It highlights the tension between temptations and responsibilities, urging readers to consider the consequences of delay and indecision. The poem stands as a testament to Rossetti's ability to blend lyrical beauty with thoughtful narrative, even as it reveals her struggles with sustaining longer poetic forms.
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