Christina Rossetti was a 19th century English poet born in London in 1830. She came from a family of writers and artists and was educated privately. Rossetti began writing poetry in 1842 and experimented with different forms like sonnets and ballads. Her most famous work is Goblin Market and Other Poems, published in 1862, which was illustrated by her brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The poem uses vivid imagery to tell a story and remains one of her most popular works.

1. Christina Rossetti
Week 7 homework task

2. Early Life
• She was born in Charlotte Street, London on
5th December 1830
• Her parents were Gabriele Rossetti(a painter)
and Francis Polidori.
• She had 2 brothers and a
sister, who became writers
and artists
• Christina was the youngest

3. Childhood
• Christina was educated privately and she studied
lots of classics, fairy tales and novels.
• Christina’s Italian parents introduced her to
Dante Alighieri, Petrarch and other Italian writers
• There were lots of Italian academics and artists
visiting their house, which had a great impact on
Christina’s writing later on
• Living in central London, she was able to visit lots
of attractions like Regents Park, which had just
opened

4. Her Poetry:
• She started writing poetry in 1842 and from 1847
began to experiment with different types of poem,
such as sonnets, hymns and ballads.
• Here is an extract from her first poem ‘Death’s Chill
Between’:
Listen, listen! Everywhere
A low voice is calling me,
And a step is on the stair,
And one comes ye do not see,
Listen, listen! Evermore
A dim hand knocks at the door.

5. Goblin Market
• Goblin Market and Other Poems is her most
famous work, published in 1862, when she
was aged 31.
• It was illustrated by her brother, the artist
Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
• To read it, click here:
• https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-
and-poets/poems/detail/44996

6. Other works
• To explore other poetry by Christina Rossetti
you can use these websites:
• http://www.poemhunter.com/christina-
georgina-rossetti/
• https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-
and-poets/poets/detail/christina-
rossetti#about
• http://www.poetry-
archive.com/r/rossetti_christina.html

7. Homework Task
• Now fill in your fact file using this information.
• Read some of her poems and choose one you
like the best. Explain why you like it.
• Do you think the words are well chosen?
• Do you like the layout?
• Do you like the subject?