'A Royal Princess' - Language, tone and structure
Language and tone
Dialogue
Whilst the poem is written in the voice of the princess herself, the dramatic elements of the poem stand out by Rossetti's inclusion of snatches of dialogue. For example, the ‘naked truth' (line 59) of the situation becomes more vivid when it is represented through the various voices involved in the conflict: those wishing to help and those wishing to ‘quell' those whom they see as ‘base-born ruffians' (line 69). In addition, by representing the King's sharp words of commands as they stand when he calls his troops to ‘charge!' and ‘smite and spare not' (lines 89-90), the princess evokes the present state of anxiety.
Voice
The poem begins with the word ‘I' and throughout, the princess repeatedly uses the word in an attempt to establish her own identity. In the last line, ‘I, if I perish, perish; in the name of God I go', ‘I' is used as a marker of individual identity - an identity which the princess is willing to forsake for the good of her nation. Rather than being concerned just with what she wants from life, her focus shifts to what the people of her country need.
The princess' words echo those of an Old Testament queen called Esther, who risked her own life by pleading with her husband to save the Jewish nation from being murdered. She instructs her cousin Mordecai to fast for her and she declares to him her intention to put her own life at risk for the sake of her nation:
‘Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish'.
Esther 4:16 TNIV
The princess is thus associating herself with the Jewish heroine and rooting her act of social protest in biblical principles of justice.
Alliteration
Throughout the poem, alliteration and sibilance are used to express the weariness and monotony of the life of the princess. For instance, the sibilance of the ‘s' sound in the line, ‘Self-same solitary figure, self-same seeking face' (line 12), reinforces the repetitiveness of the Princess' life.
Investigating language and tone
- How far can you identify with the princess?
- Make notes on the various poetic techniques that are used to create empathy for her plight
- To what extent does the dialogue create a sense of drama?
- How does the princess' voice change throughout the poem?
- Compare the first and the last line.
Structure and versification
Rhyme
The poem is largely written in the form of triplets. With each three consecutive lines sharing the same rhyme, the pace at which the poem is read is quick. The regularity of the rhyme scheme demonstrates an attempt to give some kind of order to the tumultuous and chaotic emotions of the princess. Often, the rhyming words grouped together in one stanza work together to reinforce a particular meaning. For instance, the stanza which describes the tumult of the people combines words the words ‘higher', ‘spire' and ‘fire' (lines 91-3) to depict the uprising of forces. Just as the spire of the cathedral is too high to be easily reached and just as fire rises upwards at quick speed, the princess suggests that the starving people have become so desperate that their voice of protest cannot help but rise to such an extent that it cannot easily be silenced.
Metre
Throughout A Royal Princess, Rossetti uses long lines to reflect the narrative elements of the poem and to reinforce the fast and urgent tone with which she speaks. In poetry, a six-foot line is called a hexameter and a seven-foot line is called a heptameter. A Royal Princess uses a combination of these lines.
The rhythm of A Royal Princess is largely trochaic. A trochee is a falling metre and is suited to reflect the monotony of the princess' life. A typical example of the use of the trochee can be identified in these lines which describe the confinement of the princess in the palace:
Two and two my guards behind, two and two before,
Two and two on either hand they guard me evermore.
(lines 4-5)
Whilst a true trochaic line would finish on an unstressed syllable, many poetic lines, like those given above, cut this extra syllable off, making a catalectic line with a strong masculine end rhyme. This gives the poem a heavy beat which reflects the marching of the guards.
Throughout A Royal Princess, the metre often alternates within lines to reflect the movement being described. For instance, the speaker recalls that, at the time she became aware of the horrendous circumstances of the people outside,
The dancers danced in pairs and sets, but music had a fall
A melancholy windy fall as at a funeral. (lines 47-8)
Here, the rhythm reflects the rise and fall of the music and of the dance. With the stress falling on the word ‘fall' in both lines, the downward spiral of the speaker's emotions is reinforced.
Metre and dialogue
Throughout A Royal Princess, the rhythmic stresses often correspond to the emotion that the speaker is describing. Consider the phrase, ‘O my father! O my mother!' (line 18). Here, by twice placing a trochaic stress on the cry, ‘O', the speaker emphasises her confusion and agitated state of mind.
Investigating structure and versification
- What other examples can you identify where the rhyme is used to contribute to convey a certain meaning and emphasise a particular movement?
- Which rhymes occur in more than one stanza?
- What is the effect of this?
- English Standard Version
- King James Version
1When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2He went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth. 3And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4When Esther's young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was. 6Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate, 7and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. 8Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people. 9And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, 11All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law - to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days. 12And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. 13Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this? 15Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish. 17Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
1When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; 2And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. 3And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not. 5Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was. 6So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate. 7And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them. 8Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people. 9And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. 10Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai; 11All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. 12And they told to Mordecai Esther's words. 13Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. 14For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? 15Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, 16Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. 17So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
A 'testament' is a covenant or binding agreement and is a term used in the Bible of God's relationship with his people). The sacred writings of Judaism (the Hebrew Bible). These also form the first part of the Christian Bible.
Hebrew queen who saved her people from persecution.
1) In the Bible a member of the Hebrew race
2) Someone who belongs to the Jewish faith which believes in one God and the importance of Jewish Law.
Going without any food (and sometimes drink) for a specified period.
Alliteration is a device frequently used in poetry or rhetoric (speech-making) whereby words starting with the same consonant are used in close proximity- e.g. 'fast in fires', 'stars, start'.
term used to describe lines of verse in which 's' or 'z' sounds are enhanced
Three consecutive lines sharing the same rhyme.
The device, frequently used at the ends of lines in poetry, where words with the same sound are paired, sometimes for contrast ' for example, 'breath' and 'death'.
A group of syllables which constitute a metrical unit within a line of poetry. In English poetry this includes stressed and unstressed syllables.
A line of poetry containing six feet or stresses (beats).
A line of verse consisting of seven metrical feet.
The musical effect of the repetition of stresses or beats, and the speed or tempo at which these may be read.
A metric foot in a line of verse, consisting of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed. It is thus a falling metre.
Use of a metric foot in a line of verse, consisting of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed. It is thus a falling metre.
The smallest sound fragment of a word, consisting of one vowel sound, with attached consonants if any.
Describing a line of verse that is metrically incomplete.
Rhyme which occurs on a final stressed syllable
The particular measurement in a line of poetry, determined by the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables (in some languages, the pattern of long and short syllables). It is the measured basis of rhythm.
The device, frequently used at the ends of lines in poetry, where words with the same sound are paired, sometimes for contrast ' for example, 'breath' and 'death'.
