Initial assessment

Discuss Rossetti's portrayal of relationships between men and women.


Rossetti uses specific language in the poem, 'No, thankyou, John!' To portray the relationship between men and women. Firstly, Rossetti instantly suggests a change in the roles of men and women from her title. The title is significant because of the fact that the speaker of the poem is rejecting male affection. This suggests that Rossetti perceives woman as strong and powerful. This is a very modern view on the roles of men and women from the 19th century; empowered women were not the 'norm'.

Rossetti's humorous style also suggests Rossetti's modern view of the roles of men and women. Rossetti's comedic undertone is suggested from the second stanza when the speaker 'jokes' about John's face as being '...as wan as an hour old ghost'. This phrase gives the impression that Rossetti thinks that women should take on a more masculine attitude. This point is further illustrated in the seventh stanza when Rossetti goes on to write, 'let us strike hands as hearty friends.' Rossetti's writing style consistently gives a masculine tone or attitude. This portrays the men and women's relationship in the poem as very one-sided and that a man should work for the woman's approval. Also, that women are powerful and outspoken.

The point that men should term for female affection is also suggested through Rossetti's use of imagery. Specifically in the second stands a where Rossetti says, 'Will you haunt me with a face as wan as an hour old ghost?'. This use of literal expression portrays an image that the male in the poem is trying to pursue the famed speaker and is reaching out for her gratitude but the speaker, being an empowered woman,isn't impressed by the efforts. This entails a complete role change between the relationship of men and women because typically in 1860's England, women didn't have a voice to speak their opinion but Rossetti is showing a different side to that. 

In addition, Rossetti's verse form is specifically important in the over all tone of the poem. Rossetti's efforts to keep the poem very comedic and light are shown through her consistent but repetitive verse form. (8 stanzas, 4 lines each) The reason for this could be to keep the poem from being too controversial because the way Rossetti has perceived the male and female roles in her poem are very different to the reality of the19th century.