Christina Rossetti: Poems Lesson Plan

How does the speaker describe night in "Bird Raptures?"

Night is described in a highly romantic and idyllic manner in "Bird Raptures." Rossetti describes it variously as "silent, sweet, and pale," and describes the moon as "wistful." The general sentiment of the speaker is that night should both hurry to begin and linger, so as to leave her more time with the nightingale. For the speaker, night is a peaceful and pleasant time. It may be worth noting to students that "Bird Raptures" was originally published in one of Rossetti's children's collections. It may have been a poem to make children feel less frightened of the dark and nighttime.

What are the characters in "Bird...