Cousin Kate by Georgette Heyer

            The poem "Cousin Kate" depicts a story of a young cottage maiden caught up in the brutal temptations of love and passion that is later cast aside by a great lord of a greater social superiority. Throughout the poem we are drawn into the transgression of the cottage maiden and the tragic heartbreak she experiences whilst being cruelly replaced by a fairer cousin ˜Kate', who appears to take triumph as she has the love of the Lord himself. After cruel rejection and suffering the cottage maiden is left as an ˜unclean thing', judged by others in the Victorian community. Yet ironically the maiden results with the true treasure " a child - a gift that Kate shall never have. Although she is seen as a ˜fallen woman' in the eyes of society she ends her story on the idea that she is the real victor. .
             Within ˜Cousin Kate' there is a sense of expectation within the female characters of the poem when it comes to men, but the narrator realizes that to become truly happy she must break away from typical social expectations. The power that men had in the Victorian period is presented through the relationships between characters in the poem, as the liberties that women had in this time were limited. For example the lord used the cottage maiden as his ˜plaything' and ˜changed her like a glove'. Rossetti illustrates this poem in a first person narrative so that the narrator can address her questions and moan to Kate. For instance, she uses a strong tone of accusation by repeatedly addressing her as ˜you' - one example of this would be ˜if you stood where I stand', which immediately demonstrates the direct comparison the cottage maiden between Kate and herself. The use of such pronouns also emphasizes the change of positions and morals. .
             A great sense of sympathy is cast over the entire poem as the Rossetti continues to tell the tragic love story of the cottage maiden, and the way in which the love triangle is created.