Christina Rossetti's Death Through Time.
Christina Rossetti's "At Home" captures the true definition of time related to life and death through metaphors and ingenious word context. The true meaning of this poem is one that can be easily overlooked by many readers. Throughout the first reading, one can easily mistake "At Home" to merely be about a spirit visiting its earthly quarters. As one takes a second glance and begins the close reading process, it is evident that Rossetti has written an exquisite poem dealing with the daily struggles of time passing. Over the span of two weeks, my personal opinions and views on this particular poem have changed dramatically. I have studied and taken into consideration each word Rossetti used in this work and how each one affects the underlying meaning. By the conclusion of this short essay, I anticipate each reader will have taken a dip inside my thoughts as well as Christina Rossetti's and taken a much different viewpoint on the poem "At Home." .
Christina Rossetti titled her poem "At Home" based on the definition and the affect the words at home have on a persons emotions. At home is defined by the Webster's College Dictionary as relaxing and comfortable, a place to feel at ease, and being on familiar ground. Upon ones first reading, he or she might believe this to be her reasoning for such a strong intriguing title. So one continues to read the entire poem with this notation that Rossetti is describing her narrator's sadness upon returning home after death. Basically this concept is absurd. Rossetti uses the Greek definition of home, koimao, which is defined as sleep or slumber, figuratively to decease sleep, or to be dead. Now the wheels are turning and lines are starting to make more sense. Christina Rossetti knew the title would reflect on the poems true interpretation, therefore she used implied word context to throw the reader off guard and require him or her to think.