Christina Rossetti's poem, "A Rose Has Thorns As Well As Honey," does not fail to provoke an interpretation of the ideal woman as each flower she introduces to the reader represents a type of woman. This botanical garden filled with various flowers translates into a colorful social world in which we must discern what the author reveals about each flower or female personality. Rossetti's creativity shines through the way she dismisses each floral species for she combines the appearance, unique features, and name of the flower to make her point. For example, the "snow" in "snowdrop" as well as the fact that the snowdrop blooms in winter and is hardly colorful provokes the image of a woman with a cold disposition. Other flowers are used to describe intimidating women, emotionally taxing women, and other unfavourable women. As the poem continues, we find that all ten flowers preceding the holly fall short of being the ideal woman for these various reasons. Curiously, the poem begins by immediately dismissing the rose–a flower that many might label the perfect, idealistic flower. Perhaps it is this very perfection that makes the rose unsuitable; for a woman who is exceptionally beautiful and is also aware of her beauty could very well be lacking in personality. Rossetti also momentarily touches on the universal themes of marrying for love and marrying for money. She does not necessarily imply that marrying for money is wrong but by remaining neutral on the matter she focuses the reader's attention on the importance of the woman herself. The next flower on the list is yet another lovely flower, the iris, which is also dismissed despite being "straight" and "fine." Yet it is these very words that give the impression of a regal, cold woman, making her an unsuitable companion. Rossetti, one by one dismisses the array of beautiful flowers until she arrives at the holly. She describes this seasonal flower as "bold and jolly" but also as "honest, prickly" and "shining.
