Religious Symbolism in The Blessed Damozel, a Poem by Dante Gabriel Rossetti Essay

Dante Gabriel Rossettis poem The Blessed Damozel is full of religious symbolism. There is talk of saints, and the poem itself takes place in heaven. But underneath the religious symbolism is a deep sensuality, that makes one wonder if the white rose of Marys gift referred to in line nine is the gift of Mary the Virgin, or the somewhat less virginal Mary Magdalene. While the Damozel is in heaven, her appearance in heaven, her behaviors in life, and what happens when she and her lover are reunited suggest some less than virginal dealings, yet the damozel is blessed and resides in heaven. Rossetti was the child of liberals kicked out of Italy a heavily catholic country for their extreme political views. While Rossetti himself was not political, he may have espoused similar views regarding politics and religion as his parents. In the poem The Blessed Damozel, Rossetti was given the chance to essentially create his own heaven. Most everything he wrote seems to show that Rossetti espoused a distinctly different idea of morality than the Victorian mainstream. He proves this by depicting this blessed damozel in several 'unholy' behaviors, such as wandering around somewhat less than clothed, having her hair down, and consorting with her lover, but still being 'blessed', essentially rejecting moral and religious norms of the day.In line seven Rossetti describes the damozel as wearing Her robe, ungirt from clasp to hem which, depending on if the damozel was wearing clothes under her robe (she probably wasnt), certainly does not seem very, hem, virgin-like. Never, in western history, have robes been a primary form of clothing for women. Western women have worn bathrobes and dressing gowns, but robes, especially ungirt robes, are hardly appropriate.Contrasting this with the strict Victorian gowns, which were only slightly less conservative than a burqa, it seems that this Damozel was something of a shady lady. Even dance hall girls and prostitutes wore clothing that covered...