The Italian heritage in the poetry of Christina Rossetti

Abstract

In an early study of Christina Rossetti published in 1897, Mackenzie Bell, a good friend of the Rossettis, states that "It is not possible to accentuate overmuch the influence on Christina Rossetti of her Italian lineage, her early surroundings, and the fact that . . . her mind was steeped with Italian literature". Thus from very early on, the Italian heritage has always been acknowledged. Yet it has received hardly any close study, even in recent years, when we have seen considerable critical attention devoted to Christina Rossetti. The "lineage" derives partly from her mother Frances Polidori, who was half Italian, and mainly from her father, Gabriele Rossetti, the exile from the kingdom of Naples whose adventurous escape from political persecution saw him find sanctuary first in Malta before her moved on to England. He is still famous, or notorious, for his works on Dante.