UP-HILL

Class notes on Rossetti's poem 'Up-Hill':

Rossetti uses landscape in a similar way:

• 'The road' is symbolic of a life's path
• 'Up-Hill' represents struggle and suffering
• Night/Dark are a metaphor for spiritual darkness/doubt
• 'Inn' is a place of refuge from doubts and insecurities
• 'Other wayfarers' - people who have already completed the journey
• 'That door' the division between life and death
• 'Beds for all' - welcome rest for spirits who arrive in the kingdom which belongs to god.

'Up-Hill' has two voices; Voice one is considered to be a fearful/doubtful speaker who asks questions about the journey to the kingdom. Whereas voice two is a confident speaker who's thought to represent Jesus and answers voice one's questions.

Voice One

• Fearful Questioning
• The speaker needs reassurance
• Insecure-Lack of acceptance
• Anyone who seeks redemption, who's traveling to heaven
• If a person who is lost (from their faith), God will guide you

Voice Two

• The speaker who knows all the answers symbolises God
• Empowered role
• Strong and Bold
• Parental guidance  as the speaker answers through the use of a reassuring tone
• No modal verbs
• Ends all parts with an end-stop which shows they hold comfort and knowledge
• Speaker in a riddle like way.

Two voices may represent two halves of one self or may act as a conversation between God and an individual who seeks heaven
The two voices are completely equal in speech unlike Rossetti's other poems
Structure of the poem is like a journey and the end of the poem represents the speaker's death.