Helen Grey
By Christina Georgina Rossetti

Because one loves you, Helen Grey,
Is that a reason you should pout,
And like a March wind veer about,
And frown, and say your shrewish say?
Don't strain the cord until it snaps,
Don't split the sound heart with your wedge,
Don't cut your fingers with the edge
Of your keen wit; you may, perhaps.

Because you're handsome, Helen Grey,
Is that a reason to be proud?
Your eyes are bold, your laugh is loud,
Your steps go mincing on their way;
But so you miss that modest charm
Which is the surest charm of all:
Take heed, you yet may trip a

Question

Helen Grey
By Christina Georgina Rossetti

Because one loves you, Helen Grey,
Is that a reason you should pout,
And like a March wind veer about,
And frown, and say your shrewish say?
Don't strain the cord until it snaps,
Don't split the sound heart with your wedge,
Don't cut your fingers with the edge
Of your keen wit; you may, perhaps.

Because you're handsome, Helen Grey,
Is that a reason to be proud?
Your eyes are bold, your laugh is loud,
Your steps go mincing on their way;
But so you miss that modest charm
Which is the surest charm of all:
Take heed, you yet may trip a

mynameisaustin · Answer

and fall,
And no man care to stretch his arm.

Stoop from your cold height, Helen Grey,
Come down, and take a lowlier place;
Come down, to fill it now with grace;
Come down you must perforce some day:
For years cannot be kept at bay,
And fading years will make you old;
Then in their turn will men seem cold,
When you yourself are nipped and grey.


How do the references to height, in the lines in bold, relate to the main theme of the poem?

Use evidence from the poem to support your answer.

mynameisaustin · Answer

@horse_rider_133 can you help?

mynameisaustin · Answer

Stoop from your cold height, Helen Grey,
Come down, and take a lowlier place; 
These are the lines in bold

518nad · Answer

the theme is about helen's pride

518nad · Answer

height is refering to her elevated view of herself, and her im better than you attitude

518nad · Answer

or i am more entitled, because of her beauty

518nad · Answer

she looked down on people, and she trampled on peoples emotions and feelings

518nad · Answer

she did not care about anyone else,... stuff like that its her pride

mynameisaustin · Answer

showing she is an unpleasant person?

518nad · Answer

ya thats putting it too mildly

518nad · Answer

thats not the main theme here

mynameisaustin · Answer

so what is a good way to sum that up in a sentence or two?

518nad · Answer

like it is but theres a lot more to it

518nad · Answer

well try to use what ive given you and gimme a summary, ill tell you if its oka

mynameisaustin · Answer

The way that the references to height relate to the theme is the height is referring to the way she is looking at herself and the way she thinks she is better than everyone as for the theme it is showing her pride that she has and how she acts and sees stuff.

mynameisaustin · Answer

instead of (stuff) i could say herself*

mynameisaustin · Answer

What do you think @518nad

518nad · Answer

yep pretty good