Introduction: “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti
“In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti, a poignant hymn, was first published in the January 1872 issue of Scribner’s Monthly. Later, it was collected in the anthology Goblin Market, The Prince’s Progress and Other Poems in 1875. This beautifully crafted poem, renowned for its evocative imagery and profound spiritual message, invites readers to contemplate the humble birth of Jesus Christ. The stark contrast between the harshness of winter and the divine simplicity of the Nativity scene creates a powerful and enduring image. The poem’s central theme is the profound humility of God, who, despite His infinite power and majesty, chose to be born into a world of poverty and suffering.
Text: “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.
Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.
Annotations: “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti
| Line | Text | Annotation |
| 1 | In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, | Sets the scene with a harsh winter landscape. |
| 2 | Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; | Emphasizes the severity of the winter conditions. |
| 3 | Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, | Reinforces the image of a desolate winter. |
| 4 | In the bleak midwinter, long ago. | Indicates the time period of the poem, likely referring to the birth of Jesus. |
| 5 | Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain; | Suggests the divine nature of Jesus and His transcendence of physical limitations. |
| 6 | Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign. | Foretells the Second Coming of Christ and the end of the current world order. |
| 7 | In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed | Contrasts the humble setting of Jesus’ birth with His divine nature. |
| 8 | The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ. | Emphasizes the paradox of the divine becoming human. |
| 9 | Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day, | Highlights the reverence and adoration due to Jesus. |
| 10 | Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay; | Describes the simple and humble circumstances of Jesus’ birth. |
| 11 | Enough for Him, whom angels fall before, | Further emphasizes the divine nature of Jesus and the reverence shown by celestial beings. |
| 12 | The ox and ass and camel which adore. | Adds to the image of the humble scene of Jesus’ birth, including animals. |
| 13 | Angels and archangels may have gathered there, | Suggests the presence of heavenly beings at the birth of Jesus. |
| 14 | Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; | Reinforces the idea of a heavenly presence. |
| 15 | But His mother only, in her maiden bliss, | Focuses on the intimate connection between Mary and Jesus. |
| 16 | Worshipped the beloved with a kiss. | Highlights the tender and personal nature of Mary’s worship. |
| 17 | What can I give Him, poor as I am? | Poses a question about how to express devotion to Jesus. |
| 18 | If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; | Suggests a simple offering, reflecting the humble circumstances of Jesus’ birth. |
| 19 | If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part; | References the biblical story of the Magi bringing gifts to Jesus. |
| 20 | Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart. | Concludes with the idea that the most meaningful offering is one’s love and devotion. |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti
| Literary Device | Definition | Example from the Poem | Explanation |
| Alliteration | Repetition of initial consonant sounds. | “frosty wind made moan” | The repeated “m” and “w” sounds create a musical quality, adding to the melancholy tone. |
| Allusion | An indirect reference to another work or concept. | “The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ” | Refers to biblical themes and figures, adding depth to the religious context. |
| Anaphora | Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. | “Snow on snow, snow on snow” | The repetition emphasizes the heaviness and abundance of the snow, contributing to the bleak atmosphere. |
| Antithesis | A contrast or opposition between two ideas. | “Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain” | The contrast between Heaven and Earth highlights the grandeur of Christ’s divinity. |
| Apostrophe | Directly addressing an absent or imaginary person. | “What can I give Him, poor as I am?” | The speaker addresses Christ directly, creating intimacy and personal reflection. |
| Assonance | Repetition of vowel sounds within words. | “Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay” | The repeated “a” sound links the two lines and softens the imagery, reflecting the humble scene. |
| Consonance | Repetition of consonant sounds, especially at the end of words. | “Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone” | The repeated “r” and “n” sounds reinforce the hardness and stillness of the landscape. |
| End Rhyme | Rhyming of the final words in lines. | “In the bleak midwinter, long ago” | The rhyming of “moan” and “stone” in other lines provides a musical, structured quality to the poem. |
| Enjambment | The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line. | “The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ” | The thought carries over from one line to the next, adding flow and urgency to the statement. |
| Hyperbole | Exaggeration for emphasis or effect. | “Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign” | This exaggeration emphasizes the power of Christ’s coming and the insignificance of earthly matters in comparison. |
| Imagery | Use of vivid and descriptive language to create mental pictures. | “Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone” | The imagery evokes the harshness and coldness of winter, making the scene feel tangible. |
| Metaphor | A comparison without using “like” or “as.” | “Earth stood hard as iron” | The earth is compared to iron, emphasizing its hardness and the unyielding winter conditions. |
| Onomatopoeia | A word that imitates the sound it represents. | “made moan” | The word “moan” mimics the sound of the wind, enhancing the bleak atmosphere. |
| Parallelism | The use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same or similar in construction. | “If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part” | The parallel structure emphasizes the speaker’s reflection on different forms of giving. |
| Personification | Giving human characteristics to non-human things. | “frosty wind made moan” | The wind is personified as moaning, suggesting it is alive and capable of expressing sorrow. |
| Repetition | Repeated use of words or phrases for emphasis. | “Snow on snow, snow on snow” | The repetition emphasizes the layering of snow and the oppressive weight of the cold season. |
| Rhetorical Question | A question asked for effect, not in expectation of a reply. | “What can I give Him, poor as I am?” | The speaker contemplates their own limitations in offering something to Christ, invoking personal reflection. |
| Simile | A comparison using “like” or “as.” | “Water like a stone” | The water is compared to stone, suggesting the extreme cold that has frozen the landscape solid. |
| Symbolism | The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. | “A mangerful of hay” | The manger symbolizes Christ’s humble beginnings, contrasting with his divine status. |
| Tone | The attitude of the writer toward a subject. | Throughout the poem | The tone is reflective and reverent, contemplating the contrast between Christ’s divinity and humility. |
Themes: “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti
· Theme 1: The Humility of God: Christina Rossetti’s “In the Bleak Midwinter” beautifully portrays the profound humility of God. Despite His infinite power and majesty, Jesus chose to be born into a world of poverty and suffering. The poem contrasts the harshness of winter with the divine simplicity of the Nativity scene: “In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed / The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.” This juxtaposition emphasizes the extraordinary humility of God, who willingly relinquished His heavenly glory for the sake of humanity.
· Theme 2: The Divine Paradox: The poem explores the paradox of the divine becoming human. Jesus, the Lord of all creation, is presented as a vulnerable infant, born in a humble stable. This contradiction is central to the poem’s message, highlighting the mystery and wonder of God’s incarnation. As Rossetti writes, “Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain; / Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.” This line emphasizes the divine nature of Jesus, while also acknowledging His earthly limitations.
· Theme 3: The Power of Love: “In the Bleak Midwinter” celebrates the power of love, both human and divine. The poem highlights the love between Mary and Jesus, as well as the love of the heavenly beings who gather to witness His birth. The final stanza emphasizes the importance of offering one’s heart to Jesus, suggesting that love is the most meaningful gift one can give.
· Theme 4: The Hope of Salvation: The poem offers a message of hope and salvation. Despite the harshness of the world and the challenges faced by humanity, the birth of Jesus signifies the possibility of redemption and new life. The poem’s focus on the divine child, born into a world of suffering, suggests that God’s love and grace can overcome even the darkest circumstances.
Literary Theories and “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti
| Literary Theory | Definition | References from the Poem | Explanation |
| Feminist Theory | Analyzes how literature reinforces or undermines the oppression of women, focusing on gender roles, societal expectations, and women’s experiences. | “But His mother only, in her maiden bliss, Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.” | This line emphasizes the role of Mary, Jesus’ mother, as a symbol of purity, devotion, and maternal love, highlighting traditional gender roles. Feminist theory could explore how Rossetti’s portrayal of Mary reflects or challenges Victorian ideals of femininity and motherhood. |
| Christian Theology | Examines literature through a religious lens, focusing on themes of sin, redemption, salvation, and divine power. | “Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.” | The poem’s religious imagery and references to Christ’s incarnation, worship by angels, and the eventual reign of Jesus invite interpretation through Christian theological concepts. It reflects the idea of Christ’s divinity surpassing the earthly and heavenly realms. |
| Romanticism | A literary movement that emphasizes emotion, nature, individualism, and the sublime. Romanticism often highlights human emotions in relation to nature and the divine. | “In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone.” | The vivid imagery of nature in its harsh winter form reflects the Romantic fascination with the sublime and the emotional power of nature. The cold, bleak setting mirrors the emotional weight of the subject matter, as Romanticism often connects natural imagery with inner feelings. |
Additional Explanation:
- Feminist Theory: Focuses on how gender roles are depicted, especially in relation to the figure of Mary. Rossetti often explored themes of femininity in her works, and feminist criticism would highlight how Mary is idealized as the “perfect” woman, reflecting societal ideals of women’s devotion and sacrifice.
- Christian Theology: This theory helps interpret the poem’s heavy reliance on Christian symbols, such as the nativity scene and Christ’s divinity. It can also be used to examine the religious message about humility and devotion, as portrayed through the imagery of Christ in a lowly manger.
- Romanticism: Romantic elements in the poem, such as the stark winter landscape, show the relationship between nature and the human experience. Rossetti uses nature to reflect deeper spiritual and emotional truths, a hallmark of Romantic poetry.
Critical Questions about “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti
· Critical Question 1: How does Rossetti use imagery to convey the contrast between the divine and the mundane?
- Rossetti employs vivid imagery to create a stark contrast between the divine nature of Jesus and the mundane setting of His birth. The poem juxtaposes the harshness of winter with the simplicity of the stable, emphasizing the extraordinary humility of God. For example, the lines “In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, / Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone” paint a bleak and desolate landscape, while the lines “Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay” depict the humble circumstances of Jesus’ birth. This contrast serves to highlight the divine paradox of the Son of God becoming a vulnerable infant.
· Critical Question 2: What is the significance of the repetition of the phrase “In the bleak midwinter”?
- The repetition of the phrase “In the bleak midwinter” throughout the poem serves several purposes. Firstly, it reinforces the setting and creates a sense of timelessness. Secondly, it suggests a cyclical nature to human suffering and the need for divine intervention. Finally, it contrasts the harshness of the world with the hope and joy offered by the birth of Jesus. By repeating this phrase, Rossetti emphasizes the enduring significance of the Nativity event and its power to bring light into the darkness.
· Critical Question 3: How does the poem explore the theme of humility?
- The poem explores the theme of humility through the portrayal of both Jesus and Mary. Jesus, the Lord of all creation, is presented as a humble infant, born in a stable. This contrasts with the majesty and power often associated with divine figures. Mary, too, is portrayed as a humble servant, willingly accepting her role in the divine plan. The poem suggests that humility is a virtue that is essential for understanding and experiencing the love of God.
· Critical Question 4: What is the significance of the final stanza, in which the speaker offers their heart to Jesus?
- The final stanza of the poem is a powerful expression of devotion and love. By offering their heart to Jesus, the speaker suggests that the most meaningful gift one can give to God is oneself. This act of self-giving is a reflection of the love that Jesus showed for humanity through His sacrifice on the cross. The final stanza emphasizes the importance of personal devotion and the transformative power of faith.
Literary Works Similar to “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti
- “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost: Similar in its depiction of a wintry landscape, evoking quiet contemplation and the beauty of nature.
- “The Snow Man” by Wallace Stevens: Both poems reflect on the harshness of winter, using minimalist imagery to evoke deep emotions.
- “The Darkling Thrush” by Thomas Hardy: This poem, like Rossetti’s, juxtaposes the coldness of winter with an undercurrent of hope and renewal.
- “Winter: My Secret” by Christina Rossetti:Another of Rossetti’s own works, it similarly uses winter as a metaphor for concealment and introspection.
- “Winter” by William Shakespeare (from Love’s Labour’s Lost): Both Shakespeare’s and Rossetti’s poems explore the desolation and stillness of winter, using vivid imagery to highlight its impact.
Representative Quotations of “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan” | Opening line, setting a cold and harsh winter scene, introducing the poem’s central theme of winter as a metaphor for human spiritual barrenness. | Ecocriticism: Focuses on the depiction of nature and the environment’s influence on human emotions and spirituality. |
| “Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone” | Describes the rigidity and lifelessness of the frozen earth and water, evoking a sense of stillness and immobility. | Symbolism: The hardness of the earth symbolizes emotional and spiritual desolation, emphasizing the coldness of the world. |
| “Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow” | Repetition emphasizes the overwhelming and suffocating presence of winter, layering snow as a metaphor for layers of coldness and isolation. | Repetition and Symbolism: Snow becomes a symbol of purity, but also isolation and emotional heaviness through repetition. |
| “In the bleak midwinter, long ago” | Transition from a description of the natural world to the religious context of the poem, grounding the setting in a distant time. | Temporal Shift (Historical Context): Marks the movement from the physical present to a historical, spiritual narrative. |
| “Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain” | A declaration of the divine nature of Christ, presenting an image of God’s greatness surpassing both heaven and earth. | Theology and Transcendence: Reflects the Christian belief in the transcendence of God beyond physical boundaries. |
| “Angels and archangels may have gathered there” | Describes the heavenly celebration surrounding Christ’s birth, blending the celestial with the earthly winter setting. | Religious Imagery: Utilizes angelic figures to illustrate the divine mystery of Christ’s incarnation within the mundane world. |
| “What can I give Him, poor as I am?” | The speaker reflects on their own poverty, both material and spiritual, in contrast to the grandness of Christ’s gift to humanity. | Christian Humility: Highlights the theme of humility and the idea of giving from the heart, central to Christian moral teaching. |
| “If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb” | Envisioning possible roles in the nativity, the speaker contemplates what they could offer if they were someone with more to give. | Allegory: Uses the image of a shepherd and lamb to symbolize simplicity and devotion in Christian tradition. |
| “If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part” | Similarly to the previous line, this imagines the speaker as one of the Wise Men, able to bring valuable gifts to Christ. | Intertextuality (Biblical Allusion): Draws directly from the nativity story, connecting the personal to the universal narrative. |
| “Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart” | The final line resolves the speaker’s internal reflection by emphasizing that the greatest gift is love and devotion. | Moral Theology (Sacrifice and Love): Suggests that the purest offering to Christ is love, aligning with Christian spiritual ideals. |
Suggested Readings: “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti
- Ziolkowski, Jan M. “The Yuletide Juggler.” The Juggler of Notre Dame and the Medievalizing of Modernity: Volume 5: Tumbling into the Twentieth Century, 1st ed., Open Book Publishers, 2018, pp. 127–92. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv8d5sq2.7. Accessed 25 Sept. 2024.
- Hopler, Jay, and Kimberly Johnson, editors. “Christina Rossetti: (1830–1894).” Before the Door of God: An Anthology of Devotional Poetry, Yale University Press, 2013, pp. 259–60. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt5vm3mm.101. Accessed 25 Sept. 2024.
- D’Amico, Diane. “Saintly Singer or Tanagra Figurine? Christina Rossetti Through the Eyes of Katharine Tynan and Sara Teasdale.” Victorian Poetry, vol. 32, no. 3/4, 1994, pp. 387–407. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40002824. Accessed 25 Sept. 2024.
- Shaw, W. David. “Poet of Mystery: The Art of Christina Rossetti.” The Achievement of Christina Rossetti, edited by David A. Kent, Cornell University Press, 1987, pp. 23–56. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctvr7f9vz.6. Accessed 25 Sept. 2024.