1. Winter: My Secret Think about Rossetti.
What does she like writing poems about?
What might a woman have to keep secret?

2. Questions
1. Why might the narrator tell her secret in the summer? Try to work out the time that has elapsed from the beginning of the poem to the end.
2. What connotations can you think of for Winter?
3. Highlight the sensual imagery. (Think about physical objects, things you can touch)
4. What do the uneven stanzas represent?
5. Highlight all the verbs (e.g. the –ings)
6.“Or, after all, perhaps there’s none:
Suppose there is no secret after all,” (lines 7 &8)
What des Rossetti mean by these lines?

3. “Or you may guess”- who might guess?
Who is Rossetti speaking to?
Look at lines 20 – 24. What is happening
in these lines? What is being described?

4. Winter: My Secret

5. As if the listener has asked…
I tell my secret? No indeed, not I; Perhaps some day, who knows? But not today; it froze, and blows and snows, And you’re too curious: fie! You want to hear it? well: Only, my secret’s mine, and I won’t tell.

6. As if the listener has asked…
Definite – certain
I tell my secret? No indeed, not I; Perhaps some day, who knows? But not today; it froze, and blows and snows, And you’re too curious: fie! You want to hear it? well: Only, my secret’s mine, and I won’t tell.

7. As if the listener has asked…
Definite – certain
Repeated negators
I tell my secret? No indeed, not I; Perhaps some day, who knows? But not today; it froze, and blows and snows, And you’re too curious: fie! You want to hear it? well: Only, my secret’s mine, and I won’t tell.

8. As if the listener has asked…
Definite – certain
Repeated negators
Internal rhyme – syndetic structure
I tell my secret? No indeed, not I; Perhaps some day, who knows? But not today; it froze, and blows and snows, And you’re too curious: fie! You want to hear it? well: Only, my secret’s mine, and I won’t tell.

9. As if the listener has asked…
Definite – certain
Repeated negators
Internal rhyme – syndetic structure
Narrative poem – who is the listener – what is the relationship
I tell my secret? No indeed, not I; Perhaps some day, who knows? But not today; it froze, and blows and snows, And you’re too curious: fie! You want to hear it? well: Only, my secret’s mine, and I won’t tell.

10. As if the listener has asked…
Definite – certain
Repeated negators
Internal rhyme – syndetic structure
Narrative poem – who is the listener – what is the relationship
Caesura - broken rhythm
I tell my secret? No indeed, not I; Perhaps some day, who knows? But not today; it froze, and blows and snows, And you’re too curious: fie! You want to hear it? well: Only, my secret’s mine, and I won’t tell.

11. As if the listener has asked…
Definite – certain
Repeated negators
Internal rhyme – syndetic structure
Narrative poem – who is the listener – what is the relationship
Caesura - broken rhythm
Modal - certainty
I tell my secret? No indeed, not I; Perhaps some day, who knows? But not today; it froze, and blows and snows, And you’re too curious: fie! You want to hear it? well: Only, my secret’s mine, and I won’t tell.

12. Conditional repeated from stanza one
Or, after all, perhaps there’s none: Suppose there is no secret after all, But only just my fun. Today’s a nipping day, a biting day; In which one wants a shawl, A veil, a cloak, and other wraps: I cannot ope to everyone who taps, And let the draughts come whistling thro’ my hall; Come bounding and surrounding me, Come buffeting, astounding me, Nipping and clipping thro’ my wraps and all. I wear my mask for warmth: who ever shows His nose to Russian snows To be pecked at by every wind that blows? You would not peck? I thank you for good will, Believe, but leave the truth untested still. .

13. Conditional repeated from stanza one
Teasing tone – unusually short line
Or, after all, perhaps there’s none: Suppose there is no secret after all, But only just my fun. Today’s a nipping day, a biting day; In which one wants a shawl, A veil, a cloak, and other wraps: I cannot ope to everyone who taps, And let the draughts come whistling thro’ my hall; Come bounding and surrounding me, Come buffeting, astounding me, Nipping and clipping thro’ my wraps and all. I wear my mask for warmth: who ever shows His nose to Russian snows To be pecked at by every wind that blows? You would not peck? I thank you for good will, Believe, but leave the truth untested still. .

14. Conditional repeated from stanza one
Teasing tone – unusually short line
Violence of winter – sexual connotations? Giving up her secret is giving up her virginity?
Or, after all, perhaps there’s none: Suppose there is no secret after all, But only just my fun. Today’s a nipping day, a biting day; In which one wants a shawl, A veil, a cloak, and other wraps: I cannot ope to everyone who taps, And let the draughts come whistling thro’ my hall; Come bounding and surrounding me, Come buffeting, astounding me, Nipping and clipping thro’ my wraps and all. I wear my mask for warmth: who ever shows His nose to Russian snows To be pecked at by every wind that blows? You would not peck? I thank you for good will, Believe, but leave the truth untested still. .

15. Conditional repeated from stanza one
Teasing tone – unusually short line
Violence of winter – sexual connotations? Giving up her secret is giving up her virginity?
Winter clothing, but also hides modesty
Or, after all, perhaps there’s none: Suppose there is no secret after all, But only just my fun. Today’s a nipping day, a biting day; In which one wants a shawl, A veil, a cloak, and other wraps: I cannot ope to everyone who taps, And let the draughts come whistling thro’ my hall; Come bounding and surrounding me, Come buffeting, astounding me, Nipping and clipping thro’ my wraps and all. I wear my mask for warmth: who ever shows His nose to Russian snows To be pecked at by every wind that blows? You would not peck? I thank you for good will, Believe, but leave the truth untested still. .

16. Conditional repeated from stanza one
Teasing tone – unusually short line
Violence of winter – sexual connotations? Giving up her secret is giving up her virginity?
Winter clothing, but also hides modesty
Vulnerability metaphor
Or, after all, perhaps there’s none: Suppose there is no secret after all, But only just my fun. Today’s a nipping day, a biting day; In which one wants a shawl, A veil, a cloak, and other wraps: I cannot ope to everyone who taps, And let the draughts come whistling thro’ my hall; Come bounding and surrounding me, Come buffeting, astounding me, Nipping and clipping thro’ my wraps and all. I wear my mask for warmth: who ever shows His nose to Russian snows To be pecked at by every wind that blows? You would not peck? I thank you for good will, Believe, but leave the truth untested still. .

17. Conditional repeated from stanza one
Teasing tone – unusually short line
Violence of winter – sexual connotations? Giving up her secret is giving up her virginity?
Winter clothing, but also hides modesty
Vulnerability metaphor
Overwhelmed once the door is open – warning against sexuality – present tense brings energy, violence, excitement
Or, after all, perhaps there’s none: Suppose there is no secret after all, But only just my fun. Today’s a nipping day, a biting day; In which one wants a shawl, A veil, a cloak, and other wraps: I cannot ope to everyone who taps, And let the draughts come whistling thro’ my hall; Come bounding and surrounding me, Come buffeting, astounding me, Nipping and clipping thro’ my wraps and all. I wear my mask for warmth: who ever shows His nose to Russian snows To be pecked at by every wind that blows? You would not peck? I thank you for good will, Believe, but leave the truth untested still. .

18. Conditional repeated from stanza one
Teasing tone – unusually short line
Violence of winter – sexual connotations? Giving up her secret is giving up her virginity?
Winter clothing, but also hides modesty
Vulnerability metaphor
Overwhelmed once the door is open – warning against sexuality – present tense brings energy, violence, excitement
Aggressive – sexual? Mistrust between speaker and listener. She doesn’t want to risk it.
Or, after all, perhaps there’s none: Suppose there is no secret after all, But only just my fun. Today’s a nipping day, a biting day; In which one wants a shawl, A veil, a cloak, and other wraps: I cannot ope to everyone who taps, And let the draughts come whistling thro’ my hall; Come bounding and surrounding me, Come buffeting, astounding me, Nipping and clipping thro’ my wraps and all. I wear my mask for warmth: who ever shows His nose to Russian snows To be pecked at by every wind that blows? You would not peck? I thank you for good will, Believe, but leave the truth untested still. .

19. Expansive – frank and open
Spring’s an expansive time: yet I don’t trust March with its peck of dust, Nor April with its rainbow-crowned brief showers, Nor even May, whose flowers One frost may wither thro’ the sunless hours.

20. Expansive – frank and open
Changeable
Spring’s an expansive time: yet I don’t trust March with its peck of dust, Nor April with its rainbow-crowned brief showers, Nor even May, whose flowers One frost may wither thro’ the sunless hours.

21. Expansive – frank and open
Changeable
Vulnerable/temporary/fragile
Spring’s an expansive time: yet I don’t trust March with its peck of dust, Nor April with its rainbow-crowned brief showers, Nor even May, whose flowers One frost may wither thro’ the sunless hours.
Spring can’t be trusted – too variable and changeable - unlike Summer.

22. Echoes the first two conditionals- brings back the tentative tone.
Perhaps some languid summer day, When drowsy birds sing less and less, And golden fruit is ripening to excess, If there’s not too much sun nor too much cloud, And the warm wind is neither still nor loud, Perhaps my secret I may say, Or you may guess

23. Echoes the first two conditionals- brings back the tentative tone.
Verbs and adjectives juxtaposed with winter’s violence and energy.
Perhaps some languid summer day, When drowsy birds sing less and less, And golden fruit is ripening to excess, If there’s not too much sun nor too much cloud, And the warm wind is neither still nor loud, Perhaps my secret I may say, Or you may guess

24. Echoes the first two conditionals- brings back the tentative tone.
Further conditionals - still unreliable – nothing she can count on – rely on
Tantalising – infuriating
If she shares her secret will it be spoilt?
Perhaps some languid summer day, When drowsy birds sing less and less, And golden fruit is ripening to excess, If there’s not too much sun nor too much cloud, And the warm wind is neither still nor loud, Perhaps my secret I may say, Or you may guess

25. Echoes the first two conditionals- brings back the tentative tone.
Further conditionals - still unreliable – nothing she can count on – rely on
Tantalising – infuriating
If she shares her secret will it be spoilt?
Perhaps some languid summer day, When drowsy birds sing less and less, And golden fruit is ripening to excess, If there’s not too much sun nor too much cloud, And the warm wind is neither still nor loud, Perhaps my secret I may say, Or you may guess

26. Echoes the first two conditionals- brings back the tentative tone.
Further conditionals - still unreliable – nothing she can count on – rely on
Tantalising – infuriating
If she shares her secret will it be spoilt?
Perhaps some languid summer day, When drowsy birds sing less and less, And golden fruit is ripening to excess, If there’s not too much sun nor too much cloud, And the warm wind is neither still nor loud, Perhaps my secret I may say, Or you may guess

27. Echoes the first two conditionals- brings back the tentative tone.
Further conditionals - still unreliable – nothing she can count on – rely on
Tantalising – infuriating
If she shares her secret will it be spoilt?
Perhaps some languid summer day, When drowsy birds sing less and less, And golden fruit is ripening to excess, If there’s not too much sun nor too much cloud, And the warm wind is neither still nor loud, Perhaps my secret I may say, Or you may guess

28. Echoes the first two conditionals- brings back the tentative tone.
Further conditionals - still unreliable – nothing she can count on – rely on
Tantalising – infuriating
If she shares her secret will it be spoilt?
Perhaps some languid summer day, When drowsy birds sing less and less, And golden fruit is ripening to excess, If there’s not too much sun nor too much cloud, And the warm wind is neither still nor loud, Perhaps my secret I may say, Or you may guess

29. Critics “an intriguing study in the manipulation of power” (Avery)
like “Maude Clare” and “No Thank-You John” reveals a “more complex negotiation of power which enables the women to achieve agency, equality and self-sufficiency” (Avery)
Rossetti is a “brazen usurper or masculine discourses” (Waldman)

30. Some argue that it is ‘knowledge’ that is the secret
Some argue that it is ‘knowledge’ that is the secret. Remember that women were not allowed to go to University and pursue an education. Rossetti was defending this right.
Think about the knowledge that is discovered in The Goblin Market.
Rossetti is holding something (her secret) from us. It is unknown, we can only guess.

31. What is the benefit to be gained from keeping a secret?
How does the speaker treat the imagined addressee in this poem?
What purpose do the references to the seasons serve?
How is this poem about expression and concealment? What sorts of expression are alluded to?
What specific language and imagery indicates and reinforces the ‘secret’? (what ever you think the secret is)