"The Blessed Damozel" and Her Prayers

"The Blessed Damozel" by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1875-8

First of all, I remembered from a previous class that there was an accompanying painting by Rossetti, so I thought I would post that for everyone! I think one of the cool things about the poem is that it's the flip side of what one might normally read; instead of the living lover mourning his dead love, the dead love is in Heaven looking down and wishing they could be reunited. The poem (and the painting) seem very beautiful and sad at first glance, but once you think through it, you realize what exactly the Damozel is talking about. For example, in stanza twelve, she writes:

"I wish that he were come to me,

For he will come," she said.

"Have I not prayed in Heaven?--on earth,

Lord, Lord, has he not prayed? 

Are not two prayers a perfect strength?

And shall I feel afraid?

At first, the idea of the two of them praying seems innocuous, but think about what it means: if she's praying for them to be reunited...she's technically praying for his death. He "will come" eventually, as death is inevitable, but the Damozel would rather be reunited with him sooner than later. She's not even sure he's praying for the same thing, but she wants it more than anything. I think it's also interesting to compare to the painting: the Damozel is given more than half of the frame, while the lover is relegated to the bottom of the frame, and you might even say he appears pressed down by the weight of the rest of it. However, he also seems to be reclining; he's looking up to Heaven, but how concerned is he with the loss of his love? It's been ten years, according to the poem, and it's possible that he's moved on. This conflict between the prayers of the Damozel and the unknown prayers of the lover is interesting.