Christina Rossetti Diagnosed with Graves' Disease
Poet involved
What happened
In 1871, Christina Rossetti was struck by a severe case of Graves' disease (exophthalmic bronchocele) in London, enduring months of critical illness and near-fatal crises before partial recovery by 1873, while residing with family.
Literary impact
The prolonged illness and physical suffering intensified Rossetti's preoccupation with bodily frailty, death, and divine grace, evident in her later devotional poetry and prose. It deepened the morbidity and renunciation motifs in her verse, transforming personal vulnerability into universal spiritual reflections that resonated in works like 'The Face of the Deep.' (132 characters)
Source: Wikipedia
