Consider the Lilies of the Field

Christina Rossetti's Consider the Lilies of the Field

Christina Rossetti’s "Consider the Lilies of the Field" is a deceptively simple poem that weaves together theological meditation, natural symbolism, and moral instruction. Drawing its title from the Gospel of Matthew (6:28), in which Christ exhorts his followers to trust in divine providence, Rossetti’s poem expands this biblical allusion into a broader reflection on humility, divine love, and the overlooked wisdom of the natural world. Through personification, botanical imagery, and a contemplative tone, Rossetti crafts a sermon in verse, one that invites readers to reconsider their relationship with both nature and spirituality.

This essay will explore the poem’s historical and religious context, its use of literary devices, and its thematic preoccupations, demonstrating how Rossetti transforms flowers and weeds into vessels of moral and theological insight. Additionally, we will consider how the poem aligns with Rossetti’s broader body of work and the Victorian fascination with nature as a source of spiritual truth.

Historical and Religious Context

Rossetti wrote during the Victorian era, a time when religious doubt and scientific discovery were reshaping traditional Christian worldviews. The publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species (1859) had challenged literal interpretations of Genesis, and many writers, including Rossetti, sought to reconcile faith with the natural world. Unlike some of her contemporaries who embraced secularism or agnosticism, Rossetti remained deeply devout, her poetry often infused with biblical references and devotional themes.

The poem’s title directly invokes Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, where he uses the lilies as an emblem of God’s care: "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these" (Matthew 6:28-29). Rossetti’s poem extends this idea, suggesting that all flora—not just the most visually striking—carry divine messages.

Moreover, the Victorian era saw a surge in botanical studies and the popularization of the "language of flowers," a system in which different blooms symbolized specific virtues or emotions. Rossetti engages with this cultural trend but subverts it: rather than merely assigning symbolic meanings, she allows the flowers to speak, positioning them as humble preachers of divine truth.

Literary Devices and Structure

Rossetti employs several key literary devices to convey her message, the most prominent being personification. Each flower is given a voice, transforming them from passive objects of beauty into active moral instructors. The rose, for instance, declares:

"I am most fair;
Yet all my loveliness is born
Upon a thorn."

Here, the rose acknowledges its beauty but also its pain, suggesting that true loveliness often coexists with suffering—a theme resonant with Rossetti’s other works, such as "Goblin Market," where temptation and sacrifice are intertwined.

Similarly, the poppy speaks of being "held in scorn" despite its "subtle virtue," a possible allusion to the opium poppy, which was both medicinal and destructive in Victorian society. This duality reinforces the poem’s insistence that wisdom and worth are not always found in the most celebrated places.

The imagery in the poem is lush yet purposeful. The "dewy morn," the "scarlet head" of the poppy, and the "shade" of the violets create a vivid sensory experience, drawing the reader into the natural world. Yet, Rossetti does not indulge in mere description; each image serves a didactic function. The lilies, for example, "preach without words," embodying purity through their very existence rather than through speech—a nod to the biblical idea that creation itself proclaims God’s glory (Psalm 19:1).

The poem’s tone shifts from declarative to gently admonishing. The opening line—"Flowers preach to us if we will hear"—positions the reader as a potential listener, but the concluding stanza broadens the scope beyond just the "fairest flowers" to include "lichen and moss and sturdy weed," emphasizing that divine love extends even to the humblest forms of life.

Themes and Philosophical Underpinnings

1. Divine Providence and Humility

The central theme of the poem is the idea that God’s love sustains all creation, regardless of human valuation. The rose’s thorn, the poppy’s scorn, and the violets’ unnoticed fragrance all suggest that worth is not determined by human admiration but by divine intention. This aligns with Rossetti’s Anglo-Catholic beliefs, which emphasized humility and the sanctity of all life.

2. The Moral Lessons of Nature

Rossetti’s flowers are not merely decorative; they are didactic. The poem critiques human neglect of nature’s wisdom: "Men scent our fragrance on the air, / Yet take no heed / Of humble lessons we would read." Here, Rossetti echoes the Romantic tradition (seen in Wordsworth and Keats) that viewed nature as a moral guide, though her approach is more explicitly theological.

3. Beauty and Suffering

The rose’s declaration that its loveliness is "born upon a thorn" introduces a paradox central to Rossetti’s work: beauty often arises from pain. This idea recurs in her poetry, reflecting her own struggles with illness and unrequited love. The thorn may also evoke Christ’s crown of thorns, subtly linking natural suffering to redemptive sacrifice.

4. The Inclusivity of Divine Love

The final stanza extends the poem’s moral vision beyond the aesthetically pleasing to the "merest grass" and "sturdy weed." This democratization of divine care challenges societal hierarchies, suggesting that spiritual value is not reserved for the elite or the beautiful.

Comparative Readings and Biographical Connections

Rossetti’s poem can be fruitfully compared to William Blake’s "The Sick Rose," which also uses floral imagery to explore themes of beauty and corruption. However, where Blake’s rose is afflicted by an invisible worm, Rossetti’s flowers are active agents of wisdom, suggesting a more optimistic view of nature’s role in spiritual instruction.

Biographically, Rossetti’s life of piety and her struggles with illness and romantic disappointment inform the poem’s emphasis on endurance and humility. Her decision never to marry (despite two broken engagements) and her later work with fallen women reflect a personal commitment to living out the values she espouses in her poetry.

Conclusion: The Enduring Power of Rossetti’s Botanical Sermon

"Consider the Lilies of the Field" is a masterful synthesis of natural observation and spiritual meditation. By granting voice to flowers and weeds alike, Rossetti challenges readers to find divinity in the overlooked and to recognize that divine love sustains even the humblest forms of life. The poem’s enduring appeal lies in its ability to marry aesthetic beauty with moral depth, inviting us—like the listeners of an unspoken sermon—to pause, observe, and learn.

In an age increasingly detached from both nature and traditional faith, Rossetti’s poem remains a poignant reminder of the quiet wisdom that surrounds us, if only we choose to hear it

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