Essay Questions

What was a nurse and what were a nurse’s attributes?

The nurse is mentioned in the poem "Snow’’ and the narrator mentions her as having a great influence over her life. A nurse was in the Victorian Era a woman, most than often unmarried, who would be employed by a rich family to take care of their children. The nurse almost acted as a mother to the children and would be responsible for taking care of the well-being of the children, making sure they are taken care of while also educating them. Because of this, it is no wonder the narrator remembers fondly the nurse from her childhood, the person who would tell her stories and entertain her.

How does the narrator describe the seasons?

In most of her poems, the narrator talks about nature and describes various phenomena associated with seasons or describes various seasons. Spring is described as being a time of rebirth, when everything comes to life. A great accent is put on the presence of sounds and pleasant smells and also on the beginning of work on the fields. Summer is associated with flowers and the sun. While it is not described as being an especially busy time of the year, it is still a pleasant time. Autumn is described as being a period of abundance, when the crops are gathered and the fields are gold. The most characteristic element of this period is the wine that seems to flow uninterrupted. Winter is the preferred season for the narrator and the reason behind this is that she feels close to her loved ones and because of Christmas. While winter is presented as a violent season, it is still presented in a very positive manner.

Which movement was the author a part of?

The author wrote her poems during the middle of the 19th century, a time when the movement called the Chartism movement. The author came from a working family and thus it became only natural for her to get involved in such a movement that had the goal of protecting the working class. Women got involved as well in this movement since it was also the time when women represented a big portion of the working class. The women wanted to be treated equally and have the same rights and the author believed in these ideas. Some of the political ideas promoted by the movement can also be seen in the poems composed during that time by the author.