Conjugial Love and the Afterlife: New Readings of Selected Works by Dante Gabriel Rossetti in the

288 Pages·2013·2.98 MB·English

Conjugial Love and the Afterlife:
New Readings of Selected Works
by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
in the Context of Swedenborgian-Spiritualism

Anna Francesca Maddison BA (Hons), MA

A thesis submitted to the Department of English and History
Edge Hill University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

November 2013
Abstract

This thesis re-examines selected works by Dante Gabriel Rossetti in the light of
a specific engagement with Victorian spiritualism, which is characterised by an interest
in the esoteric writings of the eighteenth-century mystic Emanuel Swedenborg. It
locates Rossetti’s use of Swedenborgian imagery and ideas in his written and artistic
work, contextualising it within his engagement with spiritualism, and with reference to
his interest in a visionary tradition of literature. The thesis therefore furthers what has
begun in embryo in both Rossetti and Victorian scholarship; drawing together two
hitherto separate areas of research, to formulate new and detailed inter-disciplinary
readings of Rossetti’s poetry, fine art and design.
The critical approach is twofold, combining historical scholarship with textual
analysis. A cultural context is re-established which uncovers a network of
Swedenborgian and spiritualist circles, and through original research, Rossetti’s
connections to these are revealed. The specific approach of these groups, which this
thesis calls ‘Swedenborgian-spiritualism’ (thereby naming a new term), is characterised
by an intellectual, literary interest in Swedenborg, coupled with a practical
engagement with spiritualism, and a fascination with the mesmeric trance state.
In addressing three major works, ‘The Blessed Damozel’ (1850), Beata Beatrix
(c.1863-71) and The House of Life (1881), the thesis traces Rossetti’s engagement with
Swedenborgian-spiritualism through three distinct phases in his career, the result of
which facilitates a greater understanding of the development of his poetics and
artistry. In addition, the thesis returns to earlier critical sources, which show a
response to Rossetti in this light, and questions long rooted assumptions which persist
in Rossetti scholarship. Thus, it adds to the body of critical literature on Rossetti by re-
establishing context and readings which are needed in order to fully understand his
work, and reinstating a critical engagement with Rossetti that has become sidelined, or
forgotten.
Table of Contents

Declaration
Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations
Introduction 1

Part One: Background 8
Chapter 1: Literature Review 9
Chapter 2: Context 36

Part Two: The Dead Beloved 79
Chapter 3: The Blessed Damozel 80
Chapter 4: Beata Beatrix 127

Part Three: The House of Life 161
Chapter 5: The House of Life, 1 162
Chapter 6: The House of Life, 2 209
Conclusion 246
Bibliography 260

Illustrations 277
Declaration

This thesis is entirely my own work and has not been submitted in any
form for the award of a Higher Degree at any other educational
institution.
Acknowledgements

“Would God I knew there were a God to thank, When thanks rise in me!”
– Dante Gabriel Rossetti, notebook fragment

I am indebted to the kindness and support of many people in the production of
this thesis. First and foremost I must thank the two people who, without their
unrivalled and constant emotional support, I could not have achieved this piece of
work. They are my husband Andy and my mum Sheila. Their selfless love and belief in
myself and my work has sustained me through what has been a long and, at times,
stressful experience. They are closely followed by my dad Tom and brother John, who
have also kept me going with their constant love and encouragement. Two friends in
particular have been exceptional in their love and support. My best friend Jo Young has
kept me going with her kindness, humour, sincerity and unswerving friendship, whilst
my dear friend Jo Jones’ unwavering belief in me has been invaluable. Whilst on this
personal note I want also to thank my sister-in-law Claire for her kindness and
understanding and for sustaining me through trips to the gym and runs round
Southport! I also thank, with sadness, my mother-in-law Wendy, who passed away last
year. She was incredibly supportive of me and a lovely woman.
To my succession of supervisors, I also give thanks! Firstly, I would like to
acknowledge Professor George Talbot, who, since becoming my supervisor and seeing
me through the final stages of writing up, has been excellent. His calm professionalism,
kind demeanour and thorough feedback on my written work have been essential in
getting this work to completion. Thanks also to Professor Linden Peach, and Dr. Gill
Davies, who helped me through the difficult middle years, and were both enthusiastic
and encouraging about my work. Last, but not least, thanks go to Professor John
Simons, my first supervisor, whose enthusiasm for my initial idea set the ball rolling!
A big thank you goes to Julie Proud in the Graduate School, who has been the
only unchanging point of contact at the University since I began my research, and has
been nothing short of excellent in answering the many queries I have sent her way
over the years.
Thanks also go to Richard Lines, Secretary of the Swedenborg Society, for his
belief in this thesis, and for his excellent research on Swedenborgianism amongst the
nineteenth-century literati.
Abbreviations
CL Emanuel Swedenborg, Conjugial Love, trans. by John Chadwick
(London: Swedenborg Society, 1996)

Correspondence The Correspondence of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, ed. by William E.
Fredeman, 9 vols (Cambridge: Brewer, 2004-2010)
[Number of volume accessed given in reference details]

CPP Dante Gabriel Rossetti: Collected Poetry and Prose, ed. by
Jerome McGann (New Haven and London, 2003)

CW Dante Gabriel Rossetti: Collected Writings, ed. by Jan Marsh
(London: J.M. Dent, 1999)

DLW Emanuel Swedenborg, Divine Love and Wisdom, trans. by
Clifford Harley and Doris H. Harley (London: Swedenborg
Society, 1969; repr. 1987)

HH Emanuel Swedenborg, Heaven and its Wonders and Hell, trans.
by James Robson Rendell (London: Swedenborg Society, 1905)

HH2 Emanuel Swedenborg, Heaven and Hell, trans. by K.C. Ryder
(London: Swedenborg Society, 2010)

List of Books William Michael Rossetti, A list of books belonging to D.G.
Rossetti [c.1866] compiled 1905. Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS.
Facs. d. 269 d (fols. 145-7)

ODNB Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
[Information regarding individual entries given in reference
details]

PRB Journal The P.R.B. Journal: William Michael Rossetti’s Diary of the Pre-
Raphaelite Brotherhood 1849-1853, ed. by William E. Fredeman
(Oxford: Clarendon press, 1975)

RP Rossetti Papers 1862-1870, ed. by William Michael Rossetti
(London: Sands, 1903; repr. New York: AMS, 1870)

Rossetti Archive The Complete Writings and Pictures of Dante Gabriel Rossetti,
ed. by Jerome J. McGann (A Hypermedia Archive)
[http://www.rossettiarchive.org/index.html]
[Information regarding specific entries given in reference details]

SD William Michael Rossetti, Séance Diary (1865–8). Oxford,
Bodleian Library, Angeli–Dennis Collection, Films 1676/3,
Microfilm 3, Series A.1.3.
Introduction

This thesis re-examines the work of Dante Gabriel Rossetti within the context of
a particular engagement with Victorian spiritualism. This context is characterised by an
interest in the eighteenth-century mystic Emanuel Swedenborg, whose writings about
the immortality of the soul and the nature of love and (reunion in) the afterlife
enjoyed a revival in the mid-late nineteenth century in spiritualist circles. The early,
and influential, histories of spiritualism, such as Frank Podmore’s Modern Spiritualism:
A History and Criticism (1902) and The History of Spiritualism (1926) by Arthur Conan
Doyle, begin by establishing the importance of Swedenborg and his visionary writings
upon the growth of the movement. The casting of Swedenborg as ‘the first and
greatest of modern mediums’ emphasises the nature of his influence:1

The idea of intercourse with distinctively human spirits, if not actually
introduced by Swedenborg, at least established itself first in the popular
consciousness through his teaching. Emanuel Swedenborg is therefore
deservedly ranked as the first Spiritualist […]. His special contribution to the
Spiritualist belief consists in his conception of a future life.2

It is this aspect of Swedenborg that influenced Rossetti and those of his immediate
circle, rather than the beliefs of New Church Swedenborgians, who formed a religion
from his writings, and had little interest in the association with Swedenborg in the
development of Victorian spiritualism.
Swedenborg’s ideas were also taken up by those interested in the literary and
artistic traditions of esotericism. This was often also accompanied by an interest in
mesmerism, in so far as it related to spiritualism in its connection to the idea of
clairvoyant trance.3 This particular engagement with spiritualism has recently begun to
be recognised in embryo, but not named, by a few recent revisionist writers on
Victorian spiritualism, who identify a group of intellectual, literary Swedenborgians

1 Arthur Conan Doyle, The History of Spiritualism, 2 vols (London: Cassell and Company Ltd.,
1926), 1, p. 12.
2 Frank Podmore, Modern Spiritualism: A History and Criticism, 2 vols (London: Methuen,
1902), 1, p. 15.
3 Mesmerism is seen as an essential aspect of the development of Victorian spiritualism. Most
histories of the phenomenon include discussion of its importance. See for example Podmore,
1, chapters IV, VII and VIII; pp. 51-66, 92-131.
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who engaged with spiritualism and séance practice. This thesis uncovers Rossetti’s
connections to that group, defining their particular engagement as ‘Swedenborgian-
spiritualism’ and, in doing so, establishes a new term which characterises a fresh and
specific context in which to locate Rossetti’s work.
It is the contention of this thesis that certain major works by Rossetti which
deal with the themes of love, death and the afterlife cannot be fully understood
without the retrieval of this specific context. Whilst the thesis acknowledges that
Rossetti’s written and artistic productions betray a synthesis of influences, both
artistic-literary and historical-biographical, it seeks to thoroughly reinstate the
influence of Swedenborgian-spiritualism as a significant factor in the shaping of key
Rossetti works. These works include: the painting Beata Beatrix (c.1863-71), the
sonnet sequence The House of Life (1881) and the different published versions of the
poem ‘The Blessed Damozel’ (1850-81). In order to demonstrate this, the thesis adopts
a critical approach that combines historical research with textual analysis. Part 1
locates a historical, cultural and biographical background for Rossetti and his work, and
establishes the context of Swedenborgian-spiritualism. Parts 2 and 3 of the thesis
present a series of new readings of selected Rossetti works (both written and pictorial)
that deal with love and the afterlife, in order to show the presence of Swedenborgian-
spiritualist imagery and ideas. In addition the thesis to some extent locates specific
works within the literary and artistic traditions that respond to this context.
The twofold critical approach of the thesis emerged as the most thorough way
of re-establishing an element essential to a complete understanding of Rossetti. It is
also an approach that is suited to the interdisciplinary nature of the thesis, which
analyses both artistic and written texts, and considers historical, cultural and
biographical factors which influence their production. A range of published and
unpublished sources, both primary and secondary were consulted in order to achieve
this. The depth of textual analysis in this thesis, coupled with the establishment of a
historical, cultural and biographical context, in order to establish an essential aspect of
Rossetti’s work, represents a fresh approach to Rossetti scholarship.
However, it must be stressed that whilst this thesis addresses both Rossetti’s
pictorial and literary productions, and in certain sections addresses their
interrelationship (see Chapter 6) it does not employ a critical framework dependent on
their interaction. Whilst this is an acknowledged and important aspect of Rossetti
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criticism, and an obvious one considering his tendency to dual expression as Poet-
Painter, the main aim of this thesis is to locate and re-establish the Swedenborgian-
spiritualist elements, in order to elucidate one of the significant sources that Rossetti
utilises in his presentation of key works associated with love and the afterlife. The
thesis employs a chronological structure in order to show the developing nature of
Rossetti’s relationship to this context. This means that key works are considered for
the most part in isolation, which to some extent precludes an intertextual critical
engagement. Whilst on this subject it must be noted that although the thesis alludes to
the influential presence of certain texts on Rossetti’s works, such as Swedenborg’s
Conjugial Love (1768) and Blake’s writing and designs, it does not employ a critical
stance that engages with intertextual theory. Rather, it focuses on recovered instances
of Swedenborgian-spiritualism in three important works from Rossetti’s oeuvre.
Following the Literature Review (Chapter 1), the thesis begins with a chapter
which re-establishes a context around Rossetti. It locates the importance of social,
literary and Swedenborgian-spiritualist circles around Rossetti, in order to re-form a
lost contextual framework through which to view his work. The importance of the
social and cultural networks, to which Rossetti was connected, is considered and the
value of biography in terms of establishing, or supporting, this context is brought to
the fore.
After establishment of context, Parts 2 and 3 of the thesis address key works,
analysing them systematically. They move chronologically from the early published
poem ‘The Blessed Damozel’ from 1850 (written at a time of Rossetti’s burgeoning
interest in spiritualism, and more subject to secondary sources of Swedenborgian
influence), via the painting Beata Beatrix (c.1863-71) (produced at the height of
Victorian spiritualism and the period of Rossetti’s most direct engagement with it),
through to the work that can be seen as the culmination of Rossetti’s poetic
achievement, The House of Life sonnet sequence, which was written across many years
and was refined and published in complete form in Ballads and Sonnets (1881), the
year before he died. A number of secondary works, both written and pictorial are
brought into the discussion, where relevant, to support the main thesis.
Part 2 of the thesis is entitled The Dead Beloved, which is a term used by this
thesis to describe one of the major themes employed by Rossetti in his poetry and
painting; the figure of a beloved woman who has died. The two works considered here
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in detail are the first published version of the poem ‘The Blessed Damozel’ (1850)
(Chapter 3) and the original version of the painting Beata Beatrix (c.1863-71) (Chapter
4). In looking at these two significant ‘dead beloved’ works that are informed by
Swedenborgian-spiritualism, the thesis moves from an early work by Rossetti, which
represents a predominantly intellectual engagement with the context, to a work which
directly responds to it.
Despite addressing the subject of the dead beloved, and in awareness of the
inherent and implied gender issues which attend it, the thesis does not engage with
gender criticism. Although acknowledged and understood, the gender relationships
and dynamics within Victorian spiritualism and its practices and the gender
essentialism that characterises Swedenborg’s writings are not addressed. The thesis
focuses instead on reinstating, through textual analysis (predominantly in terms of
imagery) and retrieval of context, a major influence upon Rossetti’s presentation of the
subject.
In concentrating on the first published version of the poem ‘The Blessed
Damozel’ (1850), Chapter 3 establishes that, even in this early version of a work of
lifelong importance, the beginnings of a response to Swedenborgian-spiritualism is
evident. This is exposed through a reading of the text which identifies the
Swedenborgian imagery in the work. It shows an awareness of, and the beginnings of,
an engagement with said ideas. At this point in his career, the influence has come
predominantly through secondary sources. In accessing Swedenborgian ideas with
which to present his Damozel, Rossetti is responding to a literary heritage that includes
Swedenborg. This represents secondary knowledge – predominantly gleaned through
his reading. The influence of the Romantic Gothic tradition which informs Rossetti’s
particular adoption of Swedenborgian ideas is therefore considered, indicating that he
is responding to an esoteric literary tradition. Works by Edgar Allan Poe and William
Blake, which are known to have informed ‘The Blessed Damozel’, are re-evaluated in
terms of their significance as secondary sources of Swedenborgian influence, a factor
which has not been discussed before in critical responses to Rossetti.
Analysis is limited in this chapter to the early version of the poem; the time at
which it was first written is crucial in the narrative of Rossetti’s relationship with
Swedenborgian-spiritualism. The later published versions of ‘The Blessed Damozel’
poem and The Blessed Damozel paintings (produced over 20 years after the first
4