"In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857" was written by Victorian poet Christina Rossetti shortly after the events it describes. The poem narrates the last moments of Captain Alexander Skene (a British officer based in Jhansi, India) and his wife, Margaret, as they face a stark choice: wait for rebel Indian soldiers to break into their hideout, or kill themselves before the soldiers do. Choosing the latter course, the pair exchange a few last words and kisses, sustained by the power of their love. Though the poem is based on real events, it's not historically accurate; the rebels killed Skene, his wife, and the other European Jhansi inhabitants outside the city walls. "In the Round Tower" appears in Rossetti's collection Goblin Market and Other Poems (1862).
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The Full Text of “In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)”
1A hundred, a thousand to one: even so;
2Not a hope in the world remained:
3The swarming howling wretches below
4Gained and gained and gained.
5Skene looked at his pale young wife.
6"Is the time come?"—"The time is come."
7Young, strong, and so full of life,
8The agony struck them dumb.
9Close his arm about her now,
10Close her cheek to his,
11Close the pistol to her brow—
12God forgive them this!
13"Will it hurt much?" "No, mine own:
14I wish I could bear the pang for both."—
15"I wish I could bear the pang alone:
16Courage, dear, I am not loth."
17Kiss and kiss: "It is not pain
18Thus to kiss and die.
19One kiss more."—"And yet one again."—
20"Good-bye."—"Good-bye."
The Full Text of “In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)”
1A hundred, a thousand to one: even so;
2Not a hope in the world remained:
3The swarming howling wretches below
4Gained and gained and gained.
5Skene looked at his pale young wife.
6"Is the time come?"—"The time is come."
7Young, strong, and so full of life,
8The agony struck them dumb.
9Close his arm about her now,
10Close her cheek to his,
11Close the pistol to her brow—
12God forgive them this!
13"Will it hurt much?" "No, mine own:
14I wish I could bear the pang for both."—
15"I wish I could bear the pang alone:
16Courage, dear, I am not loth."
17Kiss and kiss: "It is not pain
18Thus to kiss and die.
19One kiss more."—"And yet one again."—
20"Good-bye."—"Good-bye."
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“In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)” Summary
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“In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)” Themes
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Love, Courage, and Desperation
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Strength, Stoicism, and Gender
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Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)”
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Lines 1-4
A hundred, a thousand to one: even so;
Not a hope in the world remained:
The swarming howling wretches below
Gained and gained and gained. -
Lines 5-8
Skene looked at his pale young wife.
"Is the time come?"—"The time is come."
Young, strong, and so full of life,
The agony struck them dumb. -
Lines 9-12
Close his arm about her now,
Close her cheek to his,
Close the pistol to her brow—
God forgive them this! -
Lines 13-16
"Will it hurt much?" "No, mine own:
I wish I could bear the pang for both."—
"I wish I could bear the pang alone:
Courage, dear, I am not loth." -
Lines 17-20
Kiss and kiss: "It is not pain
Thus to kiss and die.
One kiss more."—"And yet one again."—
"Good-bye."—"Good-bye."
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“In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language
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Apostrophe
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Caesura
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Repetition
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Dialogue
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“In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)” Vocabulary
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
- Swarming howling wretches
- Gained and gained and gained
- Skene
- Struck them dumb
- About
- Bear the pang
- Loth
- Thus
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- See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.
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Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)”
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Form
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Meter
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Rhyme Scheme
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“In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)” Speaker
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“In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)” Setting
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Literary and Historical Context of “In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)”
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More “In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)” Resources
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External Resources
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A Contemporary Response — Read critic William Sharp's admiring reminiscence of Rossetti, written not long after her death.
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A Brief Biography — Read the Poetry Foundation's short essay on Rossetti's life and work.
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Rossetti at the Victorian Web — Visit the Victorian Web to find a treasure trove of information on Rossetti.
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Goblin Market and Other Poems — Dive into the book in which "In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857" first appeared.
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The East India Company and the Sepoy Rebellion — Read an overview of the 1857-58 conflict that led to the death of Captain Skene and his wife, Margaret.
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LitCharts on Other Poems by Christina Rossetti
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