remember Flashcards
“Remember me when I am gone away, / Gone far away into the silent land;”
-Imagery: The phrase “silent land” is a euphemism for death, evoking a serene yet isolating image of the afterlife.
-The metaphor of a “land” suggests an unknown destination, emphasizing the finality and separation brought by death.
-Techniques: Rossetti uses repetition of “gone away” to stress the inevitability of departure. The alliteration of “silent” and “land” softens the tone, creating a contemplative mood rather than one of fear.
-Effect: This opening sets the reflective tone of the poem, inviting readers to consider memory as a way to bridge the gap between life and death
-The phrase “gone away” is repeated, reinforcing the inevitable departure and emphasizing the speaker’s absence.
“When you can no more hold me by the hand, / Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.”
-Imagery: The physical act of holding hands symbolizes intimacy and connection. The image of “half turn to go yet turning stay” captures hesitation and emotional attachment, portraying a poignant moment of parting.
-Techniques: The enjambment between these lines mirrors the reluctance to let go, while the tactile imagery of “hold me by the hand” emphasizes human connection.
-Effect: This evokes a bittersweet sense of love and loss, highlighting the tension between departure and lingering affection
“Remember me when no more day by day / You tell me of our future that you plann’d:”
-Imagery: The mention of planning a future contrasts sharply with the speaker’s impending absence, creating a poignant juxtaposition between life’s continuity and its abrupt end.
-Techniques: The use of “day by day” emphasizes routine and shared life, while the past tense in “plann’d” underscores the finality of death.
-Effect: This conveys a sense of unfulfilled potential, deepening the emotional impact of memory as a way to preserve what cannot be realized in life
“Yet if you should forget me for a while / And afterwards remember, do not grieve:”
-Imagery: Forgetting is presented as temporary, like a lapse in memory rather than an erasure. This shift introduces an image of acceptance and emotional healing.
-Techniques: The volta (a shift in tone) occurs here, marking a transition from insistence on remembrance to selfless concern for the loved one’s happiness. The conditional phrasing (“if you should forget”) reflects resignation.
-Effect: This moment humanizes the speaker’s voice, prioritizing their loved one’s peace over their own desire for remembrance
-The contrast between “forget” and “remember” creates a visual image of fleeting memories, as if they fade and return like passing shadows.
“Better by far you should forget and smile / Than that you should remember and be sad.”
-Imagery: The contrast between smiling (happiness) and sadness encapsulates the speaker’s ultimate sacrifice—valuing their loved one’s joy over their own memory.
-Techniques: The plosive alliteration in “better by far” emphasizes resolution, while the juxtaposition between forgetting/smiling and remembering/sadness highlights conflicting emotions.
-Effect: This final couplet reinforces themes of selflessness and love’s enduring power, leaving readers with an impression of quiet strength
-The contrast between “forget” and “remember” highlights the paradox of memory—whether it brings comfort or pain.
structure and form
-Remember” adheres to the Petrarchan sonnet form, with 14 lines divided into an octave (8 lines) and a sestet (6 lines). This structural division creates a natural progression in the speaker’s thoughts and emotions.
–>Effect: The two-part structure mirrors the emotional journey of the speaker. The octave introduces the theme of remembrance and death, while the sestet shifts towards acceptance and selflessness, reflecting a resolution to the initial conflict.
-The rhyme scheme follows the traditional Petrarchan pattern: ABBA ABBA CDD ECE.
–>Effect: The tight rhyme scheme in the octave reflects the speaker’s initial emotional intensity and focus on remembrance. In contrast, the more flexible rhyme scheme in the sestet mirrors their gradual acceptance of impermanence and emotional release.
tone
-The tone in the first eight lines is solemn and melancholic, as the speaker contemplates her impending death and separation from her beloved.
-“Remember me when I am gone away, / Gone far away into the silent land;”
-The repetition of “gone away” emphasizes the permanence of death, creating a haunting rhythm that mirrors funeral tolls. This repetition slows the pace of the poem, enhancing its reflective mood.
-The euphemism “silent land” for death softens its harshness but also underscores its isolating and inevitable nature. The imagery evokes a barren, quiet place, reinforcing the somber tone.
-The speaker’s plea to be remembered carries an undercurrent of anxiety, as she fears being forgotten.
Effect:
Emotional Resonance: The melancholic tone in the octave draws readers into the speaker’s grief, while the consoling tone in the sestet leaves them with a sense of peace.
Contrast: The tonal evolution mirrors the speaker’s emotional growth—from fear of being forgotten to acceptance of love’s enduring nature.
Universality: By balancing sorrow with consolation, Rossetti captures universal themes of love, loss, and selflessness.
