When We Two Parted Flashcards
1
Q
‘In silence…
A
… and tears half broken-hearted’
- Sibilance (repeated ‘s’) adds to secrecy and quiet feel, like hushed whispers
2
Q
‘Pale grew…
A
… the cheek and cold, colder thy kiss’
- death and ice imagery displays absence of warmth and lively emotion in relationship
- plosive sound in ‘k’ sound giving a harsher feel
3
Q
‘Thy vows…
A
… are all broken’
- the promise they made was not in marriage, so does speaker try to elevate the seriousness of relationship?
- you can’t break a marriage vow unless to be condemned by God (religious imagery?)
4
Q
‘A knell…
A
… in mine ear’
- metaphor portraying the slow ringing of a funeral bell
- the mention of her incites deathly thoughts within the speaker
5
Q
‘They know not…
A
… I knew thee’
- biblical reference to a sexual relationship
- attempt to portray relationship as one blessed by the divinity of God rather than scandalous and meaningless
6
Q
‘In secret…
A
… we met - in silence I grieve’
- death imagery in ‘grieve’
- anaphora creates repetition of bitterness and sadness
- poetic inversion (changes word order), emphasises silence and pain in inability to release emotion
7
Q
Who wrote When We Two Parted?
A
Lord Byron
8
Q
What are the main themes of When We Two Parted?
A
- loss and regret
- religious imagery
9
Q
Which poem do you compare with When We Two Parted?
A
- Neutral Tones
