Remember by Christina Rossetti

What is the intention of the poem?

Explore the emotional complexity of love, loss, and memory.

Structure/Form of Remember

• Petrarchan sonnet

• Iambic pentameter

• Octave and sestet structure; the octave introduces the idea of remembrance, and the sestet introduces acceptance

What is the tone of the poem?

The tone of the poem is reflective, somber and gentle.

What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

ABBA ABBA(octave) CDD ECE(sestet)

Themes

• Love and loss

• Memory and Forgetting

• Selflessness and Acceptance

• Resignation and Mortality

Theme: love and loss

• The poem speaks directly to the speaker’s loved one, urging them to remember her after her death.

• This theme highlights the emotional bond between the speaker and the person addressed.

• The speaker’s desire to be remembered underscores the deep love they share, while the inevitability of her passing brings the theme of loss to the forefront.

Theme: Memory and Forgetting

The speaker requests that her loved one "remember" her after she is gone, yet she also acknowledges that, with time, forgetting might be easier or less painful for the one left behind.

Theme: Selflessness and Acceptance

• The speaker’s attitude is selfless, as she prioritizes the emotional well-being of her loved one.

• The acceptance of the loved one’s need to move on and find peace demonstrates a profound selflessness in the speaker’s love.

• She understands that life must continue, and that in time, it might be better for her loved one to live without the weight of grief or memory.

Theme: Resignation and Mortality

• The poem explores the inevitability of death, with the speaker coming to terms with her own mortality.

• She knows that death is a natural part of life, and in the face of this reality, she accepts that her loved one will have to go on without her.

• This resignation reflects an understanding that death is not only inevitable but that it is a release for both the deceased and the living, allowing for growth and healing.

Literary Devices in Remember

• Anaphora

• Euphemism

• Volta(turn)

• Imperative voice

• Metaphor

• Personification

Anaphora

The repetition of the word "Remember" at the beginning of several lines in the poem is an example of anaphora. This repetition emphasizes the speaker’s deep desire to be remembered after death and creates a rhythmic sense of longing.

Euphemism

"Silent land" for death softens the concept; evokes

Volta(turn)

“Yet if you should forget me for a while”. Shift from asking to be remembered to accepting if forgotten.

Imperative voice

Commands ("Remember me") give emotional weight.

Metaphor

The "silent land" can be seen as a metaphor for the afterlife or the state of death, where the speaker will be unreachable, and yet her memory will persist in the mind of her loved one.

Personification

Memory is personified in the poem. The speaker implores the listener to "remember" her, suggesting that memory itself can hold onto her after she is gone. This device helps convey the speaker's desire for the enduring presence of her memory in the loved one's life.