‘remember’ – christina rossetti

Question 1

what is the general over view for ‘remember’

Answer 1

Instructs her loved one to remember her when she is dead
But as the poem progresses she realizes that her loved one shouldn’t always remember her as she wants her partner to be happy and move on with his life rather than mourn her and be sad.

Question 2

what are the Key themes in ‘remember’

Answer 2

love
memory
loss
the passage of time
Letting Go and Acceptance
Regret and Reassurance
hope for eternal connection

Question 3

what are some language points in the poem ‘remember’

Answer 3

• The word “remember” is repeated - This repetition suggests the speaker’s anxiety about being forgotten and desire for an eternal connection.
• vivid imagery - “the silent land” is a metaphor for death
• a shift in desire from remembrance to forgetting, creates a tension in the poem, as the speaker acknowledges that moving on is part of life, yet they still hope to be remembered.
  “Better by far you should forget and smile / Than that you should remember and be sad.”
  further emphasised by the oxymoron of “forget and smile”
  *

Question 4

What are some form points in the poem ‘remember’

Answer 4

• The poem is written as a sonnet - 14 lines to highlight the underlying theme of love and loss.
• ABBAABBA rhyme scheme in the octave, creates a sense of tightness and control
• he sestet has a CDCDCD rhyme scheme allows for a slightly more loose, reflective tone
• iambic pentameter - This rhythmic structure reflects the natural flow of speech and adds a sense of melodic regularity to the poem to make the poem seem more intimate and personal.
• enjambment - outpour of emotion

Question 5

What other poems does ‘remember’ link to ?

Answer 5

“Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas
common Themes: Death, Memory, Defiance, Love
“My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning
common Themes: Love, Death, Memory