remember poem essay diction

Remember Summary & Analysis by Christina Rossetti

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
• Poetic Devices
• Vocabulary & References
• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
• Line-by-Line Explanations

Christina Rossetti's “Remember” is a poem about grief, told not from the perspective of a mourner but rather the person who's to be mourned. In this sonnet , the speaker begs a loved one to remember her after her death—but also not to feel guilty if he forgets her, so long as she's made some permanent mark on his life and he remains happy. The speaker's poignant realism (in the sense of accepting that her beloved may in fact forget about her) engages both with the finality of death and the persistence of love. Rosetti wrote the poem in 1849 at the age of 19, though it was first published in 1862 in her collection G oblin Market and Other Poems .

• Read the full text of “Remember”

The Full Text of “Remember”

1 Remember me when I am gone away,

2          Gone far away into the silent land;

3          When you can no more hold me by the hand,

4 Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.

5 Remember me when no more day by day

6          You tell me of our future that you plann'd:

7          Only remember me; you understand

8 It will be late to counsel then or pray.

9 Yet if you should forget me for a while

10          And afterwards remember, do not grieve:

11          For if the darkness and corruption leave

12          A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,

13 Better by far you should forget and smile

14          Than that you should remember and be sad.

“Remember” Summary

“remember” themes.

Love, Memory, and Grief

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Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “Remember”

Remember me when I am gone away,          Gone far away into the silent land;

         When you can no more hold me by the hand, Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.

Remember me when no more day by day          You tell me of our future that you plann'd:

         Only remember me; you understand It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while          And afterwards remember, do not grieve:

Lines 11-14

         For if the darkness and corruption leave          A vestige of the thoughts that once I had, Better by far you should forget and smile          Than that you should remember and be sad.

“Remember” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

Alliteration.

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End-Stopped Line

“remember” 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.

• Silent land
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Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Remember”

Rhyme scheme, “remember” speaker, “remember” setting, literary and historical context of “remember”, more “remember” resources, external resources.

More on Rossetti's Life and Work — A short biography and links to more of Rossetti's poems from the Poetry Foundation.

A Reading of the Poem — Listen to the actor Mairin O'Hagan perform the poem aloud.

Gender and Power in Rossetti's Work — An article on Christina Rossetti's influence as a feminist thinker.

Portraits of Rossetti — A selection of portraits of Rossetti from London's National Portrait Gallery. Some depict her with her artistic family, and some are by a member of her artistic family—namely her brother, the painter and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

The Poem's Manuscript — See pictures of the poem in Rossetti's own handwriting.

LitCharts on Other Poems by Christina Rossetti

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From the Antique

Good Friday

In an Artist's Studio

In the Round Tower at Jhansi, June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny)

Maude Clare

No, Thank You, John

Sister Maude

Soeur Louise de la Miséricorde

Song (When I am dead, my dearest)

Winter: My Secret

Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions

Lit. Summaries

• Biographies

Unpacking Remember: A Literary Analysis of Christina Rossetti’s Poem

• Christina Rossetti

“Remember” is a well-known poem by Christina Rossetti that explores themes of love, loss, and death. Through a close literary analysis of the poem, this article aims to unpack the various layers of meaning and symbolism present in Rossetti’s words. From the use of imagery to the structure of the poem, we will delve into the intricacies of “Remember” and gain a deeper understanding of its significance in the world of literature.

Background Information

Christina Rossetti was a prominent Victorian poet who lived from 1830 to 1894. She was born in London to a family of artists and writers, and her siblings also became well-known figures in the arts. Rossetti’s poetry often explored themes of love, death, and spirituality, and she was known for her use of vivid imagery and symbolism. “Remember” is one of her most famous poems, and it was first published in 1862 in her collection “Goblin Market and Other Poems.” The poem has been interpreted in many different ways, and it continues to be studied and analyzed by scholars and readers alike.

Themes and Motifs

One of the prominent themes in Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember” is the inevitability of death. The speaker of the poem is addressing her loved one, urging them to remember her after she has passed away. The repetition of the word “remember” throughout the poem emphasizes the speaker’s desire to be remembered even after death. This theme is further reinforced by the imagery of the “silent land” and the “darkness and corruption” of the grave.

Another important motif in the poem is the idea of separation. The speaker is aware that death will separate her from her loved one, and she is trying to prepare them for this separation. The use of the word “parting” in the first line of the poem sets the tone for this motif. The speaker also mentions the “silent land” and the “shore” that separates the living from the dead.

Overall, “Remember” is a powerful exploration of the human experience of mortality and the desire for remembrance after death. The themes of death and separation, as well as the motif of memory, are woven together to create a haunting and poignant poem.

Analysis of the Title

The title of Christina Rossetti’s poem, “Remember,” immediately sets the tone for the piece. The word “remember” is a command, indicating that the speaker is urging someone to keep them in mind. The title also suggests that the poem will be about memory and the act of remembering. However, the title is also ambiguous, leaving the reader to wonder who is being addressed and what they are being asked to remember. This ambiguity sets up the tension that runs throughout the poem, as the speaker grapples with the idea of being forgotten. Overall, the title is a powerful and effective choice that draws the reader in and sets the stage for the emotional journey that follows.

Structure and Form

The structure and form of Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember” are integral to its meaning and impact. The poem is a sonnet, a traditional form of poetry that consists of 14 lines and a specific rhyme scheme. Rossetti uses this form to create a sense of order and control, which contrasts with the emotional turmoil expressed in the poem’s content.

The rhyme scheme of “Remember” is ABBA ABBA CDCD CD, which is typical of the Petrarchan sonnet form. The first eight lines, or octave, present a problem or question, while the final six lines, or sestet, provide a resolution or answer. In “Remember,” the octave establishes the speaker’s desire to be remembered after death, while the sestet offers a solution in the form of the speaker’s request to be forgotten.

Rossetti also employs repetition and parallelism throughout the poem, emphasizing the speaker’s plea for remembrance and the inevitability of death. The repeated phrase “Remember me” creates a sense of urgency and desperation, while the parallel structure of “Remember me when I am gone away” and “Gone far away into the silent land” reinforces the idea of separation and distance.

Overall, the structure and form of “Remember” contribute to its emotional impact and thematic significance. Rossetti’s use of the sonnet form and literary devices such as repetition and parallelism create a cohesive and powerful expression of the speaker’s desire for remembrance and acceptance of mortality.

Imagery and Symbolism

In Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember,” imagery and symbolism play a significant role in conveying the speaker’s emotions and thoughts about death. The poem’s central image is that of a “silent land” where the speaker wishes to go after her death. This image is repeated throughout the poem, emphasizing the speaker’s desire for peace and rest. The use of the word “silent” also suggests a sense of finality and stillness, reinforcing the idea of death as an end to all earthly troubles.

Another important image in the poem is that of the “vessel” or “jar” that the speaker asks her loved one to “empty” and “put away.” This image symbolizes the speaker’s body, which she sees as a temporary container for her soul. By asking her loved one to “put away” the vessel, the speaker is expressing her desire to be released from her physical form and to move on to the “silent land.”

The use of color imagery is also significant in the poem. The speaker describes her “forget-me-nots” as “blue,” which is traditionally associated with sadness and melancholy. This color choice reinforces the idea that the speaker is resigned to her fate and is ready to leave behind the earthly world.

Overall, the use of imagery and symbolism in “Remember” helps to create a powerful and poignant meditation on death and the afterlife. Through these literary devices, Rossetti is able to convey the speaker’s complex emotions and desires in a way that is both beautiful and haunting.

Tone and Mood

The tone and mood of Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember” are crucial to understanding the speaker’s emotions and intentions. The poem’s tone is somber and melancholic, reflecting the speaker’s acceptance of her impending death. The use of words such as “silent land,” “darkness,” and “sadness” creates a sense of finality and inevitability. The mood is similarly mournful, with the speaker expressing her desire to be remembered but also acknowledging that her loved ones will eventually forget her. The overall effect is a poignant meditation on mortality and the human desire for remembrance.

Language and Diction

In Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember,” the language and diction used play a significant role in conveying the speaker’s emotions and message. The poem is written in a first-person perspective, with the speaker addressing their loved one and urging them to remember them after they have passed away. The language used is simple and direct, with short sentences and a clear tone that reflects the speaker’s acceptance of their impending death. The repetition of the word “remember” throughout the poem emphasizes the speaker’s desire to be remembered and highlights the importance of memory in preserving one’s legacy. Additionally, the use of metaphors, such as “silent land” and “darkness and corruption,” adds depth and complexity to the poem’s meaning, suggesting that death is not just an end but a transition to a new state of being. Overall, the language and diction used in “Remember” contribute to the poem’s emotional impact and reinforce its themes of love, loss, and memory.

Historical Context

Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember” was written during the Victorian era, a time when death was a prevalent theme in literature and society. The Victorian era was marked by a fascination with death and mourning, as well as a strict adherence to social norms and expectations. This context is important to understanding the themes and motifs present in “Remember,” as the poem reflects both the societal attitudes towards death and the personal experiences of the author. Additionally, Rossetti’s own religious beliefs, which emphasized the importance of preparing for death and the afterlife, also play a significant role in the poem’s themes and imagery. Overall, the historical context of the Victorian era provides important insights into the meaning and significance of “Remember” as a literary work.

Religious Influences

Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember” is heavily influenced by her religious beliefs. As a devout Anglican, Rossetti often incorporated religious themes and imagery into her poetry. In “Remember,” she explores the idea of death and the afterlife, which are central tenets of Christianity. The speaker in the poem is addressing a loved one, urging them to remember her after she has passed away. She asks that they not grieve for her, but instead remember her with love and joy. This sentiment is reflective of Rossetti’s belief in the resurrection and the hope of eternal life. The poem also contains biblical allusions, such as the reference to “silent land” which is reminiscent of the Christian concept of heaven. Overall, “Remember” is a poignant reflection on the inevitability of death and the comfort that faith can provide in the face of mortality.

Interpretation and Meaning

Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember” is a powerful meditation on the inevitability of death and the desire for eternal rest. The speaker of the poem is addressing a loved one, urging them to remember her after she has passed away, but also asking them to let her go and find peace in death. The poem is filled with vivid imagery and metaphors that convey the speaker’s complex emotions and thoughts about death.

One of the most striking metaphors in the poem is the comparison of death to a “silent land” that the speaker longs to reach. This image suggests that death is not something to be feared or avoided, but rather a peaceful and restful place where the speaker can finally find relief from the struggles of life. The use of the word “silent” also implies a sense of stillness and calm, which contrasts with the noise and chaos of the living world.

Another important theme in the poem is the idea of separation and loss. The speaker is aware that her death will cause pain and sadness for those she leaves behind, but she also recognizes that it is a necessary part of the natural cycle of life. She urges her loved one to “forget and smile” and to remember her with love but not with sorrow. This suggests that the speaker sees death as a way of letting go of earthly attachments and finding a deeper, more spiritual connection with those she loves.

Overall, “Remember” is a deeply moving and thought-provoking poem that explores some of the most fundamental questions of human existence. Through its powerful imagery and metaphors, it invites readers to reflect on their own attitudes towards death and the meaning of life.

Comparison to Other Works

When comparing Christina Rossetti’s “Remember” to other works of literature, it becomes clear that her poem stands out for its unique perspective on death and the afterlife. While many other works of the time focused on the fear and uncertainty surrounding death, Rossetti’s poem takes a more accepting and peaceful approach. This can be seen in lines such as “Better by far you should forget and smile / Than that you should remember and be sad,” which suggest that it is better to let go of the past and embrace the present moment. Additionally, Rossetti’s use of religious imagery and language sets her work apart from other poems of the time, as she draws on Christian beliefs to explore the idea of eternal life. Overall, “Remember” is a powerful and thought-provoking work that offers a unique perspective on one of life’s most universal experiences.

Critical Reception

Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember” has been widely praised for its emotional depth and powerful imagery. Critics have noted the poem’s exploration of themes such as love, loss, and mortality, as well as its use of religious symbolism and allusions. Many have also commented on Rossetti’s skillful use of language, particularly her use of repetition and the poem’s carefully crafted structure.

One of the most notable aspects of “Remember” is its ambiguity. The poem can be read as a meditation on the inevitability of death, or as a plea for a loved one to remember the speaker after they have passed away. This ambiguity has led to a wide range of interpretations and has made the poem a popular subject for literary analysis.

Despite its popularity, “Remember” has also faced criticism for its somewhat sentimental tone and its reliance on traditional gender roles. Some critics have argued that the poem reinforces the idea of women as passive and submissive, while others have criticized its portrayal of death as a peaceful release from the burdens of life.

Overall, however, “Remember” remains a powerful and enduring work of poetry, one that continues to resonate with readers and inspire new interpretations and analyses.

Author’s Biography

Christina Rossetti was a renowned poet and writer of the Victorian era. Born in London in 1830, Rossetti was the youngest of four siblings. Her father, Gabriele Rossetti, was an Italian poet and political exile, while her mother, Frances Polidori, was an Englishwoman.

Rossetti’s upbringing was heavily influenced by her family’s artistic and literary background. She began writing poetry at a young age and published her first collection, “Goblin Market and Other Poems,” in 1862.

Throughout her career, Rossetti’s work often explored themes of love, death, and spirituality. She was also known for her use of vivid imagery and symbolism in her poetry.

Despite her success as a writer, Rossetti faced numerous personal struggles throughout her life. She suffered from poor health, including Graves’ disease and depression, and was also deeply affected by the death of several close family members.

Rossetti continued to write and publish poetry until her death in 1894. Today, she is remembered as one of the most important poets of the Victorian era and her work continues to be studied and celebrated by literary scholars and enthusiasts alike.

Gender and Feminism

Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember” is often interpreted as a reflection on death and the speaker’s desire to be remembered by her loved ones. However, a feminist reading of the poem reveals a deeper exploration of gender roles and societal expectations. The speaker, who is assumed to be a woman, is asking her lover to remember her after she is gone, but also to let her go and live his life without her. This can be seen as a rejection of the traditional gender roles that dictate women should be dependent on men and sacrifice their own desires for the sake of their partners. Additionally, the speaker’s plea to be remembered can be seen as a challenge to the erasure of women’s voices and experiences in history. Overall, “Remember” is a complex and thought-provoking poem that invites readers to consider the intersections of gender and feminism in Rossetti’s work.

Psychoanalytic Interpretation

Psychoanalytic interpretation of Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember” delves into the unconscious mind of the speaker and the themes of death, loss, and separation. The poem is a reflection of the speaker’s desire to be remembered after death and the fear of being forgotten. The psychoanalytic approach to the poem focuses on the speaker’s relationship with her father and the impact of his death on her psyche. The speaker’s desire to be remembered can be seen as a way to cope with the loss of her father and the fear of being forgotten by him. The poem also explores the theme of separation, which can be interpreted as the speaker’s desire to be reunited with her father in death. The psychoanalytic interpretation of “Remember” provides a deeper understanding of the speaker’s emotions and the themes of the poem.

Reader Response

As a reader, I found “Unpacking Remember” to be a fascinating analysis of Christina Rossetti’s poem. The author’s attention to detail and careful examination of the poem’s themes and literary devices helped me to gain a deeper understanding of the work. I particularly appreciated the discussion of the poem’s use of repetition and its exploration of the theme of memory. Overall, this article was a thought-provoking and insightful read that left me with a greater appreciation for Rossetti’s poetry.

Cultural Significance

Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember” holds immense cultural significance as it explores the themes of love, loss, and death. The poem was written during the Victorian era, a time when death was a prevalent topic in literature and society. Rossetti’s poem reflects the Victorian obsession with death and the afterlife, as the speaker in the poem asks her loved one to remember her after she has passed away.

Furthermore, “Remember” also holds cultural significance as it challenges traditional gender roles. Rossetti was a female poet during a time when women were not encouraged to pursue creative endeavors. However, her poetry, including “Remember,” showcases the strength and agency of women. The speaker in the poem takes control of her own fate by asking her loved one to remember her, rather than simply accepting her inevitable death.

Overall, “Remember” is a culturally significant poem that explores universal themes while also challenging societal norms. Its enduring popularity is a testament to its relevance and importance in literary and cultural history.

Relevance Today

Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember” continues to be relevant today, as it deals with the universal theme of death and the desire for remembrance. In a world where death is often seen as a taboo topic, Rossetti’s poem provides a space for individuals to confront their mortality and consider the legacy they wish to leave behind. Additionally, the poem’s exploration of the tension between duty and personal desire resonates with contemporary discussions around the balance between work and self-care. Overall, “Remember” remains a powerful and thought-provoking work that speaks to the human experience across time and culture.

Christina Rossetti: Poems

What is the diction and structure in the poem remember me by rossetti.

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Remember” is a Petrarchan sonnet in iambic pentameter, consisting of an ABBA ABBA octave and a CDE CDE sestet.Rossetti repeats the word “remember” throughout the entire poem, as if the narrator fears that her beloved will not heed her request. Rossetti also uses repetition to underline the vast boundary between life and death, writing “gone away,” and later, “gone far away.” The “silent land” is a symbol of death, emphasizing the narrator's loneliness without her beloved rather, which is stronger than her fear of death itself. Acceptance of death is common in Pre-Raphaelite philosophy. Pre-Raphaelites believed that material troubles pale in comparison to the struggles of the mind.

Diction of remember by christina rossetti

What is is tone of remember by christina rossetti

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Summary and Study Guide

One of the most familiar (and beloved) poems by one of the most respected and commercially successful British poets of the Victorian Era, Christina Rossetti’s sonnet “Remember” explores a thorny dilemma: how does a person in love die, or more particularly, how does a person die knowing the one they love will survive them? In the poem, a young lover faces imminent death and attempts to counsel the lover she will leave behind how best to adjust. In examining the dynamics of mourning and the problematic strategies for handling such enormous loss, the poem tests the relationship between the selfishness of a dying lover who, of course, wants to be remembered against that same lover’s selfless wish for the surviving lover to find their way to new happiness and new purpose. Published in 1862 in Rossetti’s groundbreaking first collection Goblin Market and Other Poems , which established her reputation as one of the foremost young voices of Britain’s post-Romantic era, the sonnet itself dates to 1849 when Rossetti herself was just a teenager. Tapping into the Victorian era’s fascination with death and with the protocols of mourning, the poem skirts morbid sentimentality by lyrically describing how a person, now loving and emotionally vibrant, prepares for the inevitable transposition into becoming a memory.

Poet Biography

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Born in London in 1830 into privilege (her father, born in Italy, was an internationally recognized poet and Dante scholar), Christina Rossetti enjoyed a happy childhood, gifted with the opportunity few girls of her era enjoyed: an education. She was schooled in prestigious academies and, because of her father, had access to one of the finest private libraries in London. It is said that young Rossetti, before she could write, was dictating original poetry to her mother. Early on, Rossetti explored the wisdom literatures of Antiquity, exploring philosophical questions about the nature and purpose of the cosmos. By the age of 20, Rossetti began what would be a lifelong struggle against a series of increasingly debilitating illnesses, her writing and reading a constant solace given her growing perception of the vulnerability of life itself. During this difficult time, Rossetti studied her conservative Anglican religion and her growing certainty in an era in which atheism was becoming chic about the necessary viability of the Christian God.

Given her family’s prominence and her own reputation for intellectual vibrancy, Rossetti was offered numerous opportunities to marry but declined, often citing her uneasiness over the religious commitment (or lack of it) in her suitors. She wrote constantly, and with the appearance of her first collection of verse in 1862, she found herself among the most respected young poets of Victorian society. Save for a time in the mid-1850s after her father’s lengthy illness and retirement sapped the family’s finances when Rossetti (along with her mother) worked as teachers, Rossetti dedicated herself to writing, producing volumes of lyric poetry, collections of controversial essays about a wide-range of hot button issues, among them slavery, child labor, and women’s rights, as well as forays into fiction and children’s stories. Sales of her work were steady, and critical plaudits plentiful. Indeed, at the death of Poet Laureate Alfred Tennyson in 1892, word circulated through Victoria’s court that the queen favored Rossetti for the honor.  Rossetti, for her part, seldom circulated in London society, indeed seldom left her home. She had poor health and an increasingly melancholic disposition as one by one close friends and members of her family died, leaving her feeling isolated with only her writing as solace. Rossetti dealt in her last two years with cancer, including two massive and unsuccessful surgeries that left her barely able to walk. At her death in 1894 at age 64, she was interred in the family tomb in Highgate Cemetery in Middlesex about 10 miles south of London.

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Remember me when I am gone away,

       Gone far away into the silent land;

       When you can no more hold me by the hand ,

Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.

Remember me when no more day by day

       You tell me of our future that you plann'd:

       Only remember me; you understand

It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while

       And afterwards remember, do not grieve:

       For if the darkness and corruption leave

       A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,

Better by far you should forget and smile

       Than that you should remember and be sad.

Rossetti, Christina. “ Remember .” 1849. The Poetry Foundation

Although the poem does not provide any wider context than the speaker’s direct address to a lover, the opening eight lines establish an alarming premise. The speaker, presumably a woman, is contemplating her fast-approaching death, from what, however, is not indicated. No age is given, no names are shared, no circumstances of the death, indeed no gender is even specified (only “you”)—just the urgency to share with a lover the quiet panic of imminent mortality. “Remember me when I am gone away” (Line 1)—the opening line seems initially innocuous enough, the speaker sounds as if she is nothing grander than a lover leaving for some distant place. The poem begins, then, as a kind of lyric account of two lovers’ separation, a cliché premise of sonnets: one lover must go, the other must await their return.

The second line, however, moves the poem away from such tender sadness to a far more profound tragedy . The speaker is off not to some exotic port but rather to “the silent land” (Line 2), a euphemism for death itself. Remember me, the now-apparently dying lover says, “when you can no more hold me by the hand” (Line 3). The separation takes on a much more sobering tone . This is no tearful lovers’ goodbye—this is two lovers contemplating the death of one of them.

The opening eight lines, then, create a sense of the lovers’ closeness even as the speaker is beginning to understand the absoluteness of her approaching death. Lines 4-7 capture the dynamic of the two lovers. Theirs is a love in which both partners talk and share ideas, a rich and satisfying communion that makes the speaker always delay, hesitate anytime they must say goodbye. At such moments, she cannot bring herself to let go of her lover’s hand, always pausing just a moment to look back and relish the “half turn” (Line 4). The two are, it is hinted, young, as they have enthusiastically planned a future together; perhaps they are engaged. The speaker, as a Victorian-era woman, abdicates any expectation to shape the course of their future, content without irony or discomfort to abide by the “future that you plann’d” (Line 6). Without rancor, without bitterness, the speaker reminds her lover that fast approaching are days when they can no longer hold conversations, the speaker will no longer be there to “counsel […] or pray” (Line 8) with him. In these opening eight lines, the speaker conjures a bleak world without her presence and implores her lover to never forget her, to remember her and the tender moments they shared: the intimacy of their conversations, their lingering looks, the sweet press of holding hands. “Only remember me” (Line 7), she pleads now for the third time, the repetition underscoring the speaker’s growing anxiety whether she will be remembered at all by her lover.

The poem pivots on the word “Yet” that begins Line 9. As if the speaker calms herself and reconsiders the emotional excess of her demand, the closing lines alter the urgent tone. If you forget me “afterwards” (Line 10), meaning after her death, the speaker says, that is alright, even understandable. She will be content if she is an occasional memory, if the “darkness and corruption leave / A vestige of the thought that once I had” (Lines 11-12). I will be your memory. It is a dramatic change of heart. In these lines, the speaker acknowledges her approaching surrender to physical corruption, that is the natural, if brutal and unyielding, processes of decomposition. In the final couplet , the speaker, however, offers her reconsidered plea to her lover: it is better, ultimately, that you are happy and that you live the fullest and richest life you can. “Better by far you should forget [me] and smile / Than that you should remember [me] and be sad” (Lines 13-14). Herself facing death and acknowledging the harrowing and inglorious business of decay, the speaker magnanimously absolves her lover from the tedious responsibility of attending to grieving endlessly for her at the expense of living the life he still has the chance to embrace. She will be content to be some small part of his awareness, a sweet (if rueful) memory. Keep me in your heart for a while, she offers, that will be enough.

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Analysis of Remember, by Christina Rossetti, for the Edexcel IGCSE English Exam

by melaniewp | Apr 18, 2013 | Birthday , Christina Rosetti , Edexcel Lnguage Anthology , Exam Essays , GCSE , IGCSE , Model Essays , Poetry | 0 comments

For the most part, Rossetti paints herself as the passive subject – even victim – first of death, then further down the poem, of the addressee as they ‘ counsel ’, ‘ pray ’ and ‘ planned ’ – controlling her. She seems not entirely reluctant to escape this control, and is certainly not unaware of it – making us vividly aware of the female marriage vows ‘to love, honour and obey ’ [only the woman has to promise to ‘obey’] ‘till death us do part’. In fact, Rossetti had several serious suitors – including two at the time she wrote ‘Remember’. Her marriage was planned three times to three different men, but at the last minute, on each occassion – she called it off. The relationship between Rossetti and the addressee seems intimate, but complex. In line three, we have the almost-tender, but hardly erotic line: ‘ hold me by the hand ’. We hold children by the hand: the phrase suggests, guidance and control. Tellingly, Rosetti is fantasising about a time when ‘you can no more hold me by the hand’. There is an undercurrent of death as escape – of freedom. The greatest, almost-romantic attraction at the start of the poem seems to be towards that ‘ far away ’, ‘ silent land ’. She seems more attracted to death than to the addressee. The turbulent feel continues in the line ‘ half turn to go yet turning stay ’. It’s tortured: ‘ turning stay ’ is an oxymoron suggesting turbulent mixed emotions – further increased by the energy of the ‘ing’ word – as if she’s continuously ‘ turning ’ though she has to ‘ stay ’. In addition, there’s the polyptoton of ‘turn’ and ‘turning’, adding to the energetic sense of movement, frozen. If this is an evocation of Christina Rossetti’s own feelings, it suggests she wants to stay, and also to escape. (2) if we read this as the voice of her dying father: Alternatively, these turbulent lines can be read as an articulation of the fierce pull of life, and death during a terminal illness. This may derive from the eleven years her father lived with bronchitis (possibly tuberculosis) before it finally killed him. If we do read the poem as a dramatization of her father’s point of view, then lines like ‘future you planned’ take a less sinister, more melancholy tone. He’s lost the desire or ability to plan – through depression and illness –  and no one else need ‘plan’ for his ‘future’ as he has none; he’s dead. We don’t even need to see this as pegged specifically to her father; we can read it as a generalized expression of crossing the threshold into death. The poem expresses the idea of threshold through negation. Every positive statement is negated: ‘ no more hold me’, ‘ nor I half turn’, ‘ no more … tell me’ ‘ do not grieve’. This liminal, balanced mood blends seamlessly into the deeply grim. Almost without warning, we’re dropped unexpectedly out of the euphemistic, almost romantic mood of the ‘silent land’ and ‘gone’, straight into the grave: ‘darkness and corruption’. We’re in the dark with a rotting corpse. Whether this is purely physical corruption, or the corruption of memory (as suggested by ‘remember’ and ‘forget’) – or both – is left open. The section near the end loosely translates thus: if you forget me, briefly, don’t feel guilty that you ‘forgot’… it’s better you forget and can be happy, than that you remember me (‘keep me alive in your mind’) and are sad. It seems the speaker has made a surprising volte face. At the start of the poem, the addressee is commanded to remember. Now they’re told to ‘forget’. This seems odd as the command ‘remember’ was emphasised: as the title, and first word of each of the first two quatrains. The shift – which happens in the volta – can be seen as positive. The speaker’s  final wish is happiness, for us, the living, so the poem has a melancholy, gentle but ultimately uplifting feel. On the other hand, if the speaker is Rossetti, this is a dark, fearful poem. She fantasises about her death. As it continues, she gradually relinquishes her grip on life, gladly gaining freedom in the dark, and the ‘corruption’ (of her flesh). Finally, she gives up any claim to be remembered, sacrificing the last fragments of her identity, telling the addressee not to feel guilty for forgetting she existed.

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Remember Poem by Christina Rossetti Summary, Notes and Line by Line Explanation in English

Table of Contents

Introduction

When Christina Rossetti was barely 19 years old, she wrote the poem “Remember” in 1849. She is regarded as one of the best female poets of the Victorian era in the 19th century. When she was alive, many praised her writing, saying that it was “in artless art, if not in intellectual impulse, greatly Mrs. Browning’s superior.” The poet explores the themes of love, death, and response to one’s death in this well-known sonnet, “Remember.” This sonnet was composed by the author as a love letter. It discusses their relationship, her death, and how she wants him to act after she has passed away or “Gone far away into the silent land.”

About the poet

Christina Rossetti was raised as a devout Anglican and was born in London in 1830. She was well-educated and had three brothers and sisters. Her sister Maria was a well-known Dante scholar, her brother William followed her into the domains of art and literary critique, and her brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti went on to become an outstanding painter and poet. She used minimal visual imagery in her poetry and centered most of her poems on a variety of issues. She is occasionally incorrectly associated with the women’s suffrage movement, although she always valued her position and thought that women’s rights and Christianity were incompatible. She was a well-known poet who lived in solitude for several years before her away in 1894.

Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember” has a monologue addressed to the lover in the opening quatrain. It deals with the subject of death and aims to convince her lover that he doesn’t need to remember her even after she passes away. In the opening line, the poet uses a euphemism to speak to her own passing, and he uses a metaphor to equate dying to the idea of setting off on a journey. In line 2, she employs yet another metaphor to describe the idea of perpetual existence as a “silent land” that alludes to the broken link between the living and the dead. The sonnet’s wording is so straightforward and profound that readers may immediately apply it to their own lives. This sonnet attempts to convey the idea that although death is inevitable, it must not consume those who are still alive.

The speaker of Christina Rossetti’s poem “Remember” explains why her lover should keep her in mind in these two lines. He won’t be able to take her by the hand when he leaves this worldly weight behind. She is also unable to turn around halfway and return to her love. The argument is compelling but also sentimental. The speaker’s tone conveys both a feeling of realism and a fear of dying. However, the poet presents physical contact as a sign of confidence by mentioning holding hands. Additionally, the poet longs to go back when she is about to pass away since he was always there to hold her hands. On this journey, they were never by themselves. As a result, she will later be unhappy about her lonesome descent into oblivion.

The two lines of “Remember” imply that Rossetti and her partner should have wed in order to publicly declare their love for one another. She begs him to keep the times they spent together in memory, telling him that the days after her death won’t be the same without her. It’s odd that the word “planned” is used because dying is an unanticipated journey that everyone must do at some time in their lives. Mortals can make plans for things over which they appear to have some control, but since death is absolute, it is both unmanageable and unconquerable. When death comes knocking, one must not only answer the door but also depart from her earthly home.

The poem serves as a reminder that her beloved can only reflect on the past, thus there is no use in offering advice or praying afterward. Rossetti made the decision to use the word “remember” repeatedly throughout the poem to let the reader fully grasp what he is asking. Each of the four stanzas is distinguished by a single poem that uses the word “remember” in it. As has been described in other Romantic-era poetry, the narrator believes that overcoming death may be accomplished via memory. The real beauty of poetry was how the lines it contained could make one eternal.

This poem, which is gentle and melodic, is read to a loved one who is dying. The poem’s volta, when the primary topics abruptly shift and the narrator accepts being forgotten by her loves, is a crucial part. Thoughts like “yet if you forgot me for a while, it would not be a terrible thing” cause her to pause near this volta, and the speaker eventually gets over her dread of being forgotten to concede that this would be the perfect circumstance for them. She worries that he would temporarily forget her and then pretend to recall her by lamenting her passing.

Christina uses a euphemism to describe death as corruption and gloom in her opening statement. Even though she won’t be present to see or feel her boyfriend, the poet is nonetheless delighted and worried about him. Before writing the poem, she contemplated death several times, and when she passes away, her beloved would have “A vestige of the thoughts” she once had. This sentence demonstrates the poet’s love and devotion to her beloved as well as how deeply she contemplated the ultimate before penning the poem.

Rossetti advises to “forget and smile” in “Remember.” “Better by far that you forget and smile / Than that you remember and be sad,” she continues. Here, the poet imparts advice to her beloved, telling him to go on with his life and stop dwelling on her passing. He ought to “…forget and smile…than remember and be sad.” 

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Analysis of Remember by Christina Rossetti.

Christina Georgina Rossetti (5 December 1830 – 29 December 1894) was an English poet who wrote romantic, devotional, and children's poems. She wrote ‘Remember’ in 1849 when Rossetti was just 19 years old. She is considered to be the best woman of the 19th-century Victorian era after Elizabeth Barrett Browning and has produced more than five collections of poetry during her life time, together with two collections of fiction. In the poem ‘Remember’, the poet introduces the themes of love, death, and reaction to one’s death.

Title : Imperative (desperate command to someone showing the necessity to be alive in the memory of one who love)

Form : Petrarchan Sonnet  

Meter : iambic pentameter

Rhyme scheme : ABBAABBA CDDECE   (The sestet is a broken away from the conventional rhyming scheme CDECDE or CDCDCD, showing the speaker breaks free from her conventional idea sacrificing her thoughts)

Tone: Tone changes from desperate plea to understanding

Theme: life, death and memory. (The poem makes the reader to think of the nature of life that ends up with death. Further the necessity of to be remembered as it gives one the opportunity to stay alive in the form of a memory and finally the hurt caused by memories of departed ones - showing necessity of forgetting.)

Narration: 2 nd person, a message or a speech to somebody in a form of monologue, the speaker might be a woman or the poet herself. (any suggestions?)

Main technique: repetition

Deep-end Analysis:

Octave: In the octave the speaker pleas the lover not to forget her/him after her/his death. (most probably her)

Remember me when I am gone away, Gone far away into the silent land; When you can no more hold me by the hand, Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay. Remember me when no more day by day You tell me of our future that you plann'd: Only remember me; you understand It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Imperative : remember (desperate command) Shows the necessity to stay alive in the form of a memory in the mind of the one whom she loves.

Repetition : remember(fear) Fear of being forgotten – the desperate repetitive command compels the lover not to forget her (that means inside her mind she fear that he might forget her and replace her memory with another), gone away (distance) Distance beyond physical level.

Euphemism :   gone away, silent land (death) Reduce the effect of the word ‘death’ into a softer one.

Metaphor : silent land (death/ peaceful/ loneliness)

Reduced form : Only remember me (stream of consciousness)

Enjambment : run on line shows the stream of consciousness. (free flow of ideas and emotions)

The speaker in the form of monologue urges the listener the necessity of her to be remembered even after her death. She introduces death as ‘the silent land’ may be showing that she will not be able to speak to him afterword: her voice will be disconnected from the mortal land. She further explains the lover what death really is. (just like to a kid) She explains that the lover that they will no longer be able to go through their life journey together and she will not be able to turn back and say good bye when the death knocks at the door. Further she explains that they cannot discuss about their future plans together after her departure. The shortened form ‘Only remember me’ summarizes what she only requires from her lover – it is to remember her after death. She rationalizes her request as: she would not be able to make this request after her death.  

Through her words, the reader is given a grave message: the impermanence of life; life which can be ended at any moment leaving only memories. The understanding voce of the speaker further implies the nature of memory: memory fades like everything in the world.  

Sestet: In the sestet the speaker asks the lover to forget her as her memory may give him sorrow and regret making his life and future miserable.

Yet if you should forget me for a while And afterwards remember, do not grieve: For if the darkness and corruption leave A vestige of the thoughts that once I had, Better by far you should forget and smile Than that you should remember and be sad.

Volta : Yet you forget me for a while. (contemplative) Plead for remembrance to realization

Metaphor : darkness and corruption (death and decaying)

Enjambment : and afterward remember, for… (stream of consciousness)

Imperative: do not grieve (soft command to the lover knowing that her memories could hurt him)

Antithesis: Last two lines (contrast- sacrifice) contrast of words forget-remember and smile-sad ; and the sacrifice of her memory to seek a better future for her lover.  

In the Volta, poet comes to realization of the adverse effects of her memory on her lover. She releases her grip of memory telling it is ok to forget her for a while as the possible scars which engraved in the mind of her lover by remembering her decaying body and the sweet conversation they had. She requires her lover to be free from that burden and look forward to a happy future. That shows the true spirit of love: sacrificing self and desires on behalf of the beloved one.  

The poem creates a picture of a dying woman who pleas her lover not to forget her by holding his hand. On the process she comes to an understanding of the ill-effect of her departure on her beloved and changes her idea to forget her and tells it is the best way to live a happy life.

The poem raises questions about what it means to die if one is still alive in another’s mind. The poem itself gives a solution for that problem, that is not to cling onto memories but lead the life forgetting the sorrowful memories. On the other hand, it teaches the reader about the transient nature of life.   This is a very simple poem with a great message that all of us should apply to our lives. It is written in very simple language; so the readers can easily access and identify.

Hope you got a clear sense of the poem. If you like to add more ideas to the post, please add your valuable comment below. Please do share the post if you find this useful.

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More by this poet

A christmas carol, [a rose has thorns as well as honey,].

A rose has thorns as well as honey, I’ll not have her for love or money; An iris grows so straight and fine, That she shall be no friend of mine; Snowdrops like the snow would chill me; Nightshade would caress and kill me; Crocus like a spear would fright me; Dragon’s-mouth might bark or bite me;

A Coast-Nightmare

I have a friend in ghostland—    Early found, ah me, how early lost!— Blood-red seaweeds drip along that coastland    By the strong sea wrenched and tossed. In every creek there slopes a dead man’s islet,    And such an one in every bay; All unripened in the unended twilight:

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by Joy Harjo

Remember the sky that you were born under, know each of the star’s stories . Remember the moon, know who she is. Remember the sun’s birth at dawn, that is the strongest point of time. Remember sundown and the giving away to night . Remember your birth, how your mother struggled to give you form and breath. You are evidence of her life, and her mother’s, and hers. Remember your father. He is your life, also. Remember the earth whose skin you are: red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth brown earth, we are earth. Remember the plants, trees , animal life who all have their tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them, listen to them. They are alive poems. Remember the wind. Remember her voice . She knows the origin of this universe. Remember you are all people and all people are you. Remember you are this universe and this universe is you. Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you. Remember language comes from this. Remember the dance language is, that life is. Remember.

Summary of the Remember

• Popularity of “Remember”: This beautiful poem is written by Joy Harjo, an influential American poet. It was first published in 1951. The poem illustrates how important is it to remember our actual identities. The poet wants us to remember and own every aspect of our life. However, the simple subject matter and somber tone make the readers understand the intended meanings of the poem. Also, it adds more to its popularity and uniqueness.
• “Remember” As a Reflection of Poet’s Thoughts : This beautiful poem serves as a reminder. The speaker wants us to remember everything which has played a significant or insignificant role in our growth. The poem begins when she wants us that we should remember the natural objects in that they have also played a pivotal role in our lives. Also, we should remember the sacrifices of our parents as they endured hardships to give us a better life. The poet also wants us to remember all the species of the universe because they have stories to share. We must listen and comprehend their strange stories. It means that human beings are part of the universe. Through this poem, readers realize the importance of everything in the universe.
• Major Themes in “Remember ”: The beauty of nature, remembrance , and connectivity are the major themes of the poem. Throughout the text, the speaker makes us realize how even the slightest or unimportant things have their roles in our lives. We need to remember the beauty of Mother Nature that it has allowed us to live each day to the fullest. We also bear in mind the role of our parents in our life. In fact, the poet wants us to remember where we have come from. This thought-provoking piece connects us to nature, the universe, the past, and each other. It reminds us that we are connected to the sunset, the dawn, to the earth, to our communities, animals, and every object of nature. If we recognize this strong connection, we will cherish them and treat them with respect.

Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “Remember”

literary devices bring richness to the text and also make the reader understand the text’s hidden meanings. Joy Harjo has also made this poem superb, using figurative language . Here is the analysis of some literary devices used in this poem.

• Assonance : Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the sound of /i/ in “Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you” and the sound of /uh/ in “Remember your birth, how your mother struggled.”
• Alliteration : It shows the use of consonant sounds in the initials of the consecutive words such as the sound of /s/ in “know each of the star’s stories.”
• Anaphora : It refers to the repetition of a word or expression in the first part of some verses. The word “remember” is repeated throughout the poem to emphasize the point. For example,

“ Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you. Remember language comes from this. Remember the dance language is, that life is. Remember.”

• Enjambment : It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break ; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example;

“ Remember the wind. Remember her voice . She knows the origin of this universe.”

• Epigraph : It is a device used in a form of a poem, quote, or sentence , usually placed in the beginning of the poem to suggest the overall theme of the poem. For example, it is used in the opening line, “Remember the sky that you were born under.”
• Imagery : Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example, “Remember your birth, how your mother struggled”, “Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their/tribes, their families, their histories, too” and “red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth/brown earth, we are earth.”
• Symbolism : Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. The word “remember” symbolizes everything we are made of.

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “Remember”

Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.

• Free Verse : Free verse is a type of poetry that does not contain patterns of rhyme or meter . This is a free-verse poem with no strict rhyme or meter.
• Stanza : A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. This poem can be considered as a short piece with no stanza break in it.
• Repetition : A word or phrase repeated several times in verses becomes a repetition. The poem shows the use of repetition such as “Remember” that occurs at the beginning of several verses.

Quotes to be Used

The lines stated below are suitable for children to realize how our parents endure hardships and pains to give us a better life. Therefore, we should respect their opinions in life and try not to let them down at any step of life.

“ Remember your birth, how your mother struggled to give you form and breath. You are evidence of her life, and her mother’s, and hers. Remember your father. He is your life, also.”

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