'Remember' by Christina Rossetti
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Poems1862Remember 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 dayYou 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 whileAnd afterwards remember, do not grieve:For if the darkness and corruption leaveA vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Remember by Christina Rossetti
Are there times when you feel deeply nostalgic, yearning to hold on to the memories and moments that feel fleeting and ephemeral? If so, you're not alone - this is a universal human experience that has inspired countless works of art over the centuries. One such piece is the classic poem "Remember" by Christina Rossetti, a hauntingly beautiful meditation on love, loss, and the inevitability of death. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we'll explore the themes, motifs, and language of this beloved poem, and delve into the ways it continues to resonate with readers today.
Context and Historical Background
Before we dive into the poem itself, it's helpful to understand a bit about Christina Rossetti and the context in which she wrote "Remember". Rossetti was a Victorian-era poet who lived from 1830-1894, and was known for her deeply religious and introspective works. "Remember" was published in her 1862 collection "Goblin Market and Other Poems", which also included some of her most famous pieces such as "Goblin Market" and "In the Bleak Midwinter".
The Victorian era was a time of great cultural and societal change, with rapid industrialization and urbanization transforming England in myriad ways. Death was a constant presence in people's lives, due to high infant mortality rates, outbreaks of disease, and the many dangers of everyday life. Religion played a significant role in shaping attitudes towards death and the afterlife, with many Victorians clinging to the hope of eternal salvation and reunion with loved ones in heaven. This sense of mortality and longing permeates much of Rossetti's poetry, including "Remember".
Poem Analysis
Structure and Form
"Remember" is a sonnet, a traditional poetic form that consists of 14 lines and follows a specific rhyme scheme (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG). The poem is divided into two quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a sestet (a six-line stanza), which is a common structure for sonnets.
The rhyme scheme gives the poem a sense of order and symmetry, while the use of iambic pentameter (ten syllables per line, with stresses falling on every other syllable) creates a musical rhythm that echoes the heartbeat and breath. This regularity of form lends a sense of stability and control to the poem, which contrasts with the emotional intensity of its subject matter.
Themes and Motifs
At its core, "Remember" is a poem about memory, loss, and the passage of time. The speaker is addressing her lover, urging him to remember her after she is gone, but also acknowledging that he will eventually forget her as he moves on with his life. The poem is suffused with a sense of melancholy and regret, as the speaker contemplates the inevitability of death and the transience of human relationships.
One of the key motifs in the poem is the idea of forgetting. The speaker knows that her lover will "forget, yet not forget" her, and she implores him to "forget and smile" rather than dwelling on the pain of their separation. This paradoxical combination of forgetting and remembering reflects the complex nature of memory, which can be both a source of comfort and a source of pain.
Another motif that runs throughout the poem is the idea of separation. The speaker and her lover are separated not only by death, but also by distance and time. She asks him to "give me your hand and smile", suggesting that physical touch and emotional connection can bridge this separation, at least temporarily. However, she also acknowledges that their love is "silent" and "not loud", suggesting that it is fragile and vulnerable to the passage of time.
Language and Tone
One of the most striking aspects of "Remember" is its spare, understated language. There are no flashy metaphors or elaborate descriptions - instead, Rossetti uses simple, direct language to convey the emotional weight of the poem. The opening line, "Remember me when I am gone away", is a perfect example of this simple yet powerful language. The use of the word "gone" rather than "dead" or "passed" adds a sense of immediacy and finality to the poem, while the repetition of "remember" throughout the poem reinforces its central theme.
The tone of the poem is one of resignation and acceptance, tinged with melancholy. The speaker knows that she cannot hold onto her lover forever, and she accepts that he will eventually move on without her. However, she also expresses a sense of longing and sadness, as she imagines a future without her presence. The final lines of the poem - "yet if you should forget me for a while / and afterwards remember, do not grieve" - are a poignant expression of this bittersweet sentiment.
Interpretation and Significance
"Remember" is a timeless poem that continues to resonate with readers today, despite being over 150 years old. Its themes of love, loss, and memory are universal and timeless, and its spare, understated language gives it a simplicity and clarity that transcends the Victorian era in which it was written.
One of the key themes of the poem is the inevitability of death and the transience of human relationships. The speaker knows that she cannot hold onto her lover forever, and she acknowledges that he will eventually forget her. This recognition of mortality and impermanence is a central part of the human experience, and "Remember" speaks to this experience in a way that is both poignant and comforting.
Another theme of the poem is the power of memory to both comfort and torment us. The speaker implores her lover to remember her after she is gone, but also acknowledges that memories can be painful and difficult to bear. This ambivalence towards memory reflects the complex ways in which we relate to the past, and the ways in which our memories shape our present and future.
One possible interpretation of the poem is that it reflects Rossetti's own experiences of loss and separation. Rossetti was known to have suffered from unrequited love and health problems throughout her life, and "Remember" may be seen as a reflection of these experiences. However, the poem's universal themes and resonant language ensure that it speaks to readers of all backgrounds and experiences.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Remember" is a hauntingly beautiful poem that explores the themes of love, loss, and memory in a way that is both simple and profound. Rossetti's spare, understated language and the poem's regular sonnet structure create a sense of order and balance that contrasts with the emotional intensity of its subject matter. The poem's themes of mortality and impermanence, as well as its ambivalent treatment of memory, continue to resonate with readers today and ensure its enduring significance as a classic work of poetry.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Remember by Christina Rossetti: A Poem of Love and Loss
Christina Rossetti's "Remember" is a classic poem that has touched the hearts of many readers for over a century. It is a poem about love and loss, about the pain of separation and the hope of reunion. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and language of the poem, and examine how they contribute to its emotional impact.
Themes
The central theme of "Remember" is the speaker's plea to her beloved to remember her after she is gone. The poem is written in the first person, and the speaker addresses her lover directly, urging him to "remember me when I am gone away." The poem is a meditation on the transience of life and the inevitability of death, and the speaker's desire to be remembered is a way of transcending that transience.
The poem is also about the pain of separation. The speaker is leaving her lover, and she knows that their parting will be difficult. She asks him to "let your heart be sad" and to "forget and smile," acknowledging that their separation will be painful but also urging him to find happiness in the memories they shared.
Finally, the poem is about the hope of reunion. The speaker asks her lover to "remember and be glad" and to "forget and smile," suggesting that their separation is only temporary and that they will be reunited in the afterlife. This hope of reunion is a source of comfort for the speaker and a way of transcending the pain of separation.
Structure
"Remember" is a sonnet, a fourteen-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and structure. The poem is divided into two quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a sestet (a six-line stanza). The rhyme scheme is ABBA ABBA CDCDCD, with the final couplet (CC) providing a conclusion or resolution to the poem.
The structure of the poem reflects its themes. The first quatrain establishes the speaker's plea to be remembered, while the second quatrain acknowledges the pain of separation. The sestet offers a resolution to the poem, with the speaker urging her lover to find happiness in their memories and to look forward to their reunion in the afterlife.
Language
The language of "Remember" is simple and direct, but it is also rich in imagery and metaphor. The poem is full of contrasts between light and dark, joy and sorrow, life and death. The first quatrain establishes the contrast between the speaker's present life and her future death, with the line "Remember me when I am gone away" setting the tone for the rest of the poem.
The second quatrain is full of images of darkness and sorrow, with the lines "Yet if you should forget me for a while / And afterwards remember, do not grieve" suggesting that the speaker's absence will be a source of sadness for her lover. The sestet offers a more hopeful tone, with the lines "Better by far you should forget and smile / Than that you should remember and be sad" suggesting that the speaker's memory should be a source of joy rather than sorrow.
The language of the poem is also full of religious imagery and metaphor. The speaker's hope of reunion in the afterlife is expressed through the lines "And if you hear / Sad songs of love, then love again." This suggests that the speaker's love is eternal and that it will continue beyond death.
Emotional Impact
The emotional impact of "Remember" is powerful and enduring. The poem speaks to the universal human experience of love and loss, and its themes of separation, transience, and hope are timeless. The poem's structure and language contribute to its emotional impact, with the sonnet form providing a sense of order and resolution, and the simple but evocative language creating a vivid and memorable image of the speaker's plea to be remembered.
The poem's emotional impact is also enhanced by its historical context. Christina Rossetti was a Victorian poet who lived in a time when death was a common and ever-present reality. The poem reflects the Victorian obsession with death and mourning, and its themes of separation and reunion would have resonated with many readers of the time.
In conclusion, "Remember" is a classic poem that continues to touch the hearts of readers today. Its themes of love and loss, separation and reunion, and transience and hope are universal and timeless, and its structure and language contribute to its emotional impact. Christina Rossetti's poem is a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture the human experience and to speak to the deepest emotions of the human heart.
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