Remember - Poem Analysis

Summary

In this video, the poem 'Remember' by Christina Rossetti is explored, highlighting its themes of remembrance and the poet's struggle with mortality. Rossetti, influenced by her own health issues, commands her beloved to remember her after her death, yet paradoxically suggests it may be better to forget her to avoid sadness. The analysis delves into the poem's structure, the Italian sonnet form, and the volta that shifts the tone from assertive to reflective and forgiving. The video concludes by discussing the irony of the poem's theme and the significance of how one is remembered.

Takeaways

• 📜 Christina Rossetti was an English poet with Italian heritage, known for her inspiration from and to other poets.
• 🗝️ The poem 'Remember' is centered around the theme of remembrance, with a focus on the speaker's impending death.
• 📖 The poem is structured as a Petrarchan or Italian sonnet, divided into an octave and a sestet, with a significant shift or 'volta' in meaning.
• 💔 The speaker begins with a commanding tone, urging her beloved to remember her even after she has passed away.
• 🌌 The use of 'silent land' as a euphemism for death adds a layer of poignancy and reflects on the finality of the speaker's fate.
• 🤝 The poem emphasizes the physicality of love through the repeated phrase 'hold me by the hand', symbolizing the intimacy and connection that will be lost.
• 🔄 The repetition of 'remember me' throughout the octave serves to underscore the speaker's plea for remembrance despite her absence.
• 🌑 The volta introduces a contrasting idea, suggesting that it might be better for the beloved to forget the speaker to avoid sadness and grief.
• 😢 The speaker expresses a desire not to be remembered in a negative light due to death or the remnants of her illness.
• 😊 The final lines propose that it is better to forget and smile than to remember and be sad, highlighting the speaker's selfless love and concern for her beloved's happiness.
• 🎨 The poem's mood shifts from assertive to reflective and melancholic, reflecting the complexity of emotions associated with loss and remembrance.

Q & A

Who is Christina Rossetti and what is her background?

Christina Rossetti was an English poet born in 1830 and died in 1894. She had an Italian father and was influenced by many poets before her. She developed a thyroid disorder and eventually died of cancer.

What is the main theme of the poem 'Remember' by Christina Rossetti?

The main theme of the poem 'Remember' is remembrance, with a focus on the speaker's desire to be remembered after death.

What is the structure of the poem 'Remember'?

The poem 'Remember' is structured as a Petrarchan or Italian sonnet, which is divided into an octave and a sestet, with a significant shift or 'volta' in the message or tone between the two parts.

How does the poem 'Remember' begin and what is the significance of the opening line?

The poem begins with the imperative verb 'Remember,' which is a command and sets a personal and authentic tone for the conversation between the speaker and her beloved.

What is the significance of the phrase 'gone far away into the silent land' in the poem?

The phrase 'gone far away into the silent land' is a euphemism for death, emphasizing the finality of the speaker's death and the impossibility of physical presence after it.

What does the speaker request in the octave of the poem?

In the octave, the speaker pleads to be remembered by her beloved after she is gone, emphasizing the importance of her memory in their relationship.

What is the volta in the poem and how does it change the message?

The volta, or the turning point, in the poem occurs at the beginning of the sestet with the word 'yet,' where the speaker contradicts her earlier plea and suggests that it might be better for her beloved to forget her if the remembrance brings sadness.

What does the speaker mean by 'the darkness and corruption' in the sestet?

In the sestet, 'the darkness and corruption' refer to death and the physical decay caused by illness, respectively. The speaker does not want to be remembered through the lens of these negative aspects.

What is the final message of the poem 'Remember'?

The final message of the poem is that it is better for the beloved to forget the speaker and smile, enjoying life, rather than remember her and be sad, showing the speaker's selfless love and willingness to sacrifice her own desire to be remembered for the happiness of her beloved.

How does the poem explore the idea of memory and legacy?

The poem explores the idea of memory and legacy by initially asking to be remembered and then suggesting that it might be better to be forgotten if the remembrance is tied to sadness or negative aspects of the speaker's life and death.

What are the key themes in the poem 'Remember'?

The key themes in the poem are remembrance, mourning, dealing with grief or loss, the pain of remembrance, and the significance of how one is remembered.