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.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Poetic Remembrance and the Art of Euphemism

The first paragraph delves into the analysis of Christina Rossetti's poem 'Remember,' highlighting the poet's background and the thematic focus on remembrance. Rossetti, an English poet with Italian roots, is known to have drawn inspiration from her predecessors and to have influenced future poets. The poem's title, 'Remember,' is a direct command to its reader, emphasizing the personal and intimate nature of the conversation it portrays. The poem is structured as a Petrarchan or Italian sonnet, divided into an octave and a sestet. The octave begins with a plea for remembrance after the speaker's death, using the motif of the 'silent land' as a euphemism for death. The speaker's direct address to her beloved, the use of imperative verbs, and the repetition of 'remember' underscore the depth of the relationship and the speaker's desire to be remembered despite her impending absence. The paragraph also touches on the poem's use of alliteration and the significance of physical gestures like 'holding by the hand' as symbols of love and connection.

05:02

🌟 The Paradox of Forgetting and the Power of Positivity

The second paragraph continues the analysis by examining the volta, or the turning point, in the poem where the speaker's tone shifts from commanding to more forgiving and reflective. The volta introduces the idea that it might be better for the beloved to forget the speaker if the remembrance brings sadness or grief. The speaker contemplates the natural process of forgetting and the potential consequences of being remembered through the lens of death and decay. She expresses a preference for her beloved to smile and enjoy life rather than to be consumed by sorrowful memories. The sestet concludes with the paradoxical notion that it is better to be forgotten with a smile than to be remembered with sadness. The paragraph also discusses the poem's structure, rhyme scheme, and the evolution of its tone from assertive to melancholic. The themes of legacy, mourning, and the pain of remembrance are explored, with the speaker ultimately realizing the importance of how one is remembered and the selfless love that is willing to let go for the sake of the beloved's happiness.

Keywords

💡Christina Rossetti

Christina Rossetti was an English poet born in 1830 and passed away in 1894. Her father was Italian, and she was influenced by various poets from the past. She developed a thyroid disorder and eventually died of cancer. In the video, she is the subject of analysis for her poem 'Remember,' which reflects her personal experiences and emotions, particularly her struggle with illness and the theme of remembrance.

💡Petrarchan Sonnet

A Petrarchan Sonnet, also known as an Italian sonnet, is a 14-line poem that follows a specific structure, typically divided into an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines). In the video, 'Remember' by Christina Rossetti is identified as a Petrarchan Sonnet, highlighting the poem's structure and its significance in conveying the theme of remembrance and the shift in perspective that occurs at the volta.

💡Remembrance

Remembrance refers to the act of remembering or being mindful of someone or something, especially in the context of the video, the memory of the poet by her beloved after her death. The theme of remembrance is central to the poem 'Remember,' where the speaker pleads to be remembered and later contemplates the idea of being forgotten to spare her beloved from sadness.

💡Euphemism

An euphemism is a mild or indirect term used to express something that might be harsh, unpleasant, or offensive. In the script, the term 'silent land' is used as a euphemism for death, making the concept less depressing and allowing the focus to be on the memory rather than the tragedy of the poet's death.

💡Imperative Verb

An imperative verb is used to express a command or request. In the poem, the opening line 'Remember me' uses an imperative verb to start the conversation, indicating the personal and direct nature of the plea to be remembered by the beloved.

💡Volta

The volta is a turning point or a significant shift in a sonnet, typically occurring at the beginning of the sestet. In the video, the volta in Christina Rossetti's poem 'Remember' is marked by the word 'Yet,' indicating a change in the speaker's perspective from demanding remembrance to accepting the possibility of being forgotten.

💡Alliteration

Alliteration is a literary device where the initial consonant sounds or any parts of words repeat in a series of words or phrases. In the script, the line 'when you can no more hold me by the hand' contains alliteration with the repetition of the 'h' sound, emphasizing the physical connection and love shared between the speaker and her beloved.

💡Contemplative

Contemplative refers to a thoughtful or reflective state of mind. The mood of the poem 'Remember' is described as contemplative, as the speaker deeply considers the nature of memory, death, and the impact of her absence on her beloved.

💡Melancholic

Melancholic describes a mood characterized by a deep, often sustained, feeling of sadness or sorrow. The tone of the poem shifts from commanding to melancholic, reflecting the speaker's emotional journey as she contemplates her death and its effect on her beloved.

💡Legacy

Legacy refers to something that is handed down or received from one's predecessors, such as property, rights, or a reputation. In the context of the video, the theme of legacy is explored through the idea that a person can continue to live through the memories and remembrance of others, even after their physical death.

💡Mourning

Mourning is the expression of grief or sorrow for the loss of someone or something. The theme of mourning is central to the poem 'Remember,' as the speaker grapples with the idea of her beloved mourning her death and the pain that remembrance may bring.

Highlights

Christina Rossetti was an English poet with Italian heritage, known for her influence on subsequent poets.

Rossetti's life was marked by a thyroid disorder and her death from cancer.

The poem 'Remember' by Rossetti emphasizes the theme of remembrance.

The poem is structured as a Petrarchan or Italian sonnet, divided into an octave and a sestet.

The poem begins with a commanding tone, using the imperative verb 'remember'.

The use of repetition in 'Remember Me When I'm Gone Away' highlights the finality of death.

The poem uses euphemism to soften the tone and focus on memory rather than the tragedy of death.

The phrase 'hold me by the hand' symbolizes love and physical presence, emphasizing the speaker's impending absence.

The line 'no I have turned to go yet turning stay' reflects the speaker's awareness of impending death.

The volta in the sestet introduces a shift in the poem's message and tone.

The speaker acknowledges the possibility of being forgotten and the natural process of grief.

The poem contrasts the idea of being remembered with the darkness and corruption of death.

The speaker prefers her beloved to forget and smile rather than remember and be sad.

The poem concludes with the speaker's self-sacrifice, prioritizing her beloved's happiness over her own remembrance.

The structure of the sonnet is appropriate for the poem's argument and conclusion.

The tone of the poem transitions from commanding to reflective, forgiving, and melancholic.

The theme of the poem is ironic, as it initially demands remembrance but later suggests forgetting.

The poem explores the themes of death, legacy, mourning, and the pain of remembrance.

The speaker's realization about how she should be remembered is a significant aspect of the poem's message.

Transcripts

hello and welcome to another try

teachers video in today's video we're

going to be analyzing the poem Remember

by Christina Rossetti

some background on the poet Christina

Rossetti was born in 1830 and she died

in 1894. she was an English poet but her

father was Italian she developed a

thyroid disorder and she died of cancer

her writing was inspired by many poets

who came before her and her poetry

inspired and continues to inspire poets

who have come after her

if we look at the title of the poem it

is remember which it's a nice simple

title and it encompasses the main

message or the theme of the poem which

is Remembrance

this poem is in patrakan or Italian

sonnet which we'll discuss more when we

get into a detailed analysis structure

but it is split into an octave and

assist it so let's analyze the octave

first

Remember Me When I'm Gone Away gone far

away into the side and land when you can

no longer no more hold me by the hand

nor I have turned to go yet Turning Stay

remember me when no more day by day you

tell me about future that you planned

only remember me do you understand it

will be later to cancel then or pray

so we start off and it's a really

demanding way to start off because she

starts with an imperative verb she says

remember she starts with a command Me

shows that this is a personal poem this

is an authentic conversation that she's

having with her lover or with her

beloved

she says Remember Me When I'm Gone Away

gone far away into the silent land the

repetition of God emphasizes to her

lover that she will die soon there is

this finality to her death which is also

seen through far away into the side of

land this is a euphemism and we see this

euphemism used throughout the poem

um so euphemism for death it makes the

tone less depressing and allows the

focus of the poem to be on the memory

and not of the tragedy of her death

when you can no long can no more hold me

by the hand so when you she's speaking

directly to the Beloved it's almost like

we've interrupted this conversation that

they've had you can no more the use of

no really emphasize with the fact that

she's no longer going to be there hold

me by the hand notice the alliteration

there it's quite a soft sound holding

someone by the hand is a romantic

gesture it's a symbol of love but it's

also something physical and she is

trying to impart this to The Listener

that she will not be physically present

but she still wants to be remembered

no I have turned to go yet turning stay

so this line may seem confusing at first

but what she's saying here is that she

knows she's about to die so she sort of

half turned towards death but she knows

that she cannot stay she knows that she

cannot stay with her beloved she doesn't

have a choice she has to go she has to

um accept death

and this makes us think that perhaps

this is quite a personal poem because of

Rosetti's own

um trouble with illness

um that maybe she is trying to warn her

beloved in this poem on a very personal

level

we have the repeated remember here

remember me when no more day by day this

really emphasizes her pleads for him to

remember her

no more day by day this is also repeated

and emphasizes that she will not be

there any longer

day by day this can show that they spend

every day together she wants to be

remembered day to day but also perhaps

that they've been spending every day

together

you tell me of our future that you

planned and so here she is emphasizing

the deepness of this relationship that

is long lasting notice the use of the

pronoun hour this is a long lasting

serious relationship and they have a

future that they have developed together

um their future is planned for them to

share and she is now remarking how she's

not going to be able to experience that

future that he's planned

notice the colon here to show now

there's going to be an explanation or

elaboration

um on the previous point

only remember me this is her only

request she uses the word only to

emphasize that the semicolon emphasizes

what has just been said stop take it in

before continuing you understand it will

be later to counsel then I'll pray she

says it will be too late to advise me or

to pray for me when I'm dead the only

thing you can do now is remember me

so keep that in mind the message of the

octave and now we're going to move on to

the cestit which is a remarkable shift

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

this is such a beautiful and

authentically written poem The yet is

called the Volta in this particular type

of sonnet which is a shift in the

message and the tone so the yet is a

really important word there

and now she's going to completely

counteract and contradict what she's

just said she says if you forget me for

a while she realizes that he might not

remember her at every moment so now

she's becoming a little bit more

realistic as opposed to this imperative

demanding tone that she carried

throughout the octave

and afterwards remember do not grieve

she says so if you forget me because

it's natural to forget someone for a

little bit of time and then after do you

remember she says don't feel bad don't

feel guilty about it and then we have

the colon which is going to show she's

going to explore this idea further

for if the darkness and Corruption leave

and so now she's going to reference her

death once again using this sort of

euphemistic language but darkness is

representing her death she has gone at

the darkness the unknown perhaps this

alludes to her fear of death in some way

but also in the sense that we don't know

what happens to people after they die

and the corruption she's referring to

here is that her body has been corrupted

by illness and she's going to remark

here how she doesn't want to be

remembered as just because she's she's

died or also she doesn't want to be

remembered as the person that she was

after her body has been corrupted and so

she says this darkness and Corruption if

they're going to leave a Vestige of the

thoughts once I had if they're going to

leave a Remnant or a trace of what I

once used to be

the speaker does not want to be

remembered in the sense of her death or

of the remnants of what she was due to

her illness these are negative ways to

be remembered and she realizes she

doesn't want her beloved to be consumed

by thoughts of her in this way

and so then we're going to have this

little conclusion and the last two lines

where she's going to go back and what

she said in the octave and come to this

understanding that maybe it's better for

him to forget about her if it's going to

be a remembrance in a negative way

better by far you should forget and

smile than that you should remember and

be sad

she says it's rather better if you

forget about me and you smile you enjoy

life then if you remember you are sad

about it there's a complete shift a

complete change and I think this really

emphasizes the extent of the speaker's

love for her beloved how she's willing

to self-sacrifice how she's willing to

say you can't forget me as long as

you're going to be happy even though we

can see she does at the beginning we're

desperately want to be remembered

um as the speaker comes to the

realization that remembering her for

eternity might cause her beloved

additional pain after he has already

mourned her death after her passing she

realizes that she must let go of this of

this desire

as they spoke about earlier the

structure of this poem is that a

pachakan or Italian sonnet and a sonnet

typically is 14 lines it usually

presents an argument of sorts and it

follows the speaker's thinking until a

conclusion is reached and so in this way

the structure is really appropriate to

the message or to the tone and even the

entire intention of this poem The octave

is eight lines successed into six lines

the Volta shows the change or the shift

and it is in line 9. there is an a b b a

rhyme scheme the tone of the poem starts

off really commanding and assertive and

then it morphs into being coming

reflective forgiving and melancholic the

mood is contemplative and melancholic

the theme of the message it's quite

ironic because she goes back on herself

she contradicts herself so from the

title we anticipate we expect that this

is going to be the message about

remembering someone off their death but

then

um later on she contradicts that and she

says rather you should forget so it's an

ironic themal message

the death of a physical person versus

the death of a person's Legacy so this

idea that a person can keep on living

through memory

memory remembrance and Legacy are also

key themes another key theme is mourning

and dealing with grief or loss the pain

of remembrance and it's also not just

about remembrance but it's about how we

are remembered which is significant and

that's what the speaker comes with the

realization of in this poem

thank you so much for watching I hope

that you found this video helpful please

do like and subscribe and I'll see you

in the next video