A poem about grief told not from the perspective of a mourner but rather the person who's to be mourned. The speaker
addresses her beloved and encourages him to remember her after her death. It is only near the end of the poem that
the narrator changes her mind that she changes her mind and allows him to forget her.
The poem has been written like a the poem is an apostrophe, a
monologue directly addressed to the lover.
Remember direct address to someone.
Straight-forward demand highlights the urgency and
Remember me when I am gone away, creates a commanding tone.
repetition emphasises Metaphor Biblical meaning Euphemism: death is like a country- silent land
the vast boundary Gone far away into the silent land; is a notion of eternal life (heaven or hell)
between life and Assonance Physical motion She has accepted her death
death. When you can no more hold me by the hand, Symbol of love and trust
only to grieve their death, they should, in fact, forget
insists that, if their beloved remembers the speaker
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay. She no longer make as if she’s leaving, but then turns back and
remembered by their beloved. But, the speaker
stays- reflects her indecision.
Paradox- The speaker requests that they are
A repetitively done event.
Remember me when no more day by day They had their future planned out-
Death is unplanned- Ironic
You tell me of our future that you planned: long-term commitment is permanently lost.
Direct demand creates a Pleading tone.
Only remember me; you understand This adds to the lilting pace of the poem, growing
Assonance Give advice slower and slower as it reaches towards the volta.
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
VOLTA Replaces remember. The demands of living will cause him to forget her.
Yet if you should forget me for a while She is being realistic.
Chance Her attitude softens. caesura
And afterwards remember, do not grieve: Imperative verb creates a command- she is
Her disease consoling him (contrasts the octave).
For if the darkness and corruption leave Euphemism
them.
Hint/trace “Because if darkness and rot don't destroy
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had, the traces of my thoughts in you”
She is certain renounces the need to be remembered, which is ironic
Better by far you should forget and smile because the poem is titled “Remember.”
Then that you should remember and be sad. Emphasises that the person left
This change of heart symbolizes the speaker's love, as she would behind must remember.
rather sacrifice her memory, than ask her lover to endure any pain. She
sacrifices her personal desire in an expression of true love. It is as The repeated use of 'you,'
though the speaker is fading away with every reiteration of the word addressing the beloved of the
‘remember,’ and thus, by the middle part of the poem, the word speaker, indicates the importance of
‘remember’ doesn’t have the same punch of meaning as it had in the this person in the life of the speaker.
beginning. This can be taken as the narrator losing her will to force her
lover to remember her.
The message that this sonnet wants to give is that death is inescapable,
but it must not gobble up the lives of those who are still alive. Life and
Death are the antithesis (oppositions) to each other.
STRUCTURE
• Petrarchan (Italian) Sonnet- written in Iambic Pentameter which isn't perfectly regular, this makes the
speaker sound insistent.
• Octave has a structured rhyme scheme (ABBA ABBA) = highlights death is inevitable (everyone
follows the structure of life then death)- mirrors the simplicity of the speakers’ request.
• Sestet has a complex rhyme scheme (CDD ECE) = that highlights the change in the speakers’ mood
(from persuasive to peace-making)- creates deeper emotions.
• The speaker is self-centred except is sestet.
addresses her beloved and encourages him to remember her after her death. It is only near the end of the poem that
the narrator changes her mind that she changes her mind and allows him to forget her.
The poem has been written like a the poem is an apostrophe, a
monologue directly addressed to the lover.
Remember direct address to someone.
Straight-forward demand highlights the urgency and
Remember me when I am gone away, creates a commanding tone.
repetition emphasises Metaphor Biblical meaning Euphemism: death is like a country- silent land
the vast boundary Gone far away into the silent land; is a notion of eternal life (heaven or hell)
between life and Assonance Physical motion She has accepted her death
death. When you can no more hold me by the hand, Symbol of love and trust
only to grieve their death, they should, in fact, forget
insists that, if their beloved remembers the speaker
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay. She no longer make as if she’s leaving, but then turns back and
remembered by their beloved. But, the speaker
stays- reflects her indecision.
Paradox- The speaker requests that they are
A repetitively done event.
Remember me when no more day by day They had their future planned out-
Death is unplanned- Ironic
You tell me of our future that you planned: long-term commitment is permanently lost.
Direct demand creates a Pleading tone.
Only remember me; you understand This adds to the lilting pace of the poem, growing
Assonance Give advice slower and slower as it reaches towards the volta.
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
VOLTA Replaces remember. The demands of living will cause him to forget her.
Yet if you should forget me for a while She is being realistic.
Chance Her attitude softens. caesura
And afterwards remember, do not grieve: Imperative verb creates a command- she is
Her disease consoling him (contrasts the octave).
For if the darkness and corruption leave Euphemism
them.
Hint/trace “Because if darkness and rot don't destroy
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had, the traces of my thoughts in you”
She is certain renounces the need to be remembered, which is ironic
Better by far you should forget and smile because the poem is titled “Remember.”
Then that you should remember and be sad. Emphasises that the person left
This change of heart symbolizes the speaker's love, as she would behind must remember.
rather sacrifice her memory, than ask her lover to endure any pain. She
sacrifices her personal desire in an expression of true love. It is as The repeated use of 'you,'
though the speaker is fading away with every reiteration of the word addressing the beloved of the
‘remember,’ and thus, by the middle part of the poem, the word speaker, indicates the importance of
‘remember’ doesn’t have the same punch of meaning as it had in the this person in the life of the speaker.
beginning. This can be taken as the narrator losing her will to force her
lover to remember her.
The message that this sonnet wants to give is that death is inescapable,
but it must not gobble up the lives of those who are still alive. Life and
Death are the antithesis (oppositions) to each other.
STRUCTURE
• Petrarchan (Italian) Sonnet- written in Iambic Pentameter which isn't perfectly regular, this makes the
speaker sound insistent.
• Octave has a structured rhyme scheme (ABBA ABBA) = highlights death is inevitable (everyone
follows the structure of life then death)- mirrors the simplicity of the speakers’ request.
• Sestet has a complex rhyme scheme (CDD ECE) = that highlights the change in the speakers’ mood
(from persuasive to peace-making)- creates deeper emotions.
• The speaker is self-centred except is sestet.
