Poem Analysis for Christina Rossetti’s Have you forgotten
Themes:
Loss
Nature
Light/dark
Questioning
Earthly relationships
Summary:
o In this Petrarchan sonnet, Rossetti explores the loss of an earthly relationship,
influenced heavily by the Pre Raphaelite obsession with nature.
o The persona looks back to a memory of the couple walking through the wood,
with a sense of the carefree dominating her poetry- very unusual.
o More preoccupied with the earthly worlds than her fears and religion.
Structure:
o The Petrarchan sonnet is traditionally separated into the octave and the
sestet, as the Volta demonstrates an awareness of the surroundings,
especially through the noises of the chimes.
o The octave is traditionally structured with interspaced rhyming couplets, then
the sestet rhyme is much less lyric- with no rhyming couplets to demonstrate
the growing apart of the couple- no longer in harmony.
o Furthermore, there is a transition from “we” and “us” to “I”.
Imagery:
o Heavy use of natural imagery “while warm winds hummed to us a sleepy
tune”- alliteration of the w sound, long and drawn out, so is the onomatopoeic
“hummed”.
o Combines the PRB obsession with the natural world and music, later sound of
the “church bells” brings the persona back to the present- perhaps the power
of God bringing the persona out of the doubt and heartbreak of the earthly
world.
o Also, dark and light imagery: “you praised both light/ and darkness... the glare
of the noon/ less pleased you than the stars”- accepting darkness- the flaws of
human nature.
Themes:
Loss
Nature
Light/dark
Questioning
Earthly relationships
Summary:
o In this Petrarchan sonnet, Rossetti explores the loss of an earthly relationship,
influenced heavily by the Pre Raphaelite obsession with nature.
o The persona looks back to a memory of the couple walking through the wood,
with a sense of the carefree dominating her poetry- very unusual.
o More preoccupied with the earthly worlds than her fears and religion.
Structure:
o The Petrarchan sonnet is traditionally separated into the octave and the
sestet, as the Volta demonstrates an awareness of the surroundings,
especially through the noises of the chimes.
o The octave is traditionally structured with interspaced rhyming couplets, then
the sestet rhyme is much less lyric- with no rhyming couplets to demonstrate
the growing apart of the couple- no longer in harmony.
o Furthermore, there is a transition from “we” and “us” to “I”.
Imagery:
o Heavy use of natural imagery “while warm winds hummed to us a sleepy
tune”- alliteration of the w sound, long and drawn out, so is the onomatopoeic
“hummed”.
o Combines the PRB obsession with the natural world and music, later sound of
the “church bells” brings the persona back to the present- perhaps the power
of God bringing the persona out of the doubt and heartbreak of the earthly
world.
o Also, dark and light imagery: “you praised both light/ and darkness... the glare
of the noon/ less pleased you than the stars”- accepting darkness- the flaws of
human nature.
