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‘Remember’ by Christina Rosetti
Remember 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. Born in 1830 in
Remember me when no more day by day 5 London, Christina
You tell me of our future that you planned: Rossetti, the
Only remember me; you understand author of Goblin
It will be late to counsel then or pray. Market and Other
Yet if you should forget me for a while Poems, is a major
And afterwards remember, do not grieve: 10 Victorian Poet.
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. 14
Essay question (DBE/2020NOV)
In 'Remember', the speaker undergoes a change of attitude toward her loved one. By close reference to diction,
structure and tone, discuss to what extent you agree with the above statement. Your response should take the form of a
well-constructed essay of 250–300 words (about ONE page).
• In the octave of this Petrarchan/Italian sonnet, the speaker is selfish and desires to live on in her beloved's memory
after her death.
• The repetition of 'remember' emphasises her desire not to fade from memory. She has a real fear of being
forgotten.
• The euphemisms, 'gone away' and 'silent land' suggest she tries to avoid facing the harsh reality of death which will
separate her from her beloved.
@Juffrou_Ansie
, 2
• The use of 'far away' reinforces the feeling of loss, separation and distance that death will cause.
• There will be no way of communicating with him which conveys her fear of isolation.
• She is reluctant to 'go' and longs to 'stay' with the one she loves.
• The speaker implores him to remember her even when he can no longer share his plans for
their future.
• She is afraid that any opportunity that he might have to 'counsel' or 'pray' for her will be lost.
She regrets that he will no longer be able to guide her.
• In the octave, the speaker repeats ‘me’ and ‘I’, which suggests that the focus is on her and
her desires while in the sestet, the shift to ‘you’ shows that her focus is now on her beloved.
• The sestet introduces a change in her attitude. She realises that it would be in his best
interests for him to forget her. She puts her concern for his wellbeing above her own desire to
be remembered.
• She would rather he be happy and 'smile' than be miserable.
• The speaker releases her loved one from the obligation of remembering her and instructs him
not to feel guilty if she does fade from his memory.
• She recognises that her illness will inevitably result in her death ('darkness and corruption').
• Even if he recalls the slightest trace of her, or he thinks of her occasionally, she will be
satisfied.
• Her self-sacrifice helps her to accept her impending death and the possibility of being
forgotten. Once she has resolved her dilemma, the speaker feels at peace.
• The rhyme scheme balances the idea of sadness in remembering and forgetting.
• The tone of the octave is mournful/sombre/regretful/nostalgic/commanding while the tone of the sestet is
comforting/consoling/accepting/forgiving.
@Juffrou_Ansie
‘Remember’ by Christina Rosetti
Remember 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. Born in 1830 in
Remember me when no more day by day 5 London, Christina
You tell me of our future that you planned: Rossetti, the
Only remember me; you understand author of Goblin
It will be late to counsel then or pray. Market and Other
Yet if you should forget me for a while Poems, is a major
And afterwards remember, do not grieve: 10 Victorian Poet.
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. 14
Essay question (DBE/2020NOV)
In 'Remember', the speaker undergoes a change of attitude toward her loved one. By close reference to diction,
structure and tone, discuss to what extent you agree with the above statement. Your response should take the form of a
well-constructed essay of 250–300 words (about ONE page).
• In the octave of this Petrarchan/Italian sonnet, the speaker is selfish and desires to live on in her beloved's memory
after her death.
• The repetition of 'remember' emphasises her desire not to fade from memory. She has a real fear of being
forgotten.
• The euphemisms, 'gone away' and 'silent land' suggest she tries to avoid facing the harsh reality of death which will
separate her from her beloved.
@Juffrou_Ansie
, 2
• The use of 'far away' reinforces the feeling of loss, separation and distance that death will cause.
• There will be no way of communicating with him which conveys her fear of isolation.
• She is reluctant to 'go' and longs to 'stay' with the one she loves.
• The speaker implores him to remember her even when he can no longer share his plans for
their future.
• She is afraid that any opportunity that he might have to 'counsel' or 'pray' for her will be lost.
She regrets that he will no longer be able to guide her.
• In the octave, the speaker repeats ‘me’ and ‘I’, which suggests that the focus is on her and
her desires while in the sestet, the shift to ‘you’ shows that her focus is now on her beloved.
• The sestet introduces a change in her attitude. She realises that it would be in his best
interests for him to forget her. She puts her concern for his wellbeing above her own desire to
be remembered.
• She would rather he be happy and 'smile' than be miserable.
• The speaker releases her loved one from the obligation of remembering her and instructs him
not to feel guilty if she does fade from his memory.
• She recognises that her illness will inevitably result in her death ('darkness and corruption').
• Even if he recalls the slightest trace of her, or he thinks of her occasionally, she will be
satisfied.
• Her self-sacrifice helps her to accept her impending death and the possibility of being
forgotten. Once she has resolved her dilemma, the speaker feels at peace.
• The rhyme scheme balances the idea of sadness in remembering and forgetting.
• The tone of the octave is mournful/sombre/regretful/nostalgic/commanding while the tone of the sestet is
comforting/consoling/accepting/forgiving.
@Juffrou_Ansie
