Juxtaposition - ‘two’ suggestsConveys feelings Personal pronoun - the speaker addresses his former love directly, which
togetherness and ‘parted’ of sorrow makes the poem feel more personal. Sense of separation.
suggests separation
Sense of sadness - this could mean they had nothing to say to each
Verb - the When We Two Parted other anymore, but also hints that their relationship was a secret
violent imagery
This could suggest that they weren’t properly in love with other. However, it is clear
suggests that
When we two parted that the speaker was deeply affected by the parting, so perhaps he is accusing his
the parting was
former lover of only being half in love with him. He could also be referring to himself
painful and In silence and tears,
as ‘half’ of the couple, suggesting that he is broken-hearted and his former lover isn’t
traumatic forHalf broken-hearted
the speaker To sever for years, The speaker describes his former lover like a corpse. This suggests that her
Pale grew thy cheek and cold feelings for the speaker has died
Colder thy kiss; Emphasises the link between past and present - this shows how the
Repetition - the
Truly that hour foretold speaker’s sorrow is ongoing and how he can’t escape his emotional past
‘k’ sound Sorrow to this.
emphasises the
Pathetic fallacy - reflects his tears Reflects the coldness between the speaker and his former lover. Also
speaker’s
represents his loneliness and her absence
coldness andThe dew of the morning
harshness Sunk chill on my brow-- The poem switches to talk about the present - the speaker is haunted by his past
It felt like the warning
‘Vows’ represent marriage - relationship has been broken. Links to ‘half-broken hearted
Alliteration -Of what I feel now.
emphasises the Thy vows are all broken, The woman’s reputation has been damaged (‘light’ suggests weak and fragile)
silence. He isAnd light is thy fame; because their affair has been exposed - people know about it
involved in herI hear thy name spoken, The speaker hears people talking about the affairs his former lover is
‘shame’ as he And share in its shame. having - this is painful for him
also has an The sound of a bell rung slowly to make a death - metaphor - suggests that
affair with her the speaker’s former lover’s name sounds like a knell to him - reminds him
They name thee before me,
the death of their relationship
A knell to mine ear;
Rhetorical question - emphasises their silence/lack of communication. Shows how
A shudder comes o'er me--
deeply the speaker felt for her - he can’t bear to hear that she is having affairs
Repetition - Why wert thou so dear? with other men. Also suggests that he is still in love with her but can’t forgive -
emphasises They know not I knew thee, sense of betrayal
how long he Who knew thee too well--
Conversational tone - the speaker repeatedly addresses his former lover
will feel regretLong, long shall I rue thee,
Too deeply to tell. directly - this shows how her actions continue to upset him
Sense of regret - the speaker regrets their relationship however there is also a
The speaker is sense on delay as he also might regret losing her
in pain as he In secret we met--
Sense of permanence - he is silent as he is incapable of expressing his feelings
mourns the In silence I grieve,
of pain - not just because of the need of secrecy
death of their That thy heart could forget,
relationship Thy spirit deceive. Accusatory/emotive language - sense of betrayal - the speaker is angry as
If I should meet thee perhaps his former lover has already forgotten about him
The poem
After long years, Suggests that the speaker would never forget what his former lover has
switches to
How should I greet thee?-- done to him as he plans to meet her in the future
thinking
With silence and tears. Sense of bitterness and sadness - the speaker can’t forgive his
about the
future The speaker former lover for her lack of love
isn’t justified
Repetition - emphasises secrecy and sorrow - the speaker
Lord Byron is still in pain and hurting as he is unable to move on
togetherness and ‘parted’ of sorrow makes the poem feel more personal. Sense of separation.
suggests separation
Sense of sadness - this could mean they had nothing to say to each
Verb - the When We Two Parted other anymore, but also hints that their relationship was a secret
violent imagery
This could suggest that they weren’t properly in love with other. However, it is clear
suggests that
When we two parted that the speaker was deeply affected by the parting, so perhaps he is accusing his
the parting was
former lover of only being half in love with him. He could also be referring to himself
painful and In silence and tears,
as ‘half’ of the couple, suggesting that he is broken-hearted and his former lover isn’t
traumatic forHalf broken-hearted
the speaker To sever for years, The speaker describes his former lover like a corpse. This suggests that her
Pale grew thy cheek and cold feelings for the speaker has died
Colder thy kiss; Emphasises the link between past and present - this shows how the
Repetition - the
Truly that hour foretold speaker’s sorrow is ongoing and how he can’t escape his emotional past
‘k’ sound Sorrow to this.
emphasises the
Pathetic fallacy - reflects his tears Reflects the coldness between the speaker and his former lover. Also
speaker’s
represents his loneliness and her absence
coldness andThe dew of the morning
harshness Sunk chill on my brow-- The poem switches to talk about the present - the speaker is haunted by his past
It felt like the warning
‘Vows’ represent marriage - relationship has been broken. Links to ‘half-broken hearted
Alliteration -Of what I feel now.
emphasises the Thy vows are all broken, The woman’s reputation has been damaged (‘light’ suggests weak and fragile)
silence. He isAnd light is thy fame; because their affair has been exposed - people know about it
involved in herI hear thy name spoken, The speaker hears people talking about the affairs his former lover is
‘shame’ as he And share in its shame. having - this is painful for him
also has an The sound of a bell rung slowly to make a death - metaphor - suggests that
affair with her the speaker’s former lover’s name sounds like a knell to him - reminds him
They name thee before me,
the death of their relationship
A knell to mine ear;
Rhetorical question - emphasises their silence/lack of communication. Shows how
A shudder comes o'er me--
deeply the speaker felt for her - he can’t bear to hear that she is having affairs
Repetition - Why wert thou so dear? with other men. Also suggests that he is still in love with her but can’t forgive -
emphasises They know not I knew thee, sense of betrayal
how long he Who knew thee too well--
Conversational tone - the speaker repeatedly addresses his former lover
will feel regretLong, long shall I rue thee,
Too deeply to tell. directly - this shows how her actions continue to upset him
Sense of regret - the speaker regrets their relationship however there is also a
The speaker is sense on delay as he also might regret losing her
in pain as he In secret we met--
Sense of permanence - he is silent as he is incapable of expressing his feelings
mourns the In silence I grieve,
of pain - not just because of the need of secrecy
death of their That thy heart could forget,
relationship Thy spirit deceive. Accusatory/emotive language - sense of betrayal - the speaker is angry as
If I should meet thee perhaps his former lover has already forgotten about him
The poem
After long years, Suggests that the speaker would never forget what his former lover has
switches to
How should I greet thee?-- done to him as he plans to meet her in the future
thinking
With silence and tears. Sense of bitterness and sadness - the speaker can’t forgive his
about the
future The speaker former lover for her lack of love
isn’t justified
Repetition - emphasises secrecy and sorrow - the speaker
Lord Byron is still in pain and hurting as he is unable to move on
