This document is a summary of 'Remember' by Christina Rossetti. The document includes analyses regarding each line, tone and mood, structure, themes, diction, imagery etc. Furthermore, a collection of contextual questions from past papers is included in the summary.
Remember
“Remember me when I am gone away, “When you can no more hold me by the
hand,
Gone far away into the silent
land;” Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.”
Death, to this speaker, is a country. She This is evident of the physical bond that
imagines it as "the silent land," "far exist between people and what
away": not just remote, but speechless. strengthens their relationships. The
No messages can travel to or from this separation of the hands demonstrates
soundless place. Where some might how death severs this physical
imagine death as a place from which relationship and all that would be left
they can watch over their living loved are memories.
ones, this speaker frames it as a place There is a sense of realism as well as
of complete disconnection. the fear of death in the speaker’s tone.
The use of euphemisms like, ‘gone Whatsoever, the speaker, by referring
away’ and ‘silent land’ shows that the to holding hands, present physical
speaker finds the idea of dying and touch as a symbol of trust. Moreover,
death difficult to deal with as she the speaker wishes to turn back when
realizes her own mortality. It appears as she is nearing her death as he was
if he speaker is unwilling to face the always there to hold her hands. They
prospect of dying and the pain of those weren’t ever alone in this journey.
left behind. Hence, in the future, she feels sad
about her lonely journey to oblivion.
(Metaphor) The speaker never really
says she will be gone forever, so the
metaphor makes death seem less
permanent. The simple words she uses
to describe death shows how she is
trying to express in an uncomplicated
way something that is impossible to
fully understand.
“Remember me when no more day by
day
You tell me of our future that you
plann’d:”
The above two lines of ‘Remember’
suggest that Rossetti and her lover
should have got married so that they
could show their love for each other. In
the above lines, the poet expects a lot
from her lover and even suggests to him
that he must not grieve over her death
if he cannot remember her.
She implores him to remember the days
when they were together, cherishing
each moment of their mutual love as
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, she won’t be there in the upcoming
days after her death when her lover can
tell her about their future. He will be
lonely, and she will be there only in his
thoughts.
“planned” is ironic, as death is an
unplanned destination that one has to
take at any point in life. Mortals can
plan things on which they have
apparent control. But, death being
absolute, is uncontrollable and
unconquerable.
“Only remember me; you understand “Yet if you should forget me for a while
It will be late to counsel then or pray.” And afterwards remember, do not
grieve:”
The poet further says that it is of no use Her opinion changes near this volta of
to counsel or pray later, i.e., when she is the poem. Slowly, her words linger over
gone. Her lover can only remember the the idea that ‘yet if you forgot me for a
old days. In thoughts, she will be while, it would not be a terrible thing.
present, and in reality, the lover has to It would allow her lover to be happy,
bear the earthly burden alone. and the speaker overcomes her fear of
It’s important to note here that Rossetti being forgotten to admit that this would
chose to repeat the word ‘remember’ be an ideal situation for them. She says,
throughout the poem, thus allowing the what if he will forget her for a while and
reader’s mind to grow used to this then pretend to remember her by
pattern of repetition; as one ‘remember’ grieving over her death.
fades, the other comes into play,
segueing from image to image and
allowing the reader to understand
intrinsically, more than intellectually,
the full experience of what Rossetti is
asking.
“For if the darkness and corruption “Better by far you should forget and
leave smile
A vestige of the thoughts that once I Than that you should remember and be
had,” sad.”
In this line, death is viewed as Here, the poet gives instructions to her
corruption and darkness. It is like a body lover by saying that he must go on with
decaying. The poet here is very excited his life and should not keep thinking
and says that he should not take her about her death. Rather he should “…
death and his subsequent memory as a forget and smile…than remember and
burden to him. be sad”.
Moreover, the poet is anxious about her She advises him not to remember
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