Context, Key Quotes and Structural analysis of key Love and Relationships poems. Includes analysis for Follower, Mother Any Distance, Letters from Yorkshire, Before You Were Mine, Love's Philosophy, Sonnet 29, Neutral Tones and When We Two Parted.
When we Two Parted
Written by Lord Byron, who published the poem in 1816, but claimed to have written it in
1808 to conceal the identity of the woman in the poem, who was married – Byron was
notorious for his scandalous affairs, and when we two parted could be written about Lady
Frances Webster – it is rumoured Byron and her had a relationship while she was married to
a friend of Byron’s. She apparently went on to have an affair with the Duke of Wellington.
Byron rejected societal convention throughout his life, including in his work.
Quotes
‘Half-broken hearted’
This could suggest they weren’t properly in love with each other. Ambiguity as it is clear that
the narrator was deeply affected by their parting, so perhaps he’s accusing his lover of only
being half in love with him. He could also be referring to himself as “Half” of the couple,
meaning that he’s broken hearted and his former lover isn’t.
‘to sever for years’
Violent imagery suggests that the parting was painful and traumatic for the narrator.
‘Thy vows are all broken’
Could refer to how she has broken promises towards him which has left him with anger and
regret or could reference marriage vows and how her affairs with other men has left their
relationship broken.
‘A knell too mine ear’
Metaphor suggests that her name sounds like a funeral bell – it reminds him of the death of
their relationship. Morbid imagery furthered by ‘in silence I grieve’ as it indicates Byron
mourns their relationship like a death, and because no one knew they were lovers, he can’t
talk about his pain.
‘With silence and tears.’
Poem has a cyclical structure, as it begins and ends with the relationship which emphasises
secrecy and sorrow to demonstrate how the narrator is still preoccupied with the woman
and is unable to move on.
Structure and language
The poem consists of four 8 line stanzas, and has a strong ABAB rhyme scheme and regular
rhythm. The rhythm emphasises certain syllables which highlights the speaker’s pain. The
narrator also constantly shifts between past, present and future, and the juxtaposition of the
past and present emphasises that there’s no change in his future. Typical love poetry uses
language that is positive to the senses, but Byron uses negative descriptions such as the
sight of his lover’s ‘pale’ cheek and the funeral sound of a ‘knell’ to emphasise how he has
lost love and is hurt by it.
, Love’s Philosophy
Percy Shelley was educated at Eton and at Oxford University. In 1811, he was expelled for his
contribution to a pamphlet supporting atheism. Shelley then eloped to Scotland with 16
year old Harriet Westbrook. The resulting scandal caused a serious rift with his family. In
1814, Shelley fell in love with Mary Godwin, the couple travelled together to Europe and
spent the summer together to Europe and spent the summer of 1816 at Lake Godwin with
Lord Byron.
Quotes
‘The fountains mingle with the river, and the rivers with the ocean’
Imagery of flowing water shows that everything is connected to everything else. The
narrator uses personification to draw parallels between what happens in nature and his own
desire to be with his lover. Increasing scale of imagery – showing water joining larger and
larger bodies hints that loving someone makes you part of something bigger than yourself.
“River” and “ever” from the next line are half rhymes – which is mirrored in the second
stanza, which shows how the couple isn’t united.
‘Law divine… no sister flower would be forgiven’
The narrator think’s it’s God’s law that everything in nature mingles together, and the
narrator claims his loved one’s lack of love towards him goes against God’s law and is
therefore unforgivable.
‘What is all this sweet work worth if thou not kiss me?
The narrator questions the point of the world if his lover doesn’t love him – this suggests
that love gives life meaning. This question can also be seen as hyperbole – he might be
deliberately going over the top to try to persuade her. The final line in each stanza is
monosyllabic and only has five syllables – this increases the impact of the questions and
makes them stand out. They’re separated from the rest of the poem, just as the narrator is
separated from his lover.
Form and Structure
The poem is short and apparently simple – the narrator believes what he is saying is a simple
truth. The poem has a regular ABAB rhyme scheme, but two lines in each stanza don’t fully
rhyme – this reflects the way that all of nature is in harmony except for the narrator and his
loved one.
The poem is tightly structured to be persuasive. The narrator uses the majority of each
stanza to build up evidence to support his argument that everything in nature is supposed to
come together. He uses a short line at the end of each stanza to ask a rhetorical question –
this line stands out from the rest of the stanza, which emphasises the contrast between
nature and the narrator’s situation.
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