Summary In-depth analysis notes of 'When we Two Parted' by Lord Byron
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English
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GCSE
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New GCSE English Literature AQA Poetry Guide
In-depth analysis of the poem 'When we Two Parted' by Lord Byron from the AQA Poetry Anthology - Love & Relationships. Other poems from Cluster are available
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Romantic Relationship When We Two Parted
Repetition - Emphasises that
Noun - Shows how the speaker used to
consider the them to be one entity.
they aren’t together anymore.
Lord Byron
Sibilance - Could imitate the speaker’s sigh as he remembers
Adjective - “Half” suggests he was more When we two parted how they parted, suggesting regret OR perhaps suggesting
emotionally invested in the relationship.
In silence and tears, the contempt the speaker feels for his lover.
Violent Verb - Implies that their parting is Half broken-hearted Themes - Again, emphasises the imbalance
permanent. Also emphasises how the To sever for years, in relationship. She has lost any love,
emotions that the speaker felt were violent. excitement or desire. She doesn’t seem to
Pale grew thy cheek and cold, love the speaker as much as he does.
Repeated Comparative Adjective - Seems that she has Colder thy kiss;
been growing more distant from him for a while, Noun - “Foretold” link to warning in the
there is a sense of absence of emotion portrayed by Truly that hour foretold second stanza and shame at the end of
her demonstrating later how he feels deceived. Sorrow to this. second stanza. Foreshadowing of her
coldness and distance. There is a sense
Noun - Ends stanza 1 with an emotion of Setting - This specific reference to time shows how that looking back he feels he should have
“sorrow”. Is it regret for the relationship speaker can remember this memory vividly. known how he would feel now.
ever existing OR for its ending? The dew of the morning
Setting - Change of focus and time to how the
Noun - “chill” reminds us of the subject’s lack of Sunk chill on my brow – speaker feels rather than the actual parting.
emotion towards the end of the relationship. It felt like the warning
Verb - Suggests a realisation from the Of what I feel now. Noun - Connotations of fever, suggesting that this
speaker that perhaps he didn’t mean as Thy vows are all broken, suffering is going to be both physical and emotional.
much to the subject as he thought.
And light is thy fame; Noun - Implies that the speaker believed
Pronoun - “Thy” meaning “your” implies that the the relationship contained sacred promises.
speaker believes it is her who has been unfaithful, I hear thy name spoken,
making him feel cheated. Provides a perspective And share in its shame.
that he is the victim. Perhaps in attempts save Noun - Links to “chill” earlier suggesting
himself from scandal and save his reputation. there is something feverish OR that
They name thee before me, there is something physical about the
Pronoun - Continues the anonymity of other consequences of emotions.
subjects in poem which helps remain the A knell in mine ear;
readers focus on feelings experienced by A shudder comes o’er me— Repetition of Vowel Sound - Adverb
speaker due to the lover’s rejection. “time” suggesting the extent of time the
Why wert thou so dear?
speaker will ‘mourn’ the loss of his lover.
Noun - “Knell” is a funeral bell. Has Connotations of They know not I knew thee, Emphasised by repeated word.
grief, morning and death - Funeral imagery. Who knew thee too well—
Suggesting that it kills him to hear her name out
loud and also the immense impact that this Long, long shall I rue thee, Juxtaposing Pronouns - “We” & “I” establish
relationship’s downfall has had on him. Too deeply to tell. that for a short time they were together as
one entity but now he is alone, singularly.
Inversion - Emphasises the secret nature of their
relationship as the emphasis lies on “secret” & “silence”. In secret we met— Conditional Tense - Implies that maybe the poem is
a rehearsal of what he would say to her if he were
Noun - Suggests he is surrounded by In silence I grieve, to meet her again. The lack of setting and the facts
a void of “silence”. Further
emphasising how is now all alone. That thy heart could forget, it’s in an internal monologue structure also
Thy spirit deceive. emphasises this perspective.
Analysing Structure (A02)
If I should meet thee Repetition (Anaphora) - Links to Line 2. Lack of
Focus & Movement progression through this circular imagery.
. After long years,
Suggests that the speaker will continue to feel this
Perspective How should I greet thee?— deep emotional turmoil or pain for a long time.
Lyric Poem - Structures such With silence and tears.
have no specific plot developme as these Context about Lord Byron (A03)
close attention to the speake nt and pay • Lord Byron (1788-1824) was a notorious
r’s emotions.
but highly influential Romantic poet, who died
Form zas young of a fever in Greece.
The poem co ns ist s of four 8-line stane and • There is evidence to suggest that Byron
AB rh ym e sc he m
and has a strong AB . Th e rhythm highlights
fabricated the original publication date of this
gular rh yt hm ch
re “cold” & “kiss”), whi poem to protect a certain Lady Frances
certain syllables (e.g.s the speaker’s pain. Winderburn Webster from speculation about
again emphasise whether she was the subject of the poem.
Themes and Repetition
Structure • Themes around Death • The reader’s curiosity is provoked, as the
The poem moves through tim • Themes around the Senses poem keeps the lover’s identity a secret:
the narrator constantly shiftse-
between past, present and fut • Themes around Silence & Secrecy “They know not I knew thee”.
The juxtaposition of the past ure. • Past VS Present
present emphasises that the and Summary
re’s no
change in his feelings and tha The poem recalls the end of a previous relationship that the speaker (or
has not been able to make pie t he Byron himself) still feels sad and regretful about. The relationship was secret
move on from that event.ce or and ever since the break-up, he has been unable to outwardly express his
sadness, in fear of hurting his celebrity reputation. Byron also feels that his
lover was untrue to him and is still hurt, long after the events.
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