8. ‘Remember’ — Christina Rossetti
Summary:
The speaker asks a loved one to remember her after she dies but later softens the request, suggesting that if remembering brings sadness, it would be better to forget and be happy. The poem explores the balance between memory, grief, and acceptance.
Analysis:
- Rossetti highlights the selflessness of true love — the speaker values her loved one’s happiness over her own memory.
- The Petrarchan sonnet structure divides the poem: first the request for remembrance, then the acceptance of forgetting.
- The theme of inevitability of death is addressed gently and thoughtfully.
- There’s an emotional shift from possessiveness to generosity in love.
Key Techniques:
- Iambic pentameter creates a steady, contemplative rhythm.
- Euphemisms for death (“gone away,” “silent land”) soften the topic.
- Volta (turn) at line 9 marks emotional change.
- Repetition of “remember” emphasizes the initial desire but ultimately gives way to release.