Form - Remember

• The poem 'Remember' is written as a Petrarchan Sonnet, the structured nature of the Petrarchan sonnet reflects the speaker’s desire to impose emotional order upon the chaos of impending death - Its 14-line format, divided into an octave and a sestet, allows Rossetti to explore themes of loss, remembrance, and resignation with clarity and control - This formal constraint lends a composed, meditative tone to a subject often overwhelmed by sentiment, enabling a more dignified expression of grief
• The poem 'Remember' is written as a Petrarchan Sonnet, this naturally accommodates a Volta - a rhetorical shift - between the eighth and ninth lines, which Rossetti uses to powerful effect - The octave presents a plea for remembrance, but the sestet introduces a gentler, selfless acceptance of forgetfulness if it brings peace to the mourner - This tonal shift deepens the emotional complexity of the poem, suggesting growth from possessive love to spiritual detachment, and the form mirrors this progression seamlessly
• The poem 'Remember' is written as a Petrarchan Sonnet, traditionally associated with idealised, often unrequited love, the Petrarchan sonnet links 'Remember' to a long-standing literary tradition - However, Rossetti subverts the convention by using the form not to celebrate romantic desire, but to explore death, memory, and emotional renunciation - This contrast between form and content highlights the poem’s originality and reinforces Rossetti’s nuanced engagement with themes of love and loss
• The poem 'Remember' is written as a Petrarchan Sonnet, by adopting a prestigious and historically male-dominated form, Rossetti lends weight and authority to her female speaker’s reflections on death and remembrance - In a Victorian context where women’s voices were often marginalised, the sonnet form provides a legitimising framework for emotional and philosophical expression - It allows Rossetti to articulate a quiet but powerful assertion of agency, situating the speaker’s voice within the canon of serious poetic discourse
• The poem 'Remember' is written as a Petrarchan Sonnet, the Petrarchan sonnet, known for its suitability for meditative and philosophical themes, aligns with Rossetti’s religious temperament - 'Remember' contemplates not just earthly love but the moral tension between the desire to be remembered and the altruistic wish for the beloved’s peace - The sonnet’s measured rhythm and balanced structure lend the poem a prayer-like quality, reinforcing its tone of spiritual reflection and Christian resignation
• The poem 'Remember' is written in Iambic Pentameter, this mimics the natural rhythms of spoken English, lending the poem an intimate, conversational tone - This suits the personal nature of the speaker’s address, as though she is quietly and sincerely speaking to a loved one - The measured heartbeat-like rhythm enhances the emotional authenticity of the farewell, making the plea to “remember” feel tender rather than dramatic
• The poem 'Remember' is written in Iambic Pentameter, the regular rhythm of iambic pentameter reflects continuity and forward motion, subtly mirroring the transition from life to death - This formal regularity reinforces the poem’s theme that memory and love persist even after physical absence - Rossetti uses this consistent metre to evoke calm acceptance, suggesting that death is not a rupture, but part of an ongoing emotional journey
• The poem 'Remember' is written in Iambic Pentameter, Victorian poetry often values emotional restraint, and iambic pentameter enables Rossetti to express deep feeling in a controlled and composed manner - The regularity of the metre tempers the intensity of the subject - grief and impending death - ensuring the speaker’s tone remains dignified rather than overwrought - This restraint complements the selfless sentiment of the sestet, where the speaker prioritises the mourner’s peace over her own memory
• The poem 'Remember' is written in Iambic Pentameter, Rossetti occasionally bends the iambic pattern to emphasise key emotional moments - For instance, lines like “Better by far you should forget and smile” subtly shift the rhythm, drawing attention to the bittersweet nature of the message - These slight metrical deviations allow Rossetti to infuse the form with nuanced feeling without breaking its overall harmony
• The poem 'Remember' is written in Iambic Pentameter, this is the metre of Shakespeare and the English sonnet tradition, giving Rossetti’s poem an air of classical authority - By writing in this established form, she situates her voice within a revered literary lineage, asserting her place in the poetic canon - This formal choice elevates the personal subject matter, transforming private grief into universal meditation