Remember

• Title - “Remember”

  • Use of the imperative creates a sense of desperation to be remembered
  • Imperative seems a little bit forceful
• Repetition of “Remember”

  Suggests the speaker fears being forgotten and the importance it is to them to be remembered
• Repetition of “gone away”

  • Emphasises the distance that will be between them
  • Euphemism of “when i am dead” - softer term means they find it difficult to come to terms with that they might die
• Euphemism of “silent land”

  • Euphemism to ‘death‘ helps support the idea of accepting death is difficult to even think about
  • “Silent” suggests loneliness
• Repetition of “no more”


  • Supports the idea that they are fearful of no longer being here
• ” Can no more hold me by the hand”

  Fear of physical separation contrast with the desire to be remembered
• “Only”

  Gives a sense of control to make them remember. Takes away sense of hoplesness
• “Yet if you should forget me for a while”

  Volta = contemplating
• Imperative of ”do not grieve”

  Shows the love they have - not a selfish love
• Enjambment “And afterwards remember,”

  Shows a stream of consciousness
• “Better by far”

  Speaker is now prioritising her lovers happiness over her down desire to be remembered than let her lover be sad remembering her
• Antithesis - “forget” “smile” “sad” “remember”

  • Forget contrasts remember
  • Smile contrasts sad
  • Want they want for their lover is the antithesis to what they want = shows sacrifice of true love
• Petrarchan Sonnet

  Octave and a Sestets = change in tone after each other

  Octave = remember just me

  Sestets = focuses on partner - rather be forgotten than let their loves be sad
• Written in Iambic pentameter

  Control of the iambic pentameter contrasts with the lack of control you have in death
• Themes

  1. Love
  2. Selflessness
  3. Death
  4. Memory