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Christina Rossetti
 Christina Rossetti
(1830 – 1894)
• Prolific writer: works of fantasy, religion, and for
children (wrote 50 poems by the age of 15).
• Devoted to her religion – refused two proposals to
men due to different religious beliefs (she was
High Church Anglican)
• Fell ill with Graves Disease, but continued to
publish. Eventually contracted cancer and passed
away.

About: “Remember”:
• Written in 1849 (Rossetti was 19 ). Death was
familiar to her.
• Classic Victorian poem about mourning and
remembrance.
• Poem about grief, but told from the perspective of
the person who will be mourned once they have
A reading by
Rosamund
Pike
Pronouns: second person Metaphor: for? (Remember the References to the SENSES:
narrative. Why is this choice poet’s religious beliefs!) Why physical ability to touch and to
of narrative effective? “silent” land? speak will be taken away when
she passes. Effect?
Repetition: Why Remember me when I am gone away, Alliteration: soft “h”
repeat these words? sound. Why the soft “h” in
Gone far away into the silent land;
this context?
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay. Diction: what does this
imply about the nature of
Remember me when no more day by day
the relationship?
You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Alliteration: hard “d”
Diction: consider the Only remember me; you understand
sound. Why contrast to
placement of “only”. How is It will be late to counsel then or pray.
the previous alliteration?
“Only remember me”
different from “remember Diction: no discussion for advice Caesura: why here?
only me”? Consider the (“counsel”) can take place after she
different meanings of “only has died. Not even through prayer. What would the tone be
remember me”. here?
REVISION!
What’s the difference between repetition and anaphora?

EXTENSION!
Diacope is when a word or a phrase is
repeated, but other words appear in Use it,
between. don’t
Anadiplosis is when a word or phrase use it…
which appears at the end of one
sentence or clause, appears at the
start of the next sentence or clause.
Volta: why at this Diction: contrast of Caesura: why here? Look at similarities to
point? HINT: what is “forget” and previous use in Octave.
the structure? How do “remember”. Why? How
you know? Does this Colon: an explanation will follow to explain
does this support the
why they should not grieve.
indicate a shift in tone message?
too? Type of remembrance:
Yet if you should forget me for a while
the “darkness and
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
corruption” (death) still
To what extent do you For if the darkness and corruption leave leave the person with
think that the poem
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had, her influence: who she
itself supports this?
was (or their
i.e. the poem is Better by far you should forget and smile
relationship) will have
essentially a “vestige” Than that you should remember and be sad. affected the way the
(trace/remnant) of
Diction: contrasting diction, but now with person thinks, then
the poet’s thoughts.
qualifiers: “smile” and “sad”. Antithesis? How does they will not need to
this support the opening two lines? think of her all the time
for her to be a presence
Does this essentially mean that she will be impossible to forget if the in their life. Why then
statement turns out to be true? use “if”?
Form
• Petrarchan sonnet (octave and sestet)
• Iambic pentameter, except for lines 5 and 7, which
start with a trochee – adds to tone.
• Rhyme scheme in the Octave is standard, but irregular
in the sestet. Why would the poet do this?
It has been said, that to wear a scarlet dress in a If you were given to me,
cemetery can attract the spirit of a lover long dead. From this place I call your heart
I would not cry,
Sunday at the Cemetery by Michael Faudet Or even sigh,
Wring my hands,
If you were taken from me, Or wonder why.
From this place I call our world,
I would not cry, DISCUSSION POINTS:
Or even sigh
Wring my hands, 1. Do you feel that the rhyme scheme
Or wonder why.
adds or detracts from the message of
Instead you’d find me waiting, this poem? Justify.
Ever by your side,
Every single second, 2. Contrast the attitudes evident in
This rule I do abide. “Remember” and “Sunday at the
Whatever did this girls possess? Cemetery”. Comment critically on how
The question they will pose, the narrative perspective influences
To make her wear the scarlet dress,
and supports the attitudes evident.
And hold the ruby rose.
[Link] to line 4. Explain how the use of the co-ordinating conjunction
“yet” indicates the poet’s attitude towards her death. (3)

2. Comment critically on how the repetition in the octave contributes

to the tone of the poem.
(3)

[Link] what extent do you consider the opening lines of the sestet to be
paradoxical?
(3)

[Link] Sonnet 104 and Remember focus on memory and

remembrance. Discuss which poem you feel best conveys these
1. Refer to line 4. Explain how the use of the co-ordinating conjunction “yet”
indicates the poet’s attitude towards her death. (2)
“Yet” indicates that though the poet “turns to go”, she “half” turns to stay. This
shows the contrasting idea that though she knows she must go, she would like to
stay. Her attitude is one of reluctance/hesitance/regret/self-pity/mourning etc.

2. Comment critically on how the repetition in the octave contributes to the tone
of the poem. (3)
The repetition of “remember me”, “gone away” and “no more” contribute to the
tone of desperation/pleading/command/hopefulness (allow for interpretation
based on substantiation). Candidate must provide insight on how the specific
choice of repetition contributes to the tone.
3. To what extent do you consider the opening lines of the sestet to be
paradoxical? (3)
Answer must indicate an understanding of paradox. The opening lines of the
sestet, which reference her being forgotten, contradict the message of the
octave, that the person must “only remember” her. However, this
contradiction does make sense as the manner of remembering (that her
influence over them remains, regardless of the act of remembrance) allows
the person to “forget for a while” OR because the poem shows a strong
relationship, the care shown in the “allowance” for forgetting supports the
relationship.
4. Both Sonnet 104 and Remember focus on memory and remembrance.
Discuss which poem you feel best conveys these concepts by making
specific reference to how the use of figures of speech support the
narrative perspective. (5)

MD. Both poems use second person narrative. A clear indication must be
given as to how the chosen figures of speech support the narrative (e.g.
repetition of “remember me” in Remember supports the pleading tone by
reiteration the poet’s wishes/the use of imagery of seasons passing in
Sonnet 104 helps the poet to convey the passage of time to the listener,
and thus reinforces the idea that, to him, their beauty never changes.)
Specific and detailed references to both poems and figures of speech must
be made in relation to the narrative perspective to earn full marks.