Welcome to the Study Section: Christina Rossetti's 'Remember'

Hello! We are diving into one of the most famous poems in the Edexcel International GCSE collection: 'Remember' by Christina Rossetti. This poem deals with the heavy themes of death, memory, and love, but don't worry—it's structured beautifully, which makes it easier to analyze!

The goal of these notes is to help you understand the core message, identify key literary techniques, and feel confident analyzing the poem in your exams, even if English Literature sometimes feels challenging. Let's start!

1. Context: Who was Christina Rossetti?

To understand what Rossetti is saying, it helps to know a little about her life and the era she lived in.

Key Facts about the Poet:
  • Time Period: Rossetti was a major poet during the Victorian Era (1837–1901).
  • Religion and Duty: She was deeply religious (Anglican). Her strong faith meant she often wrote about themes of duty, sacrifice, and the afterlife. This sense of duty strongly influences the ending of 'Remember'.
  • Focus on Loss: Victorian society was often preoccupied with death, as medical science was less advanced and death rates (especially child mortality) were high. Death was a constant reality.

Quick Context Summary: When Rossetti writes about death, she views it through a religious lens, suggesting that true love often involves selfless sacrifice.

2. Summary of the Poem: Breaking Down the Message

'Remember' is written from the perspective of someone who is dying (the Speaker) talking to the person they love (the Addressee).

The Two Main Requests:

The poem is essentially split into two halves, which reflect a change of heart:

  1. The Demand for Memory (Lines 1–8):

    The speaker initially begs her loved one to remember her after she dies. She knows the transition into death ("the silent land") means separation, and she fears being totally forgotten.

  2. The Act of Selfless Love (Lines 9–14):

    The speaker realizes that being remembered might cause her loved one great sadness. She changes her mind, deciding it is better for the survivor to be happy and forget her, than to suffer painful memory. This is the ultimate act of selflessness.

Key Takeaway: The poem moves from the selfish human desire to be remembered to the unselfish desire for the loved one's happiness.

3. Form and Structure: Why It Matters

Understanding the structure of 'Remember' is crucial because the physical structure mirrors the emotional journey.

A. The Sonnet Form

Rossetti chose to write 'Remember' as a Sonnet.

  • Definition: A sonnet is a poem with exactly 14 lines.
  • Type: This specific type is often described as a Petrarchan (or Italian) Sonnet because it is divided into an Octave (8 lines) and a Sestet (6 lines).
B. The Volta (The Turn)

The most important structural feature is the Volta (Italian word for "turn").

What is the Volta? The volta is the point in a sonnet where the argument or tone changes dramatically. In 'Remember', this shift happens exactly between the eighth and ninth lines.

Line 9: "Yet if silence break the power of speech..."

This is where the speaker stops demanding memory and starts suggesting forgetfulness. The structure reinforces the emotional conflict:

  • Octave (Lines 1–8): Focuses on the Speaker's Fear (fear of being forgotten).
  • Sestet (Lines 9–14): Focuses on the Lover's Happiness (the sacrifice).

💡 Simple Analogy: Think of the poem as a debate. The first 8 lines present Argument A (Remember me!). The volta introduces Argument B (Wait, maybe forget me!).

C. Rhythm and Rhyme
  • Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme in the octave is typically ABBA ABBA (giving it a formal, insistent tone).
  • Meter: It is written in Iambic Pentameter—a rhythm that sounds close to natural speech, making the address feel personal and direct.

Quick Review: Structure

Rossetti chose a Sonnet.
Volume change at the Volta (line 9).
Selfish need shifts to Selfless wish.

4. Detailed Analysis: Language, Imagery, and Tone

The poem uses specific words and phrases to soften the impact of death while emphasizing the sincerity of the speaker's love.

A. Language of Death (Euphemisms)

Rossetti uses gentle ways of referring to death, known as euphemisms. These help to make the topic less harsh and more romantic.

  • "Gone away" (Line 1): A softer term than 'dead.' It sounds like a journey or a temporary absence.
  • "The silent land" (Line 2): This is a beautiful image for the afterlife or the grave. It suggests peace and silence, but also isolation (which is why the speaker fears separation).
  • "No longer can command" (Line 4): The speaker accepts she will lose control and influence over the living world.
B. Repetition and Tone

The poem opens and closes the octave with the command "Remember me." (Lines 1 and 8). This repetition emphasizes the urgency and initial desperation of the speaker.

The tone changes dramatically after the volta:

  • Initial Tone: Urgent, demanding, slightly sorrowful.
  • Final Tone: Tender, selfless, focused on peace ("better by far," "happiness").
C. Imagery of Time and Memory

The poem focuses on the difference between painful memory and joyful freedom.

  • "Future that you planned" (Line 3): The speaker acknowledges that her death interrupts the loved one's future. The core message is about allowing the survivor to restart that plan without grief.
  • "Darkness and corruption leave" (Line 13): Rossetti links memory (specifically the memory of her pain/illness) with 'darkness and corruption.' Forgetting her sad final state is presented as a gift.
  • "Forget and smile" (Line 14): This final instruction is the climax of the poem, prioritizing joy over dutiful mourning.

Common Mistake to Avoid: Do not confuse the speaker's initial demand ("Remember me") with her final wish ("Forget and smile"). The power of the poem lies in the change!

5. Key Themes for Exam Analysis

When analyzing 'Remember', focus your essay on these three central themes.

Theme 1: Death and the Afterlife

The poem explores the inevitable separation caused by death. The "silent land" is a mystery, and the speaker recognizes the impossibility of physical contact or communication after death.

GCSE Point: Rossetti accepts death as a barrier but offers the spiritual/emotional bond (love) as a form of transcendence, even if it requires sacrifice.

Theme 2: Memory vs. Obligation

The conflict between two types of memory:

  • Painful Obligation: The duty to mourn and remember, which causes sadness.
  • Joyful Freedom: The freedom to forget the pain and move on happily.

The speaker concludes that love isn't about ensuring one is remembered; it's about ensuring the loved one lives well.

Theme 3: Selfless Love and Sacrifice

This is arguably the most important theme. The shift at the volta demonstrates the speaker's ultimate love. She values her lover's peace ("better by far") above her own pride or need for immortality through memory.

Did You Know? This idea of selfless sacrifice was very important in Victorian religious thought, where self-denial was often seen as the highest virtue.

6. Study and Exam Preparation Tips

When answering questions on 'Remember', focus on how Rossetti uses the structure to convey meaning.

Step-by-Step Analysis Strategy:
  1. Identify the Shift: Start by discussing the volta (line 9). Explain how the poem's structure supports the contrast between the selfish demand and the selfless conclusion.
  2. Analyze Key Euphemisms: Use terms like "silent land" to discuss the imagery of death and separation.
  3. Focus on Tone: Describe the two distinct tones: the demanding tone of the octave and the gentle, sacrificial tone of the sestet.
  4. Link to Context: Briefly mention Rossetti's Victorian and religious background to explain why selfless sacrifice is the ultimate act of love in the poem.
Helpful Quotes to Memorise:
  • "Remember me when I am gone away," (Line 1 - Direct address/Initial demand)
  • "you tell me of our future that you planned:" (Line 3 - Acknowledging interrupted life)
  • "Yet if silence break the power of speech," (Line 9 - The Volta / The Turn)
  • "Better by far you should forget and smile / Than that you should remember and be sad." (Lines 13–14 - The final, selfless resolution)

Encouragement: 'Remember' is a very logical poem. Once you understand the structure (14 lines, big switch at line 9), the analysis flows naturally. You’ve got this!

Final Key Takeaway: Rossetti uses the strict form of the Petrarchan Sonnet to explore a flexible, profoundly selfless idea of love: that sometimes, the greatest act of love is allowing the loved one to be happy, even if it means forgetting you.