1.1.2
Themes: Death & Loss
Death
Death
Much of the language in the poem relates to death. Here are some examples:
'Pale' and 'cold'
'Pale' and 'cold'
- 'Pale' cheeks and 'cold' kisses almost makes it sound like his lover has died.
'Knell'
'Knell'
- Lines 17-18 - 'They name thee before me / A knell to mine ear' - imply that even the sound of his lover’s name reminds him of death.
- The term 'knell' is associated with the ringing of a bell at a funeral.
Loss and Separation
Loss and Separation
Lord Byron emphasises the narrator's feelings of loss and separation from his lover using these techniques:
Dark language
Dark language
- Byron subverts tropes (recurring themes) of love poetry.
- We would expect that his lover’s cheeks would be flushed but instead they are 'pale' (line 5) and her kisses grow 'colder' (line 6).
- By using the diction (choice of words) you might expect in a less positive poem, Byron creates an exaggerated sense of loss for his reader. The reader is shocked by his darker use of language.
Pronouns
Pronouns
- Byron uses pronouns to establish the separation between them.
- The collective 'we' is only used twice in the poem: once at the beginning, and once at the end. Then, 'me' and 'thee' are used throughout the rest of the poem to emphasise his emotional distance from his lover.
1When We Two Parted - Lord Byron (1788-1824)
2Love’s Philosophy - Percy Bysshe Shelley
3Porphyria’s Lover - Robert Browning (1812-1889)
4Sonnet 29 - Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
4.1Sonnet 29 – ‘I think of thee!’ Analysis
5Neutral Tones - Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)
6Letters from Yorkshire - Maura Dooley (Born 1957)
6.1Letters from Yorkshire Analysis
7The Farmer’s Bride - Charlotte Mew (1869-1928)
8Walking Away - Cecil Day Lewis (1904-1972)
8.1Walking Away Analysis
9Eden Rock - Charles Causley (1917-2003)
10Follower - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)
10.1Follower Analysis
11‘Mother, Any Distance’ - Simon Armitage (Born1963
11.1'Mother, Any Distance' Analysis
12Before You Were Mine - Carol Ann Duffy (Born 1955)
12.1Before You Were Mine Analysis
13Winter Swans - Owen Sheers (Born 1974)
14Singh Song! - Daljit Nagra (Born 1966)
14.1Singh Song! Analysis
15Climbing My Grandfather - Andrew Waterhouse
15.1Climbing My Grandfather Analysis
16Grade 9 - Comparisons
16.1Grade 9 - Comparisons
Jump to other topics
1When We Two Parted - Lord Byron (1788-1824)
2Love’s Philosophy - Percy Bysshe Shelley
3Porphyria’s Lover - Robert Browning (1812-1889)
4Sonnet 29 - Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
4.1Sonnet 29 – ‘I think of thee!’ Analysis
5Neutral Tones - Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)
6Letters from Yorkshire - Maura Dooley (Born 1957)
6.1Letters from Yorkshire Analysis
7The Farmer’s Bride - Charlotte Mew (1869-1928)
8Walking Away - Cecil Day Lewis (1904-1972)
8.1Walking Away Analysis
9Eden Rock - Charles Causley (1917-2003)
10Follower - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)
10.1Follower Analysis
11‘Mother, Any Distance’ - Simon Armitage (Born1963
11.1'Mother, Any Distance' Analysis
12Before You Were Mine - Carol Ann Duffy (Born 1955)
12.1Before You Were Mine Analysis
13Winter Swans - Owen Sheers (Born 1974)
14Singh Song! - Daljit Nagra (Born 1966)
14.1Singh Song! Analysis
15Climbing My Grandfather - Andrew Waterhouse
15.1Climbing My Grandfather Analysis
16Grade 9 - Comparisons
16.1Grade 9 - Comparisons
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