A comparison- Rossetti's ''Song'' & ''Remember''

In ‘Song’ and ‘Remember’ Rossetti attempts to capture her beliefs upon death and oblivion, and how they are affected by her religious dedication. Rossetti was a devout Anglican, refusing three marriage proposals on the basis of religion or lack of religion of her partners. During the 19^th century, society had a morbid fascination with death and the concept of the afterlife. Hence why gothic works such as ‘’Frankenstein’’ and many poets who based their writing upon darkness and grief, were so popular during this period; Rossetti is no exception. However, her reflections upon death deconstruct the Victorian need for excessiveness in their mourning process. Holding extravagant funerals, dressing in mourning clothes for months on end, clutching the memory of their deceased to the point of obsession. Rossetti’s view of death focuses upon the afterlife, the spiritual nature of death. Rather than the obsession and melancholy of those left behind.

In ‘Song’, Rossetti portrays a controlling but extremely intense character. The poem follows a regular rhyme scheme of couplets, which are consistent in each stanza regardless of whether the iambic trimeter rhythm has been distorted. The second and fourth as well as the sixth and seventh couplets rhyme within each stanza. The repetitive rhyme scheme creates a song-like tone to the poem, suggesting an innocent and playful voice. However, this completely juxtaposes the actual meaning of the poem, and the subtext of death and loss.

In contrast, ‘Remember’ contains an irregular rhyme scheme. The form of the poem as a sonnet, however, creates a sense of order and control. The chaos of the rhyme scheme reflects upon the speaker’s emotional turmoil, and that she is ambivalent in her interpretation of death. The sonnet form, however, constricts her expression about death. Similar to how women in the 1800s were restricted in their ability to express their opinions. Despite Rossetti’s reputation for challenging the social consensus, her speaker expresses themselves in a more conformed and sensitive way than the speaker in ‘Song’, which is accentuated by the restrictions of the sonnet structure, as the speaker remains tactful and tactical in their speech as they are confined within the fourteen lines of a sonnet.

Additionally, the nature of the poem as a sonnet reveals that the speaker is expressing themselves within the theme of love and time. Rossetti combines these within this poem, so the speaker reflects upon their love and the nature of it, as well as how death and time will affect it. In contrast, although ‘Song’ has no definite form, there is a consistent iambic trimeter, which attempts to supress the speaker into a rhythmic, regular form of expression.  However, the speaker often disrupts this in order to emphasise certain words and to add impact to the message they are trying to get across, such as in addressing their ‘’dearest’’. Which reflects the emotional attachment, and compassion felt by the speaker towards them, so much so that they disrupt the rhythm of the poem.

The speaker in ‘’Song’’ is portrayed as being a much more demanding character than that of the one in ‘’Remember’’. They frequently dictate what they wish for their ‘’dearest’’ to do once they have met their end, ‘’ sing no’’, ‘’plant thou no’’. The demanding and dominant nature of this speaker shows how they were most likely in control throughout their relationship. Contrasting to this, the speaker in ‘’Remember’’ is much less invested in their relationship, ‘’you tell me of our future that you plann’d’’ suggests that the speaker was not only more reserved, but more submissive and possibly less invested in the relationship than their partner was. Despite this, the speaker in ‘’Remember’’ is much more sensitive and tentative towards the emotional response of their partner, using euphemisms frequently, ‘’when I am gone away’’. This shows how the speaker, although less persistent in the relationship, is no less compassionate towards their partner. In contrast, although the speaker in ‘’Song’’ portrays their passions and desires much more openly, they are much less tactful towards the sensitivity of the subject. Introducing the subject with ‘’When I am dead’’, which is not only tactless, but blunt and holds no real regard for the emotion of their partner. Reflecting, perhaps, on how their domination in the relationship resulted in their partner not being able to express their emotions and communicate as much as they would have desired. This additionally links to the title of ‘’Song’’, as the speaker is singing out over the voices of the living and their lover, as to what they desire in death.

On the other hand, the speaker in ‘’Remember’’ simply wants that, to be remembered in a way which is not emotionally destructive for their partner, ‘’better by far you should forget and smile’’. Suggesting, possibly, that although the suppressed, the speaker of ‘’Remember’’ is more compassionate towards their partner.

However in both poems, the speakers reflect upon death as both freedom and as a prison.  In ‘’Remember’’ it has been afore mentioned that the speakers partner is suggested to be much more controlling over them. Therefore, death is freedom, in a manner of speaking. Particularly as the speaker has control over their death, if nothing else. Despite this suggestively positive outcome of death, the speaker describes death as ‘’the silent land’’. The speaker interprets death not only as physical, but is limbo-like; a plane of existence rather than living. The association of death with silence additionally frames death in a negative light, due to the fact that Rossetti’s greatest love is words, and poetry. The complete lack of which is most likely not dissimilar to hell for such a literary orientated person.

In song, death is similarly portrayed as a place of silence, ‘’I shall not hear the nightingale’’. However, the speaker in this poem trivialises the small pleasures that our sense give to us, rather than portray the silence in a negative and foreboding light. As the complete separation of our world from the spiritual one means any such nostalgia is irrational, as all you need in the spirit world is to be in the presence of God. This is reflected as such in ‘’Song’’ due to Rossetti’s strong Tractarian background, as the speaker trivialises the rituals required by the living to cope with death, under the illusion that they are paying the dead respect. When, in fact, it is utterly pointless, as in death the soul does not want for anything, aside from the spiritual nourishment that Rossetti craved. 

Christina Rossetti- Biography

Song- Christina Rossetti: The meter is iambic trimeter. Choose one line that perfectly reflects this. What’s the impact of this?

The poems underlying iambic trimeter drags the rhythm of the poem significantly, creating an underlying sluggishness. This, in turn, creates a sense of depression- extremely appropriate for a poem concerning the attitudes towards death and their lack of impact upon the deceased. A line that captures this technique is ‘’And if thou wilt, forget.’’- The simplicity of rhythm and structure in such a small and emotionally charged line reflects upon the speakers aim to undermine the importance of death and its ability to erase her from the memory of the living.

This line captures the ultimate fear of the individual, to fade into oblivion. Your impact upon the world, the memories you had and the people you met, your entire story is ultimately forgotten. This truth is bittersweet, as its finality forces us to appreciate life, and all its wonders, while we still can. A mention of such a crushing thought is very taboo, even in today’s encouragement of discussion and debate. For the speaker to mention this within her poem utterly contradicts her original aim, which is to take power from grief as it is inefficient for the deceased. This shows the speakers lapse in confidence, how she has to acknowledge her ultimate oblivion in order to plough on with her interpretation of death being peaceful in nature, despite the terrifying prospect of inevitability that comes with it.

The speaker structuring this in the iambic trimeter form cloaks such a terrifying prospect in simplicity, which makes it seem insignificant, compared with the overall message of the poem. Suggesting how even the speaker, in all her bravado, is also terrified at the prospect of the end. But merely implies an indifferent attitude for the sake of concern towards her partner. Even the speaker, despite her undermining of death and how ultimately it is anticlimactic, has doubts in herself and her beliefs. Much like how humans doubt God and their morals, and the chaos of our society.

Song- Christina Rossetti: What is the poem about?

Song

The poem ''Song'' is in essence, about the attitude towards death and grief. Although it is indirect, the speaker trivialises grieving as it does not help the deceased in any particular way, more is used for the benefit and comfort of the griever. The speaker addresses their ‘’dearest’’ directly in the first stanza. Obstinately saying ‘’sing no songs ’’, reflecting not only on their condescending attitude towards the concept of grieving, but also on their controlling nature, and on their ability to direct their grievers behaviour to a certain extent. This control over her ‘’dearest’’ suggests that they are in an intimate relationship. Particularly as the speaker disrupts the iambic trimeter of the poem in order to address them as such, showing that the speaker will go to great lengths to contact this loved one. This interlocks with the context of the poem, as the speaker trivialises grieving, perhaps, for the benefit of their partner.

This however, conflicts with the interpretation that the speaker belittles grieving in order to reveal its pettiness and triviality in relation to death. The speaker shows this attitude to grief by her blunt approach towards such a sensitive subject, stating primarily ‘’When I am dead’’. Her lack of sensitivity and caution towards the emotional wellbeing of her partner once she is deceased reveals her insensitivity and her lack of pensiveness for the impact upon her lover.

Although the poem is focused on revealing the speaker’s beliefs that grieving is an indulgence of the living. The speaker also romanticises death, which is most likely due to Rossetti's strong religious beliefs; and that death to her, is a blessing rather than a curse. Although the romanticism of death in the poem can be traced to Rossetti's religiosity, her mental health has been noted to fluctuate throughout her life. Diagnosed as ‘religious mania’ Rossetti most likely suffered from bouts of depression and anxiety. The melancholy her poems reflects this, and ‘’Song’’ is a perfect example.

The speaker states ‘’haply I may remember. And haply may forget.’’ In reference to her attitude towards the nature of death, and what she believes death to be. She trivialises the grief of her ‘’dearest’ not only due to her controlling attitude, but also because it seems completely obscure to her. Her interpretation of death is one of peace and tranquillity, although she will be leaving behind what she loves (the ‘’song’’ being a metaphor for poetry) she is ultimately happy in death. Most likely due to her belief that within the afterlife lies God. Therefore, she will not need ‘’roses at my head’’ as the physical world no longer affects her, grief and its rituals does not affect her. Hence why she belittles the fancies of grieving, as it is completely irrelevant to her in the afterlife. In which she is at peace, so does not need the pity of those left behind- more so that they require her pity, suggesting she undermines the concept of grief through compassion for those who loved her. This is an unusual approach to give her ‘’dearest’’ clarity, in order for them to accept her departure, and move on regardless.

How does the speaker in 'I come from' create a sense of identity?

The speaker in 'I come from' expresses his identity through free verse- which attempts to be structured similarly to a stream of consciousness; flowing but disjointed. The speaker's identity is constructed largely of childhood memories, from ''maths tables'' ''set of Observer I-Spy books'' suggesting that he comes from an educated background; which is clarified by ''a family of teachers''. However, the speaker's identity comes not only from this idyllic portrait of a family with ''clean handkerchiefs''. The speaker reveals that his identity is created by more violent, and sinister events which lurk within his childhood; ''skinheads and fights if you look the wrong way'' shows how violence and chaos also played a part in constructing who he is.

Additionally, other sinister events in his childhood ''a man who followed me back'' further attributes to the fact that although apparently picturesque; his childhood had almost sinister undertones to it, creating a sense of atmosphere and intrigue in regards to his identity.
This emphasises how his identity, like any humans, was created by good and bad things happening to him, which creates more genuity as the poem is aiming to be a stream of consciousness.

The poem is structured with varying sentence lengths, which paired with enjambment creates a disjointed feel to the poem ''waiting forever'' ''for the train to London. Although the enjambment makes the poem feel disjointed, it also allows it to flow. The enjambment emphasises that time is passing as the poem goes on, but also reflects on the ongoing onslaught of the mind, how it continues to think constantly and doesn't pause for breath like a spoken poem would.

Much like the contrasting events in his childhood- both threatening and bucolic- the poem flicks between these two themes. Each section of his childhood is separated and analysed in blocks, he comes from ''violence'' then from ''clean handkerchiefs'' in the next line. He comes from ''kindness'' then from ''rats behind the garage''. This contrast used to describe his origins and events in his childhood suggests that his identity is, in the same way, conflicted.

The speaker's sense of identity is that it lies within snapshots of his childhood, and is conflicting as well as coexisting. It has two sides to it, much like how every persons identity or character is multi-faceted, and not one long list of anecdotes and childhood memories.