To conceal the identity of the woman in the poem, who was married. Bryon was notorious for his scandalous affairs.
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When was the poem claimed to be written?
1808
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What is the poem about?-1
The day he and his lover parted- she had no affection for him anymore. He believes the sadness that he felt then foreshadowed the sadness he feels in the present.
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What is the poem about?-2
Although time has passed, even hearing her name affects the narrator deeply. He hears people talking about her affairs with other men, and he feels hurt by her actions.
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What is the poem about?-3
He thinks that he will always feel hurt- if he meets her again he will act just the same as when they parted.
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What is the poem about?-4
Bryon may have been writing about Lady Frances Webster- it's rumoured they had a relationship while she was married to a friend of Byron's. She apparently went on to have an affair with the Duke Of Wellington.
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Form
The poem consists of four 8-line stanzas, and has a strong ABAB rhyme scheme and regular rhythm. The rhythm emphasises certain syllables( e.g. "cold" and "kiss") which highlights the speaker's pain.
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Structure
The poem moves through time- the narrator constantly shifts between past, present and future. The juxtaposition of the past and present emphasises that there is no change in his feelings.
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Language about death
To the narrator, the end of the relationship is like death- this emphasises his former lover's lack of feeling for him. Now, even hearing her name reminds him of death "knell".
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Language about senses
Typical love poetry uses descriptors that are pleasing to the senses, but in this poem, the narrator uses negative descriptions such as "pale" cheek, the cold touch of "dew" and the funereal sound of a "knell". This emphasises how he's lost love.
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Language about silence and secrecy
Silence used to reflect the relationships secrecy. This silence contrasts with the voices of his friends in the third stanza, which draws attention to the fact that the speaker is unable to express how he feels- he must stay silent about the affair.
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Grief
The narrator mourns the end of the relationship as though it's a death.
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Anger
The narrator seems angry that his lover has broken promises and is having affairs with other men. He imagines greeting her with silence and tears, suggesting he wants her to see how much she's hurt him.
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Regret
He regrets their relationship because of the way things turned out- he suffered a lot.
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