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  • Essay / Attitudes towards the death of Christina Rossetti in “Song” and “Remember”

    In “Song” and “Remember,” Rossetti expresses several different attitudes toward death, avoiding any single approach. In “Song,” she uses techniques involving the structure and tone of the poem to communicate that she is in fact happy to be out of this relationship. However, in the poem "Remember", Rossetti uses the posters in a much more consoling tone, giving a very different interpretation of death than in "Song". Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In “Song,” one of the main themes was the use of natural vocabulary to create a sense of relief. For example, Rossetti writes: “I will not hear the nightingale sing as if it were suffering.” This image could possibly suggest that the Nightingale is a metaphor for her relationship and that, in death, Rossetti finally escaped her lover, who may not have cared for her as he should. Another interpretation of this could perhaps be that her lover was not showing her love and was only behaving as if he had done so at her funeral. This would mean that the "Nightingale" was a metaphor for her lover, and she uses the words "as if" to emphasize that he may be using her grieving state as a spectacle. The repetition of the words "I will not" in the three lines preceding Nightingale's metaphor also supports the idea that she views death as an escape due to the tone it creates; that of hope for a better life after death. Some of the themes in "Remember" contrast with those in "Song" because of the meaning behind them. For example, she states "Only remember me", which could emphasize the fact that she expects loyalty from a man she sincerely loves; otherwise, if she didn't care, she would probably tell her "lover" not to worry about it. However, another interpretation of this line can appear by emphasizing the word "Only". The emphasis is emphasized by the sudden change in meter and is the first break in rhythm in the poem, suggesting to the reader that this is a key line in showing the meaning of "Remembering." It can be argued that Rossetti is trying to use this phrase to plead with his lover, who has been unfaithful to him, and tells him to remember her rather than all the other women he has had relationships with. A common theme in both poems is the role of women in relationships within society. In "Song" and "Remember", Rossetti alludes to men being unfaithful to their lovers, which shows a division between classes that fits the context of the time in Victorian Britain. For example, in "Song", there are obvious connotations that there is no real "love" in the relationship, due to the metaphor of the "Nightingale". Additionally, in "Remember", there is an allusion to male dominance in the relationship, which is seen when Rossetti comments on "the future you have planned", as if she has no say in what she wanted to do with the rest. of his life. The vocabulary used in the songs can also communicate Rossetti's attitudes toward death. For example, she uses the image of the “shady cypress”, a traditional symbol of mourning, and asks her lover not to plant any. This could be his way of asking why he should care for her now that she's dead when he didn't care for her in his life. That said, another interpretation could be that of a completely opposite meaning. She might, in fact, want her lover to keep.