In Christina Rossetti's Petrarchan sonnet "Remember," the structure of the poem significantly contributes to its meaning.
1. Meter: The poem is written in iambic pentameter, which creates a rhythmic flow and a sense of solemnity. The consistent meter adds a formal quality to the poem, emphasizing the importance of remembrance and the weight of the speaker's words.
2. Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows the traditional Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet rhyme scheme ABBA ABBA CDC DCD. The rhyme scheme helps to organize the poem's thoughts into distinct sections. The octave (first eight lines) presents the speaker's plea for remembrance, while the sestet (last six lines) provides a shift in perspective.
3. Shift: The volta, or shift, occurs between the octave and the sestet. In this poem, the shift happens after the eighth line, where the tone changes from a direct request for remembrance to a more reflective and accepting tone. This shift enhances the emotional impact of the poem by transitioning from a plea to a sense of resignation.
4. Couplet: The closing couplet "Better by far you should forget and smile / Than that you should remember and be sad" offers a poignant conclusion to the poem. This couplet contrasts the idea of forgetting with the potential sadness that remembering could bring. It emphasizes the speaker's desire for the reader's well-being, even if it means forgetting the speaker.
Overall, the structure of the Petrarchan sonnet "Remember" by Christina Rossetti enhances the emotional depth of the poem by guiding the reader through a progression of thoughts and feelings, from a plea for remembrance to a bittersweet acceptance of the inevitable passage of time.
