AQA GCSE English Literature Poetry - When We Two Parted, Lord Byron

Stanza One:

• "We two" - Directly addresses former lover, making it very personal
• "Silence" - They had nothing to say to each other or their relationship was secret
• "Half-broken hearted" - Accusing lover for only being half in love with him, and only he feels broken hearted now
• "Sever" - Violent imagery indicates the trauma and pain
• "Pale" and "Cold" - Describes his lover like a corpse, her feelings for him have died
• "Cheek", "Colder" and "Kiss" - Repetition of the 'k' sound emphasises the coldness
• "That hour foretold sorrow to this" - Enjambment emphasises link between past and present as he still feels sorrowful

Stanza Two:

• "Chill" - Chill reflects the coldness between himself and his lover
• "Now" - Byron switches to the present tense
• "Broken" - Links back to broken hearts in the first stanza
• "Light is thy fame" - Her reputation is damaged as people know of her affairs
• "I hear thy name spoken" - People talk about her and he finds it painful
• "Share" and "Shame" - Alliteration of 'sh' links back to silence
• "Shame" - He feels involved in her shame as he has had an affair with her
  

Stanza Three:

• "They name thee before me" - People talk about her and he finds it painful
• "Knell" - Her name sounds like a death bell, reminds him of the death of their relationship
• "Why wert thou so dear" - Rhetorical question emphasises how much he felt for her and cannot bear that she is having affairs with other men now
• "Thee", "Thee" and "Thee" - Repeatedly addresses lover, indicating that he is still preoccupied by her
• "Long, long" - Repetition highlights how long he will…