Time's got all the power in "Remembrance." Sure, our speaker can do her best to hang on to the memory of her late, long lost love, but Time-with-a-capital-T is gonna keep on rolling by, and there's nothing she can do about it. And with time comes new things to distract her from wallowing in grief and memory. But hey, maybe that's not a bad thing… after all, she can still remember her loved one while moving on and living life, right?
Questions About Time
- What's the point of the metaphor comparing time to an "all severing wave"? Do you think that's an accurate description? Why or why not?
- Do you think time has the power to make us love someone less? If we forget to love a person, does that mean we love that person less, according to the speaker?
- How is the "world's tide" affected by time? Do you think all experiences in life are affected the same way?
- How is nature affected by time in the poem? Is there a difference between this effect and the way the human mind is affected by time?
Chew on This
Sure, time is an "all-severing wave" in "Remembrance," but it's not so powerful that it can completely destroy the speaker's ability to feel love.
The "world's tide" makes the speaker more experienced in "Remembrance" and provides a more enlightened perspective that keeps her from prematurely joining her lover in that grave.