Byron uses an extended metaphor to compare the end of the affair to the loss of a loved one.
The progression of this metaphor throughout the poem symbolises the progression of the speaker’s grief as time passes.
Byron uses a euphemism to refer to the illicit nature of the relationship.
Byron uses sibilance to emphasise the secretive nature of the affair.
Byron uses anaphora to reveal how he has to hide his anguish in the wake of the affair.

Common misconception

The lines, "They know not I knew thee, / Who knew thee too well" refer to the close emotional relationship the couple had since they knew everything about each other.

These lines can also be read as a euphemism for the couple's sexual relationship, since 'know' was a term often used in the Bible to refer to sexual intercourse.

Keywords

Anguish - intense mental suffering or emotional distress
Euphemism - substituting a mild or indirect expression for something that is considered rude or taboo
Sibilance - repetition of hissing or hushing sounds, often involving the letters ‘s’, ‘sh’, or ‘z’
Anaphora - repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or lines of poetry
Grief - emotional suffering, typically triggered by loss, death, or a significant disappointment

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of sexual content

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

'When We Two Parted' is a poem about...

two people reflecting on their relationship after seeing some swans

someone reminiscing about childhood memories visiting their grandfather

someone reflecting on the day their relationship ended

Correct answer: someone reflecting on their feelings about an illicit affair they had

someone reflecting on their feelings about the idea of love

Q2.

Alliteration is when a writer...

compares two things using 'like' or 'as'

gives human qualities to an inanimate object

Correct answer: uses multiple words near to each that all begin with the same sound

begins consecutive lines with the same word or phrase

uses words that end in the same sound at the end of every other line

Q3.

This poem 'When We Two Parted' was published in which era?

Edwardian

Correct answer: Georgian

Victorian

Elizabethan

Jacobean

Q4.

When working out the rhyme scheme of a poem, the first line should always be labelled...

Correct answer: A

you don't need to label individual lines

Q5.

'When We Two Parted' has a __________ form.

Correct answer: regular

irregular

fragmented

incremental

erratic

Q6.

Match up each of these inferences about the speaker in 'When We Two Parted' to the correct piece of supporting evidence.

Correct Answer:they regret the affair,"I rue thee, / too deeply to tell"

"I rue thee, / too deeply to tell"

Correct Answer:they feel somewhat mournful,"half broken-hearted"

"half broken-hearted"

Correct Answer:they handled the breakup in secret,"In secret we met, / In silence I grieve"

"In secret we met, / In silence I grieve"

Correct Answer:they are aware the affair was immoral,"They know not I knew thee, / Who knew thee too well"

"They know not I knew thee, / Who knew thee too well"

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

Which of these definitions best describes the word 'anguish'?

repetition of the same sounds at the end of a line of poetry

repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or lines

intense joy or excitement

Correct answer: intense mental suffering or emotional distress

when a poet writes about their own life or experiences

Q2.

In 'When We Two Parted', Byron uses the extended metaphor of death to compare the end of the speaker's relationship to the death of a loved one. Which of these quotes support this idea?

Correct answer: "Pale grew thy cheek and cold, / Colder thy kiss"

"Thy vows are all broken, / And light is thy fame"

"Long, long shall I rue thee, / Too deeply to tell."

Correct answer: "They name thee before me, / A knell in mine ear"

"I hear thy name spoken, / And share in its shame."

Q3.

Match up each of these methods to the correct quote from 'When We Two Parted'.

Correct Answer:anaphora,“In secret we met — / In silence I grieve”

“In secret we met — / In silence I grieve”

Correct Answer:euphemism,“They know not I knew thee, / Who knew thee too well”

“They know not I knew thee, / Who knew thee too well”

Correct Answer:sibilance,“I hear thy name spoken, / And share in its shame”

“I hear thy name spoken, / And share in its shame”

Q4.

All of the steps below are important to consider when writing analytical paragraphs. Starting with the first, put the steps into chronological order.

1 - topic sentence

2 - supporting evidence

3 - zoom in on keywords/phrases

4 - justify your ideas

5 - concluding statement

Q5.

Starting with the first, put these quotes from 'When We Two Parted' in the order they appear in the poem.

1 - "When we two parted in silence and tears"

2 - "Thy vows are all broken, / And light is thy fame"

3 - "I rue thee, / Too deeply to tell"

4 - "In secret, we met — / In silence, I grieve"

5 - "How should I greet thee? — / With silence and tears"

Q6.

In 'When We Two Parted', Byron uses anaphora in the following lines: "A knell in mine ear; / shudder comes o'er me". Can you fill in the missing word?

Correct Answer: A