Analysing the poem ‘When We Two Parted’ by Lord Byron
I can explore how Byron uses language to show the speaker's multifaceted feelings about their illicit affair.
Analysing the poem ‘When We Two Parted’ by Lord Byron
I can explore how Byron uses language to show the speaker's multifaceted feelings about their illicit affair.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- 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.
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
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.
To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Analysing the poem ‘When We Two Parted’ by Lord Byron, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Analysing the poem ‘When We Two Parted’ by Lord Byron, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 english lessons from the 'Love and Relationships' unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
You will need access to the poem 'When We Two Parted' by Lord Byron. This can be found in the AQA Love and Relationships Poetry Anthology.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of sexual content
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
"I rue thee, / too deeply to tell"
"half broken-hearted"
"In secret we met, / In silence I grieve"
"They know not I knew thee, / Who knew thee too well"
Exit quiz
6 Questions
“In secret we met — / In silence I grieve”
“They know not I knew thee, / Who knew thee too well”
“I hear thy name spoken, / And share in its shame”