The poem
When we two parted In silence and tears, Half broken-hearted, To sever for years, Pale grew thy cheek and cold, Colder thy kiss; Truly that hour foretold Sorrow to this.
The dew of the morning Sank chill on my brow— It felt like the warning Of what I feel now. Thy vows are all broken, And light is thy fame: I hear thy name spoken, And share in its shame.
They name thee before me, A knell to mine ear; A shudder comes o'er me— Why wert thou so dear? They know not I knew thee, Who knew thee too well:— Long, long shall I rue thee Too deeply to tell.
In secret we met— In silence I grieve That thy heart could forget, Thy spirit deceive. If I should meet thee After long years, How should I greet thee?— With silence and tears.
- “When We Two Parted” is another beautiful poem by Lord Byron, that tells the story of a couple that shared a secret relationship and is forced to separate for a period of time, and during this period, the person to whom the poem is directed to commits an act of indiscretion and the speaker is shamed and betrayed. If he should meet his beloved again, he will greet her with “silence and tears.” The poem is about Frances Webster, whom Byron didn’t seduce because she was a newlywed; but within a year it was reported she was having an affair with someone else, so Byron felt cheated. It was published either in 1816 or 1817, sources disagree.
I reminds me of death. When she goes away he is suffering from pain. When he meets her again in heaven, he will be so happy to see her than he will meet her with "silence and tears"
Another awesome poem showing the emotions of a man who felt betrayed by his love. For Lord Byron to publish this poem, I think, showed just how "human" he was. It is unusual for a man of his passion, (women), nowday's, to show an emotion of this sort.
This poem was actually written about his half-sister with whom he had an affair and possibly a child with. Bear that in mind and the poem becomes very obvious.
This poem portrays a great sense of emotion and how Love can change those who even lead a life of great violation of towards there partners. Lord Byron's angry as a typical man would have liked to leave first instead of being emotionally attached and entrapped by vow which "are all broken". This makes me imagine a wedding and the prospect of Love is clearly apparent as two people marry and share vows at this emotion being expressed.