The language used in "Remember" is very forceful as she repeatedly insists her partner remember her. She also covers the word death by using different phrases and metaphors like "I am gone away" and "silent land" this shows that she is scared of dying but has learnt to except it. "When you can no more hold me by the hand". This quote shows that the person Christina Rossetti is writing to is very close, considering that she is a Victorian lady she can not talk more intimately. Christina Rossetti uses phrases to make it no sound as bad "Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay". This is letting her partner know that once she has gone she can't return. Another way Christina Rossetti covers up the word death is by saying "Remember me when no more". This quote is also being forceful as she is again insisting for her partner to remember her. In the sestet there is a change of meaning. "Yet", This shows that the writer Christina Rossetti has realised what the consequence could be if her partner decides to comply with her wishes in the octave, so she decides to change her mind and tell her partner that I'd rather you forget me and be happy than remember me and be sad, "Better by far you should forget and smile Than that you should remember and be sad".
The language used in "Sonnet" is very easy to visualise as most of the things she says are picture. "What lips my lips have kissed, and where and why" this quote shows Edna St. Vincent Millay is asking questions so she does not know and can't remember what lips she has kissed. The following quote shows that Edna St. Vincent Millay can't remember who she has slept with "I have forgotten, and what arms have lain under my head till morning". This quote "tap and sigh" is the rain tapping on the window this represents the memories. "And in my heart there stirs a quiet pain" The last two words of this quote "quiet pain" shows that Edna St. Vincent Millay is a lonely person as she has no one to share her pain with. In the sestet the meaning has changed from past in the octave to present in the sestet. The opening line n the sestet is "Thus in the winter stands the lonely old tree". The word "winter" could stand for many things one of them is old age which is like winter for Edna St. Vincent Millay dark, dull and cold. Edna St. Vincent Millay is also comparing her self to a "lonely tree" because she is old and lonely. "birds have vanished" this quote seems to suggest that all the people that Edna St. Vincent Millay knew have died or gone away. The following quote shows that Edna St. Vincent Millay is on her own and has no one to talk to, "more silent than before". "summer sang in me" This quote seems to suggest that she was once loved and joyful but not anymore as the next quote shows "sing no more"
There are many differences between the two sonnets; the first difference is when they were written Christina Rossetti wrote "Remember" before1914 and Edna St. Vincent Millay wrote "Sonnet" after 1914. Secondly both sonnets have different aspects of love, as Edna St. Vincent Millay is trying to remember her past loves and friends that "have vanished one by one", and Christina Rossetti's sonnet "Remember" is written for her partner as she knows that she is going to die soon and has asked her partner to remember her, "Remember me when I am gone away". There is also a difference in which both sonnets are written as "Sonnet" is written in diary form because she is writing to herself and "Remember" is written in letter form as she is writing a letter for her partner.
There are many similarities in both sonnets. The first similarity is that both and all sonnets are about love. Secondly there is also a change in meaning in the sestet and octave as there is in all sonnets. Another similarity is that both sonnets are written by women. Further more both sonnets are sad even though they are about love.
From all the information above I can see that both sonnets are sad because Christina Rossetti is dying and is asking her partner to remember her and Edna St. Vincent Millay used to be full of life with many friends but is know just
