When We Two parted is a
typical example of a short poem of Lord Byron. The poem is divided
into 4 stanzas, each with 8 lines. as The poem opens, the narrator
describes his separation from the person the poem is directed to.
Given Byron’s lifestyle, and the biographical notes on this
poem, it can be assumed that this poem was directed to one of Byron’s
short lived romantic partners, in this case, Lady Frances Webster. He
describes how bitter the separation was, how long it lasted, and how
the separation affected his perception of her. In the second stanza,
the narrator moves to a more abstract image: he describes how his
cold environment affected him and foretold the coldness of his heart.
Near the end of this stanza, the narrator says “I hear thy name
spoken / And share in its shame.” The American heritage
dictionary defines shame as a feeling of “guilt, embarrassment,
unworthiness, or disgrace.” Without delving entirely into the
extra textual information surrounding this poem, the reader can
assume the narrator calls her name “shamed” and shares
that emotion because of their romantic involvement. Next he poet
describes how her name is like the ring of a bell, a knell, to him,
and that each time her hears her name he shudders and wonders how she
became so dear to him. The narrator describes how those who “knew
thee too well”, do not know that Byron knew her. His regret for
having become involved with her is too deep for him to express.
Finally, the poet describes how during their relationship they met in
secret and alone, and now, in grief, he is also alone and silent. He
mourns that her heart turned from him while he still loved her and
concludes by saying that he has been so hurt that if he were to ever
meet her again, he would not greet her fondly, but would greet her
with “silence and tears”.
