Poetry · Question
How does Poetry develop the theme of Memory and Nostalgia?
Answer
Poetry by Sarah Louisa Forten Purvis develops Memory and Nostalgia across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Memory of lost homes, loved ones, and happier times is a recurring source of both comfort and pain, especially for those forcibly displaced from their native lands.
Memory makes the lost loved ones and home 'dear,' but for the enslaved, these memories bring only painful visions of what can never be regained.
The speaker dwells on the fear of being forgotten and the bittersweet memory of a brief meeting.
The poem looks back on the bright morning of life and the dreams that pass, evoking a sense of longing for what is lost.
Evidence in the book
- Past Joys
Memory makes the lost loved ones and home 'dear,' but for the enslaved, these memories bring only painful visions of what can never be regained.
- The Farewell
The speaker dwells on the fear of being forgotten and the bittersweet memory of a brief meeting.
- Life
The poem looks back on the bright morning of life and the dreams that pass, evoking a sense of longing for what is lost.
- Hours of Childhood
The entire poem is a meditation on memory, recalling the joys of childhood and the bittersweet longing for days gone by.