If You Forget Me
Analysis for “If You Forget Me”
As a world renowned poem, “If You Forget Me”, which was written by Pablo Neruda, can be considered as the benchmark in literary circles, not only because of its excellent use of language, but also a variety of literary devices that are included.
The most obvious device that is used in this poem is metaphor. Although it seems to be as a love poem for author’s beloved, it can also be considered a kind of love that the author devotes to his homeland. As the background of this poem that I have researched, “If You Forget Me” was written during the era of political unrest in Chile, and Pablo Neruda had to exile to foreign countries. However, Neruda never forgot his homeland where he still wanted to contribute his whole life for. Thus, according to the dialect, “If I look at the crystal moon at the red branch of the slow autumn at my window, If I touch near the fire, the impalpable ash or the wrinkled body of the log, Everything carries me to you” Pablo Neruda provides a metaphor to the readers to illustrate that whether he lives in peace or in danger, he would still be willing to struggle for his homeland if the country needed him. In fact, the imageries of “crystal moon” and “red branch of the slow autumn” are coincident to the author’s mood, because “moon” and “autumn” are able to convey a homesick feeling to the readers. In addition, land and roots are examples that are used as metaphor. “To leave me at the shore of the heart where I have roots” implies that Neruda is perhaps a tree rooted at shore, and he must use the elements of the land to survive. He made a comparison between his heart and the nature force of the shore in order to illustrate his deep love for his beloved. Besides, he knows that the deeper he loves the deeper he would get hurt. Hence, if she suddenly stops providing him her love, he must let go of her so that he can carry on.
Furthermore, the literary device of imagery is used throughout the poem as well. As
As a world renowned poem, “If You Forget Me”, which was written by Pablo Neruda, can be considered as the benchmark in literary circles, not only because of its excellent use of language, but also a variety of literary devices that are included.
The most obvious device that is used in this poem is metaphor. Although it seems to be as a love poem for author’s beloved, it can also be considered a kind of love that the author devotes to his homeland. As the background of this poem that I have researched, “If You Forget Me” was written during the era of political unrest in Chile, and Pablo Neruda had to exile to foreign countries. However, Neruda never forgot his homeland where he still wanted to contribute his whole life for. Thus, according to the dialect, “If I look at the crystal moon at the red branch of the slow autumn at my window, If I touch near the fire, the impalpable ash or the wrinkled body of the log, Everything carries me to you” Pablo Neruda provides a metaphor to the readers to illustrate that whether he lives in peace or in danger, he would still be willing to struggle for his homeland if the country needed him. In fact, the imageries of “crystal moon” and “red branch of the slow autumn” are coincident to the author’s mood, because “moon” and “autumn” are able to convey a homesick feeling to the readers. In addition, land and roots are examples that are used as metaphor. “To leave me at the shore of the heart where I have roots” implies that Neruda is perhaps a tree rooted at shore, and he must use the elements of the land to survive. He made a comparison between his heart and the nature force of the shore in order to illustrate his deep love for his beloved. Besides, he knows that the deeper he loves the deeper he would get hurt. Hence, if she suddenly stops providing him her love, he must let go of her so that he can carry on.
Furthermore, the literary device of imagery is used throughout the poem as well. As