I Remember I Remember: Summary, notes, solutions

Get notes, line-by-line explanation, summary, questions and answers, critical analysis, word meanings, extras, and pdf of the poem I Remember, I Remember by Thomas Hood. However, the notes should only be treated for references and changes should be made according to the needs of the students.

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Summary of the poem

Thomas Hood’s “I Remember, I Remember” is a heartfelt dive into the world of nostalgia. It’s like opening an old photo album and getting lost in the memories of yesteryears.

The poem starts with Hood taking us back to his childhood home. He paints a vivid picture of a window where the morning sun would sneak a peek. But there’s a twist. While he cherishes these memories, he also hints at moments in his current life when he wishes the night would just sweep him away. It’s a stark reminder that adulthood isn’t always sunshine and roses.

Speaking of roses, Hood then takes us on a stroll through the gardens of his past. We see roses, violets, and even a robin setting up home in the lilacs. There’s a touching moment where he recalls his brother planting a tree on his birthday—a tree that’s still standing, a silent witness to the sands of time.

The next bit is all about the joys of being young and carefree. Hood reminisces about swinging and feeling as free as a bird. But, as with all good things, there’s a catch. That light-hearted spirit he once had? It’s now weighed down by the challenges of grown-up life.

Finally, Hood talks about those towering fir trees from his childhood days. He used to think they brushed the heavens. Realizing they don’t is a bit of a downer for him. It’s like waking up from a dream and realizing that maybe, just maybe, childhood was the closest he ever got to heaven.

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Critical analysis of the poem

“I Remember, I Remember” by Thomas Hood is a touching journey into the realm of childhood memories and the relentless march of time. The poem is drenched in nostalgia, drawing a stark contrast between the carefree days of youth and the burdens of adulthood.

The poem’s structure, with its four stanzas of eight lines each, mirrors the cyclical nature of memories, especially with the recurring phrase “I remember, I remember.” This rhyme scheme gives the poem a rhythmic heartbeat, making the memories pulse with life.

The phrase “I remember, I remember” isn’t just a repetition; it’s an echo, a heartbeat of the past that keeps resounding in the speaker’s mind. Hood’s imagery is so vivid that it feels like stepping into a painting. Take, for instance, the “little window where the sun / Came peeping in at morn.” It’s easy to visualize a calm morning scene. And the flowers – the “roses, red and white,” “violets,” “lily-cups,” and “lilacs” – they’re not just flowers; they’re symbols of a time when life was simpler and more innocent. But as the poem progresses, these light, airy images give way to the weightier reflections of adulthood.

Childhood in the poem feels like a dance, with the speaker’s “spirit [flying] in feathers.” But adulthood? It’s a stark contrast, with the spirit feeling “so heavy.” The realization that he’s now “farther off from heaven” than in his youth is a poignant acknowledgment of lost innocence and the looming shadow of mortality.

Nature isn’t just a backdrop in this poem; it’s a character. The sun, flowers, trees, and birds are all fragments of the speaker’s past. The laburnum tree, still standing tall, is a testament to memories that refuse to fade, even as the sands of time slip away.

The poem’s mood is like a gentle sigh – a mix of fond remembrance and a touch of heartache. There’s a palpable sense of longing, especially when the speaker admits, “But now, I often wish the night / Had borne my breath away!” It’s a transition from the warmth of memory to the chill of reality.

At its heart, Hood’s poem is a reflection on time’s relentless march and the journey from the innocence of childhood to the complexities of adulthood. It’s a reminder that while time moves on, memories, with their vivid colors and emotions, stay with us, forever etched in our hearts.

Line-by-line explanation of the poem

I remember, I remember, / The house where I was born,
The poet recalls with nostalgia the home of his earliest memories.

The little window where the sun / Came peeping in at morn;
He remembers a specific window in his childhood home where the morning sun would shine through.

He never came a wink too soon, / Nor brought too long a day,
The sun was always timely, neither rising too early nor setting too late.

But now, I often wish the night / Had borne my breath away!
In his current state, he sometimes wishes that the night had taken his life, indicating a sense of despair in adulthood.

I remember, I remember, / The roses, red and white,
He reminisces about the vibrant roses from his childhood.

The violets, and the lily-cups, / Those flowers made of light!
He recalls other flowers that seemed to glow with a special light.

The lilacs where the robin built, / And where my brother set
He remembers the lilac bushes where a bird built its nest and a memory involving his sibling.

The laburnum on his birth-day, / The tree is living yet!
A tree was planted on his brother’s birthday, and it still stands, symbolizing enduring memories.

I remember, I remember, / Where I was used to swing,
He recalls playing and swinging as a child.

And thought the air must rush as fresh / To swallows on the wing;
He felt the fresh air while swinging, comparing his joy to that of birds in flight.

My spirit flew in feathers then, / That is so heavy now,
His spirit was light and free during childhood but feels burdened in adulthood.

And summer pools could hardly cool / The fever on my brow!
He remembers the refreshing summer pools and the intense emotions of his youth.

I remember, I remember, / The fir trees dark and high;
He reminisces about the tall fir trees from his childhood.

I used to think their slender tops / Were close against the sky:
In his childhood, he believed the trees touched the sky.

It was a childish ignorance, / But now ’tis little joy
He realizes his naive childhood beliefs, and there’s less joy in knowing the reality now.

To know I’m farther off from heaven / Than when I was a boy!
He feels more distant from the bliss of childhood and closer to happiness as a child than he does now.

Additional questions and answers

Extract 1

I remember, I remember,
The house where I was born,
The little window where the sun
Came peeping in at morn;
He never came a wink too soon,
Nor brought too long a day,
But now, I often wish the night
Had borne my breath away!

(i) What does the poet recall about his childhood home?

Answer: The poet recalls the house where he was born and the little window through which the morning sun would shine.

(ii) How did the poet feel about the length of the day in his childhood?

Answer: The poet felt that the day was perfectly timed in his childhood, as the sun never came too early or stayed too long.

(iii) How does the poet’s current wish contrast with his childhood experiences?

Answer: The poet, now older, wishes that the night might have taken his breath away, contrasting with the joy and balance he felt in his childhood.

(iv) What is the significance of the poet mentioning the sun’s timing?

Answer: The sun’s timing symbolizes the perfect harmony the poet felt in his childhood, where everything seemed just right.

(v) What does the poet’s wish about the night suggest about his current state of mind?

Answer: The poet’s wish for the night to have “borne his breath away” suggests a sense of despair or dissatisfaction with his present life.

14. Does the poet portray childhood or adulthood more positively?

Answer: Childhood is portrayed more positively.

Additional/Extra MCQs

1. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

A. AABBCCDD B. ABABCDCD C. ABCBDEFE D. ABBACCAA

Answer: C. ABCBDEFE

2. What had the poet’s brother planted?

A. A rose bush B. A laburnum tree C. A bed of violets D. An oak tree

Answer: B. A laburnum tree

3. How does the poet’s spirit feel in adulthood?

A. Light as a feather B. Free as a bird C. Heavy as lead D. Smooth as silk

Answer: C. Heavy as lead

4. What cools the poet’s ‘fever’ in childhood?

A. The violets B. The oak tree C. The summer pools D. The roses

Answer: C. The summer pools

5. What type of trees did the poet think reached the sky?

A. Palm trees B. Pine trees C. Fir trees D. Apple trees

Answer: C. Fir trees

17. Which is portrayed more positively?

A. Adulthood B. School days C. Childhood D. Senior years

Answer: C. Childhood

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