When We Two Parted (poem) by Lord Byron

When We Two Parted                                                                                       Lord Byron

The poem “When We Two Parted” is a lyric, each stanza having the rhyme scheme ‘ababcdcd’.  The poem is written by Lord Byron in melancholy tone. Although the poet is a jilted lover, he does not show any feeling of hatred towards his lady love. The poet is very sad, but has no intention to take revenge upon her, although she betrayed him.

Their relationship was based on ‘platonic love’ because the poet says that ‘her vows are all broken’ which shows that they were united by means of vows (ideal love) and not by physical sex. Similarly the phrase ’half-broken hearted” indicates that their love was not perfect because the lady was not sad or broken hearted.

In the poem “When We Two Parted” Byron tells us how he was betrayed by the infidelity of his beloved. When they parted, she kissed him, but it was, in his view, a cold kiss that shows the end of their relationship. She had a secret affair with another man and thus she broke all the vows between the poet and herself.. Others told the speaker about her bad reputation and it was a shame to him. On hearing about her infidelity, he was shocked because he had such deep love for her. It was a death bell to his ear. He asks ”why she became so dear to him?” He cannot forget her; such was his love for her. In the end of the poem the speaker says that if the poet meets her after a long period of absence, he may greet her in silence and tears, for, although she has betrayed him, she is still the goddess of love in his heart.