When We Two Parted Sadness Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Line)

Quote #4

The dew of the morning
Sunk chill on my brow—
It felt like the warning
Of what I feel now. (9-12)

The idea of prediction or foreshadowing is picked up again. The chilly dew on his brow was a dead giveaway that he would feel really sad. Couldn't he have interpreted the "hour" and "dew" differently and pretended they didn't foretell anything? Just an idea.

Quote #5

A shudder comes o'er me—
Why wert thou so dear? (19-20)

We shudder when we're scared but also when we're upset. Clearly the speaker is sad and frustrated when he hears the woman's name. But his sadness and irritation stem from the fact that this woman meant so much to him. It's almost like he says "if only I didn't like you so much."

Quote #6

Long, long shall I rue thee,
Too deeply to tell. (23-24)

"Rue" is a really bizarre word to use here. Usually, we "rue" something we regret because it has a bunch of consequences we don't like (like that huge stomach ache you'll surely get if you eat an entire extra large pizza by yourself). Well, seeing as how that's the case, the speaker seems less sad and more regretful or annoyed. The plot thickens…