Death
In the poem, death is a central theme. It separates the speaker from her beloved and takes away her ability to enjoy a life without him. Death is present in both a physical and emotional form in the text. Physically, the speaker has lost a loved one and is visiting his grave. Emotionally, she too feels “cold,” and has lost all feeling since his death; her response to his death is almost corpse-like, as though she is physically existing but not truly living. Brontë seems to suggest that death not only causes loss, but can also take away the ability of people who are afflicted with grief to experience a continuation of their days.
Closure
Directly related to the theme of death, closure is also a significant thread in the poem. The speaker is seeking to find a way forward from the terrible loss in her life. Midway through the poem, there is a change in the speaker’s tone. Instead of being full of despair, she now exerts her defiance, trying to prevent her lover's death from taking over her life. She instead states that “existence could be cherished,” and that she deserves to witness the wonders of life and the world. Indeed, by the end, she begs her lover to “forgive” her for moving on with her life. Closure, as it is shown in the text, is a complex thing. The speaker wants to feel whole again, but also thinks that moving on would be disrespectful to her memory of her beloved.
Time
Time is repeatedly mentioned throughout the poem and is the theme underlying closure and death. The speaker is initially worried that time will make her forget her lover, and she notes that her memories of him "fade” as time passes since his death. At the same time, she is also worried that time is of the essence when it comes to her fulfilling her own life. In the end, she decides to make the most of the time she has by moving on from his death. Time is presented as something that heals the wound of her loss, but also as something that pushes her further and further away from the happy days she spent with her beloved.
