Oh Death Rock Me Asleep
Encyclopedia
"Oh Death Rock Me Asleep" is a Tudor-era
poem, usually attributed to Anne Boleyn
. It was written shortly before her execution in 1536.
. However, the evidence for her authorship entirely conclusive. It has been postulated that it was in fact written by Anne's brother Lord Rochford
.
or trimeter
. At the end of each major stanza there is a refrain, varying slightly, about the nearing of death and it being inevitable.
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
poem, usually attributed to Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
. It was written shortly before her execution in 1536.
Full Text
Authorship
The poem is generally attributed to Anne Boleyn., and is assumed to have been composed whilst she was imprisoned in the Tower of LondonTower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
. However, the evidence for her authorship entirely conclusive. It has been postulated that it was in fact written by Anne's brother Lord Rochford
George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford
George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford was an English courtier and nobleman, and the brother of queen consort Anne Boleyn...
.
Analysis
The poem was written in the last days of Anne's life, and is a reflection on her suffering. In it she observes that her end cannot be avoided, and that it will at least give her peace and an escape from her present sufferings.Structure
The poem has a fairly loose structure, with most lines either being tetrameterTetrameter
Tetrameter: [ti'tramitə]; te·tram·e·ter; a verse of four measuresOrigin: early 17th century : from late Latin tetrametrus, originally neuter from Greek tetrametros 'having four measures,' from tetra- 'four' + metron 'measure'....
or trimeter
Trimeter
In poetry, a trimeter is a metre of three metrical feet per line—example:...
. At the end of each major stanza there is a refrain, varying slightly, about the nearing of death and it being inevitable.