The Power of Love in “Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Biographical Material Born in 1806, Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning spent her early years studying the works of writers such as John Milton and William Shakespeare. Before starting to write herself, she developed a respiratory illness and suffered a spinal injury that resulted in her being labeled as an invalid (Brackett). Despite all of her health issues, Barrett lived a full literary life and published her first major collection in 1838 titled The Seraphim and Other Poems. In the following years, Barrett lost her beloved brother, Edward, and the tragedy inspired her to keep writing (“Celebrating English Poets & Poetry”). In 1844, her collection titled Poems was published which caught the eye of a well-known poet, Robert Browning. Browning wrote Elizabeth Barrett a letter, which turned into nearly 600 more over the next two years. Thus starting a new chapter in Robert and Elizabeth Browning’s life (Flesch). In 1846, Barrett and Browning were married, much to the displeasure of her father and never spoke with his daughter again. This newly found love inspired a new side to Barrett Browning’s work as they moved to Italy in 1849 and had their first child (“Celebrating English Poets & Poetry”). A year later she released Sonnets …show more content…
Written as personal love poems to her husband, Robert Browning, the sonnets are meant to express her own personal feelings. This poem, in particular, speaks to the question of “How do I love thee?” (1) or the depth of a person’s love for another. Her love is boundless and goes to “the depth and breadth and height / My soul can reach” (2-3). He brings back a love and passion that she lost with her innocence as a child and she continues to love her with every fiber of her being. The speaker ends by declaring that her love will only grow stronger after death “if God choose”
Biographical Material Born in 1806, Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning spent her early years studying the works of writers such as John Milton and William Shakespeare. Before starting to write herself, she developed a respiratory illness and suffered a spinal injury that resulted in her being labeled as an invalid (Brackett). Despite all of her health issues, Barrett lived a full literary life and published her first major collection in 1838 titled The Seraphim and Other Poems. In the following years, Barrett lost her beloved brother, Edward, and the tragedy inspired her to keep writing (“Celebrating English Poets & Poetry”). In 1844, her collection titled Poems was published which caught the eye of a well-known poet, Robert Browning. Browning wrote Elizabeth Barrett a letter, which turned into nearly 600 more over the next two years. Thus starting a new chapter in Robert and Elizabeth Browning’s life (Flesch). In 1846, Barrett and Browning were married, much to the displeasure of her father and never spoke with his daughter again. This newly found love inspired a new side to Barrett Browning’s work as they moved to Italy in 1849 and had their first child (“Celebrating English Poets & Poetry”). A year later she released Sonnets …show more content…
Written as personal love poems to her husband, Robert Browning, the sonnets are meant to express her own personal feelings. This poem, in particular, speaks to the question of “How do I love thee?” (1) or the depth of a person’s love for another. Her love is boundless and goes to “the depth and breadth and height / My soul can reach” (2-3). He brings back a love and passion that she lost with her innocence as a child and she continues to love her with every fiber of her being. The speaker ends by declaring that her love will only grow stronger after death “if God choose”