I found Elizabeth Barrett Browning to be a strong contrast to some of the other female authors we have read. Wealthy and well-educated, she provides a different perspective of the modern age. Though I found some of her writings simplistic, I believe her works are inspiring.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning calls poets to write about contemporary issues, which is what she does in the 43rd piece of Sonnets from the Portuguese. This is one of the most quoted pieces in literature. She writes to express her feelings to her husband, Robert Browning. The first two lines were instantly familiar to me:
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways./ I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
I think Barrett Browning is trying to show the extremities of her love and provide an introduction to the list of reasons to follow. When she says "depth and breadth and height" it seems as though she has an intangible connection with Robert that may not always be apparent.
In line 5, Barrett Browning says:
I love thee to the level of everyday's
I think this further shows her intense feelings as she says that she loves him like the things she experiences everyday. Even the mundane and usual things are still important.
Lines 10-11 read:
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith./ I love thee with a love I seemed to lose/ With my lost saints,
Here Barrett Browning describes her faith in her love of Robert. She compares it to the faith she had in her childhood; children have blind, unfailing faith and doubt very little. As she grows old, she won't lose this passion. She can always love like a child. The last part of this quote implies that she may have lost her faith in other worldly things, but she will not lose her faith in the love of her husband. Her love may even be better after death.
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4 comments:
I love the fact that she was forbidden to love and marry, yet she was willing to risk it all forthe man that she loved. It was through her poetry that she and her lover communicated openly and with no regrets and limitations. She risked it all,being ostrasized and disowned by her family for the love of her life.
I found it rewarding that she stood boldly in her writings against the human inequalities that the people endured.
Kelly,
Good posting on Browning's sonnet, and good selection of quotations for discussion. Your analysis, however, doesn't seem to go as deep or be as insightful as some of your previous postings. Perhaps because she struck you as "simplistic," you didn't look as far into it?
Kelly,
I agree with this post entirely. I enjoyed how throughout her poetry she displayed the same amount of love for Robert. EBB is probably my favorite author that we have read during this course because I felt I could identify with her. I believe you use very good quotes to make the points you argue.
This is one of the most powerful love pieces in history. You make some good points on the love of a child.
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