ANTHOLOGY- sonnet 43 Flashcards
“how do i love thee”
direct address- makes the poem personal, rhetorical question- creates reflective medative mood almost voyeuristic, colloquial term of endearment
“i love thee to the depth and breadth and height”
plosives rhyme, evokes their passion , melodic assonant phrase, spartial metaphor- uses standard measurements to measure something hard to measure, love’s everything about him, internal rhyme
“when feeling out of sight”
stretches herself into unknown territory for love
“every day’s most quiet needs”
needs him like she needs water, food and hair etc. she will provide him with everything he wants, humbles heralded to keep her husband happy
“i love thee freely as men strive for right “
grandiose simile- love is fundamental and instinctive ad the difference between right and wrong, a protest, right = mortality - reference to her rebellion against her father as he owned slaves
“by sun and candlelight “
loves him through day & night, youth & old age, passion & calmness
“ i love thee purely”
without desire for praise , love is untarnished; perfect
“Praise”
capitalised, glorification, idolatorous language, idolises him , emotionally powerful phrase, religious beliefs more powerful back then
“and with my childhood’s faith”
defying her father
“smiles, tears, of all my life”
everything about her belongs to him, hyperbolic phrase
“i shall but love thee better after death”
eternal, emphasises the extent of her passion
elizabeth barrett browning (1806-1861)
victorian poet- influenced by romantics, appropriates the classic form, abolitionist
