I Think Of Thee Flashcards
C : Victorian Gender Stereotypes
Women were thought to be dependant upon strong, supportive males, that earned money and worked, while women took care of children and worked around the house.
C : Elizabeth Barret-Browning brought up in…
A strong Christian Household — Much of her poetry reflects her Christian beliefs.
C : Fathers view on the relationships?
Father opposed the relationship, causing the couples meeting to be difficult. Elizabeth expresses her feelings and thoughts in poetic form
C : Full biographical details.
Elizabeth Barrett-Browning was born on 6th March 1806 and died on 29th June 1861.
She wrote poems from the age of 6 and became a well-known and popular poet during her lifetime; she was a rival to Tennyson for Poet Laureate.
© She was an opponent of child labour and slavery.
© Robert Browning, another poet, wrote to tell her how much he admired her work and they met on 20th May 1845. She was six years older than him.
© Her father opposed the relationship and it was often difficult to meet, so she had to express her feelings and thoughts in poetic form.
© They married and moved to Italy in 1846, as the climate was considered better for Elizabeth’s frail health. Elizabeth’s father disowned her for marrying Robert, whom he considered of a lower class.
© They had one son, Robert, whom they called Pen, in 1849.
What does the poem reflect?
How difficult it was for her to see Browning due to her father. How desperate she was to see him and be with his physically.
C : Poem comes from a collection called…
This reflects what?
‘Songs from the Portuguese’
Many love poems to browning. His nickname for her was ‘my little Portuguese’ because of her skin colour.
C: fashionable to be pale for women who didn’t work outside- she was also ill.
Secret meaning - telling him how much she loves him.
“My thoughts do twine and bud about thee, as a wild vine, about a tree”
L : Extended metaphor developed using natural imagery.
-Her thoughts are vines
- she wants to be close to him, dependant on him.
- all thoughts revolve around him
Adjective “wild” is sexual, passionate and uncontrollable
“My”
L : Possessive Pronoun. They belong together
“Twine”
L : Verb. Cerebral (describing her thoughts) .
-her desire to physically be with him.
-physically and sexually entwine
“Straggling”
L : Adjective. Lingering and difficult to control.
“Hide the wood”
Doesn’t want to just be thinking about him. She wants to be with him physically.
Thoughts get in the way of reality of him (obscure)
“Palm-tree”
L : Metaphorically comparing Barret-Browning. Strong and supportive, she is dependant on him.
C : In the bible they symbolise moral goodness and wisdom. BB was a devoted Christian hence her use of Christian symbolism, she was brought up in a Christian house.
I : very tall so implies she may look up to him in admiration.
“ I will not have my thoughts instead of thee who art dearer, better!”
Tone: anger and desperation
Emphasises her desire for his physical presence, rather than her obscuring thoughts.
“Strong”
L : Adjective.
C : Victorian masculinity where men should be strong and supporting to women, both physically and emotionally.
“Renew”
“Instantly”
L : Verb.
BB should come BACK to her.
L : Adverb
She wants him now and can’t bare to wait
