Sonnet 29 Flashcards
Written in
1846
Written by
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
About
Intense longing for her lover, Robert Browning
Name of form
Petrarchan sonnet
Layout
Octave and sestet
Volta
Line 7 (usually line 9)
Why is this form used
To restrain her intense thoughts
What is this form typical in
Love poems
What creates the caesura
Exclamation mark - emphasises longing
Why is the volta early
Highlights impatience
What is the rhythm
Iambic pentameter
Any exceptions to rhythm
‘Thee’ is used three times as an 11th syllable - she is so obsessed she can’t control mentioning him, emphasised by rhymes of ‘hear’ ‘near’ ‘insphere’ before each ‘thee’
Significance of rhythm
Iambic pentameters were outdated at the time so her lover must have thought the poem was excellent to have encouraged her to publish it
Rhyme scheme
ABBAABBACBCBCB
Significance of rhyme
B rhyme runs throughout, four are ‘thee’ - she is obsessed with him
Imagery is mainly
Natural
Extended metaphor
Her thoughts are ‘wild vines’, her lover is a ‘strong tree’
How are the ‘wild vines’ described
‘straggling’ - her thoughts are inferior to his presence like vines are inferior to a tree
Sibilance quote
‘As a strong tree should’
Effect of sibilance
Reflects leaves rustling - emphasising extended metaphor
What type of tree is he compared to
‘palm-tree’
Effect of the particular tree
Palm trees commonly found at oases - he is her oasis: her reason to keep believing despite the struggle she has controlling her ‘wild’ emotions
‘Broad’
Emphasises intensity of the love
‘Heavily’
Leaves are light - the weight of her thoughts highlights her obsession
‘Twine’
He is part of her now and she is reliant on him
‘I do not think of thee’
Her thoughts cannot compare to his presence - she is ‘too near’
Structure highights
Begins and ends with a line about ‘thee’ - but there is a difference between thinking about him and being with him
“Because”
Plosive sound highlights the conclusion of her argument that she loves being with him
Imperative examples
“Renew”, “rustle” - alliteration emphasises how she wants him to act
List of three
”- burst, shattered everywhere” - so many ways of expressing how his presence replaces her thoughts, emphasising excitement - helped by caesura creating dramatic effect
’-‘
Breathlessness
’!’
Conveys the joy she feels talking about her lover
‘Nought to see’
She is oblivious to any imperfections her lover may have
‘Thee’
refers specifically to one person - he is her true love, no-one else will do; rhymes ‘thee’ with ‘thee’ conveying obsession
‘Breathe new air’
Could refer to her lover making her forget about the intense head and spinal pain she suffered from
‘Set thy trunk all bare’
Possible erotic reference which goes against common expectations of women at the time - perhaps due to her Romantic views of expressing emotion - highlights the strength of her longing for him
