does anyone have an analysis or know where to find one for elizabeth barrett browning's "how do i love thee" (portuguese sonnet 43). i need it line by line. thanks.

Search on Google using the title. There should be plenty of references for this one.

Les

Of course, you could do this yourself. Look at each line, and turn it into plain English.

Example-

'How do I love thee ? Let me count the ways.'
***How much do I love you? Let's add it up.

Sonnet XLIII
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee ? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life !--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

pam

i need your help to analyze and give some explamation on some elizabeth browning poem's dealing with the theme of love. if don't mind please send it to my mail. your help will be my savior. thamk's . i'll count your help.




yours



bremen

surbakti, go here:

[www.emule.com]


Les

hi, this is my analysis of the poem:

This poem is describing the different ways in which she love the person, therefore defining her love.
this poem in a sonnet, a 14 line poem with a regular rhythm, rhyme and structure.
in the poem she is answering the question she has posed in the poems title and 1st line. lines 2-4 suggest her love is so vast it can't be measured, it has no beginning or end. she uses religious language in line 4 which suggests there is a purity and spiritual quality in her love. she equates her love to the best she can be. she loves him continuously and her love will endure for ever. she stresses her love is freely given in line 7, which emphasises the sacredness of her love.
the strength of her love is emphasised in lines 9- 10, this also gives the indication that she has seen sorrow in her past. her love is all consuming and envelopes ever part of her, this is seen in lines 12- 13. her love is so strong it will continue beyond her death.
the constant repetition of "I love thee" emphasises the strength of her love and its enduring quality. its rhythm is slow and stately which combined with the religious references contributes to the dignified solemn mood evoked by the poet.

hope this helps u understand the poem more!!

hi, its me again! i just found some more info on the poem, i thought it might be helpful to you!

The sonnet "43" by Elizabeth Browning is another strong expression of her love for her husband, Robert Browning, and serves as a conclusion or summary to Browning's other sonnets . This is a lyrical poem which is also happens to be an Italian/Petrarchan sonnet, and the fact that sonnets are, by tradition, love poems makes this a good way for Browning to express her love. Following the form of the Italian sonnet this poem has fourteen lines divided into two sets of eight and six with ten syllables on each line. Browning begins the poem as she poses the question, "How do I love thee?" and instead of the rising action in the first stanza and falling action in the second she quickly begins to bend the rules by bringing in parallel examples, which are usually seen in an English sonnet, lines 2-3, "I love thee to the depth and breadth and height/ My soul can reach." Brent Goodman a freelance writer and mentor in poetry suggests,
"In order to break the rules, a poet must first know and master the rules. Traditional sonnets are constructed using iambic pentameter, which consists of five stressed words and five unstressed per line... Barret Browning changes the traditional iambic pentameter right from the very fist line..."
this is true and can be seen in the he first line as ''How'' instead of "do" is accented. This is the case with many of Browning's sonnets. One reason for doing this could be that following the strict meter can create a very song like distraction to the reader, and this could distract from message of love she is trying to convey. This bending of rules in the sonnet can also give allusion as Browning bent the rules to be with, " a man her father never forgave her for marrying"( Goodman, ). It could also be to show how her love like the sonnet follows to no set rules. We see an example of this in lines 2-4, " I love thee to the depth and breadth and height/ My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight/ for the ends of Being and ideal Grace," traditionally each line would end with a punctuation, but these lines seem to flow together as though Browning used this technique to stress the passion she wants to convey to her loved one. The repetition of, "I love thee," in the sonnet makes this statement of love even more convincing.
Browning living during Victorian times and being very religious used diction that alludes to religion, but still is able to create images using these examples instead of day to day images we might recognize as representing love. In line 7, "I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;" is not only an example of her use of religion, but how she capitalizes those words, such as "Grace" and "Praise", throughout the sonnet to reflect upon her religious background. Use of diction such as this and words such as "thee" can be seen by the reader as having the characteristics of being language of the past, but in actuality are used because they are words that are pure like her love. By the end of the sonnet Browning's tone has become extremely passionate, and, "the ways in which she loves him suddenly take on more conviction; the poet is writing from the point of view of some one fighting against all odds"( Goodman, ). I agree with this as lines 12-13 shows us this passion with, " I love thee with the breath,/ Smiles, tears, of all my life!" At the end, "Browning has gone as far she can go to commit herself to love Robert Browning," ( Radley,102),and we see our ultimate resolution as Browning gives up to God (lines 13-14," and, if God choose/ I shall but love thee better after death.")the decision of whether this love is true.

It's an unusual sonnet in at least this respect. Rather than turning after line 12 or after line 8 to make a meaning clear, this one turns immediately after the question IN LINE 1 ! Whoa!

Look at her list of answers. Notice the strength of emotion building toward a sense of eternal love. P.S. -- This rascal is likely autobiographical from the "Portuguese" (as Robert Browning called E.B.B.).

It turns out that it isn't that unusual in a sonnet by EBB where the turn can never be counted upon to appear in a usual place.



Post Edited (01-04-04 15:12)

Can someone please help with this?

How does "The Tally Stick" by Jarold Ramsey and "How Do I Love Thee?" by Elizabeth Browning compare to the methods for summing up ways of loving?

The Tally Stick
by Jarold Ramsey

Here from the start, from our first of days, look:
I have carved our lives in secret on this stick
of mountain mahogany the length of your arms
outstretched, the wood clear red, so hard and rare.
It is time to touch and handle what we know we share.

Near the butt, this intricate notch where the grains
converge and join: it is our wedding.
I can read it through with a thumb and tell you now
who danced, who made up the songs, who meant us joy.
These little arrowheads along the grain,
they are the births of our children. See,
they make a kind of design with these heavy crosses,
the deaths of our parents, the loss of friends.

Over it all, as it goes, of course, I
have chiseled Events, History--random
hasmarks cut against the swirling grain.
See, here is the Year the World West Wrong,
we thought, and her the days the Great Men fell.
The lengthening runes of our lives run through it all.

See, our tally stick is whittled nearly end to end;
delicate as scrimshaw, it would not bear you up.
Regrets have polished it, hand over hand.
Yet, let us take it up, and as our fingers
like children leading on a trail cry back
our unforgotten wonders, sign after sign,
we will talk softly as of ordinary matters,
and in one another's blameless eyes go blind.

Found a pretty good website with a good explanation.

[www.emule.com]

Hope this helps!

please help me to find the analtsis of this poetry:
How do I love thee? by E.B.Browning.

Haven't read 'The Tally Stick' before. Nice poem. But slightly marred here by typos, apparently. Can't find the text elsewhere on Google. What are the correct lines 3, 4 and 5 of stanza 3?
Should 'hasmarks' be 'have marks'? (Could be 'has marks', but that would break the grammar).
Should it be 'World Went Wrong'?
Presumably it should be 'here the days'

Good questions. Here is where I found it:

[tinyurl.com]

Perhaps Stephen can find a better copy with Copernic?

i just wanted to say that its very thoughtful and kind of you to put your time and effort in posting this information for others to view it. thankyou.

Sir,
i need the whole analyisi of this poem "how do i love thee". i need it very badly. i hope u'll send it quickly. please send me its, stanza, all figure of speeches, scansion....please...i'll be very gradful if u do this. bye & take care...
toufiq...

Toufiqul, click on Flat View below your post and click on the responses above your post.

Les

There's a subtle difference between 'homework assistance' and 'do my homework for me.' Some of these folks just aren't getting it.

pam

Tut! Pam is just being an old meany. How are students to learn without the proper guidance? Clearly Lizzie was attempting to write a sonnet, but failed in many weighs. There is too much repetition for one thing, and it fails to provide a volta anywhere in it. Rhymes are weak, since ways does not rhyme with grace, which should not be capitalized of course. Nor should Being, Right and Praise for that matter. And where is the rhyme word to be paired with faith? Breath or death? I think not!

Candle light should not have a hyphen, sorry. Scansion is all over the place, the author trying to get exactly ten syllables in every line, without considering which syllables should be stressed in order to get five feet.


How do I love thee ? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life !--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.


I am just trying to help out as best I can here, so hopefully the poster will take all my suggestions for the essay and obtain the graded deserved.

The Tally Stick by Jarold Ramsey
I would like the explication on the poem above. thank you.

"How do I love thee, let me count the ways
ONE ONE-THOUSAND
TWO ONE-THOUSAND
THREE ONE-THOUSAND"

Roger Rabbit

Norma,

This isn't a homework request site, but an assistance site. We're happy to give you a hand, but you need to do the work.

Can you post the poem?

pam

It's way, way up the top of the thread, although I now see many typos in it.

I need help with the "The Tally Stick" and "How do I love Thee" comparing their love and differences. please help!!!!!

Alexis, click on "flat view" at the bottom of this post and read the responses above your own.

Les

hi there!! can you please help me in the analysis of the sonnet 43 How Do I Love Thee?

thanks

Agnes, click on the "flat view" hyperlink at the bottom of this page, then read all the posts above yours.

Les

I REALLY NEED TO KNOW THE USE OF STRUCTURE AND LANGUAGE OF "HOW DO I LOVE THEE?" AS THIS IS URGENTLY NEEDED. HOPE TO RECEIVE YOUR ANSWER TO MY QUESTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THNX
MALAK

I REALLY NEED TO KNOW THE USE OF STRUCTURE AND LANGUAGE OF "HOW DO I LOVE THEE?" AS THIS IS URGENTLY NEEDED. HOPE TO RECEIVE YOUR ANSWER TO MY QUESTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THNX
MALAK

Malak, go here:

[www.litencyc.com]


Les

please help me about this. I need it for my English 20 subject. He wants us to find any editorial content and give analysis about it. Please i need somebodys help.

Rowannie,

If this post of yours is not about Elizabeth Barrett Browning's sonnet 'How do I love thee ... ' , you should go to the top of this thread and click on New Topic and post your request as the start of a new thread.

Ian

I REALLY NEED SOME HELP ANALIZING ELIZABETH BROWNING"S SONNET> PLEASE HELP ASAP! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here you go Buddy:

[tinyurl.com]


Les

hey everyone

thanks so much for helping all of us out with this poem analysis. i was kind of out of it i guess when i read it the first time, but with all of your help, i was able to open my eyes a bit more and catch some of the things she was trying to convey

i really appreciate it and thanks for helping me with the assignment and not doing the assignment for me, which people here seem to think...

grazi

Yall are all mean!

I really need the help because my paper is due on Thursday..... Please help me I need the poem analyzed line by line.... Thanks

I really need the help because my paper is due on Thursday..... Please help me I need the poem analyzed line by line.... ThanksLassie wrote:

Jessica -

The first thing you need to do is take a deep breath. Then, once you've resumed normal respiration: relax and read the poem. Try reading it out loud. Try reading it slow. Try reading it a dozen times. You don't 'need the poem analyzed', you need to analyze the poem. No one should have to do it for you. Give it your best shot. Post some thoughts in this forum. After that, I'm sure many kind souls will be eager to help.

ch

I was reading this sonnet, and I have to intrepret it in a poetry panel for my writing class. The group was looking it over, and seeing all the religious ties, and wondering that if it might be also a poem to God in addition to her husband. We first thought of that, and then I did a little bio research. It seems like it might be a stretch, but I figured I'd ask for an opinion anyhow.

Seems a stretch, yes. You would likely have to prove that all the other Portuguese sonnets were to God as well.

[tinyurl.com]

Please analize the poem and sent to me by the e-mail that I give you

We'll get right to it, Anchalee.

Les

I found a couple of siteswith with the poem How Do I Love Thee by Elizabeth Browning. Site #1 is [quotations.about.com] and site #2 is [www.poets.org]. Hope this helps lord knows I wish I had it.

i love you.. thank you

Pam,

You seemed to have gotten off to a good start interpreting EBB's poem. I, like some others, am not good at interpretation. Can you, or someone you know, get past the first line?

BW

Bee, click on the discussions here:

[tinyurl.com]


Les

Bee,

The only way to get good at this is to work it out yourself- try these next lines-

"I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace."

The capitalization of Being and Grace tell us that she's talking about God in these lines. Post your interpretation, and we'll be happy to discuss it.

pam

Selfless sonnet - when she wrote this sonnet, E.B.B was in a state of melancholy depression; she was 38, - to be this age was seen to be old in the Victorian era of early death - had been an invalid for 6 years, and was worried that her heart would not make a sufficient gift to her husband as she did not have the prized attributes of beauty or youth to offer him.
This depression is evoked in the poem through her use of honesty, selflessness, and in particular through the way she dismisses the conventional tone of the love sonnet that praises the beautiful aspects of love, and instead refers to the hardship of love with references to "old griefs" "tears" and "death". Her honesty, passion and braveness are admirable, as is her husband's heartwarming reaction to her declaration of love: Robert reassured her that his love for her existed beyond the superficial 'attributes' of beauty and youth, he claimed he did not need a reason to love her - his love existed and that was all that mattered!

I just wanted to thank you guys... I was absolutley clueless but now at least I have some place to start at... Thanks!

I need help analyzing sonnet 38 on the structure, figurative and literal level. ALso help on Sonnet 36-When we met first and loved, I did not build. ANy help will be great. Thanks!

XXXVIII

First time he kissed me, he but only kissed
The fingers of this hand wherewith I write;
And ever since, it grew more clean and white,
Slow to world-greetings, quick with its 'Oh, list,'
When the angels speak. A ring of amethyst
I could not wear here, plainer to my sight,
Than that first kiss. The second passed in height
The first, and sought the forehead, and half missed,
Half falling on the hair. O beyond meed!
That was the chrism of love, which love's own crown,
With sanctifying sweetness, did precede.
The third upon my lips was folded down
In perfect, purple state; since when, indeed,
I have been proud and said, 'My love, my own.'


She doesn't say where he planted the fourth or subsequent kisses, and I am much too refined to hazard a guess. List must be an archaic 'listen'. Amethyst reinforces the 'purple' theme. Meed must be synonymous with 'gift' and not a pun on mead. Chrism is 'holy oil', used for anointing, but I'm not speculating where she may be going with such a reference.

I'm not clear what you want insofar as 'structure, figurative and literal level' goes, but its structure is yet another Petrarchan sonnet, lacking the volta, which is normal for Liz. Figurative and literal you will have to explain to me, sorry.


XXXVI

When we met first and loved, I did not build
Upon the event with marble. Could it mean
To last, a love set pendulous between
Sorrow and sorrow? Nay, I rather thrilled,
Distrusting every light that seemed to gild
The onward path, and feared to overlean
A finger even. And, though I have grown serene
And strong since then, I think that God has willed
A still renewable fear . . . O love, O troth . . .
Lest these enclasp�d hands should never hold,
This mutual kiss drop down between us both
As an unowned thing, once the lips being cold.
And Love, be false! if he, to keep one oath,
Must lose one joy, by his life's star foretold.


Hmmm, let's see now. Marble must symbolize enduring or long lasting, so she did not at first believe their relationship might long survive. Between sorrow and sorrow is obscure, and is possibly a private thought shared by only Liz and Bob. But last they did, so that point may be moot. She still has a renewable fear that the relationship might someday fail. Does the cold lips reference mean death, or merely loss of passion? Dunno. The last two lines probably hold the most message, but I will leave that conjecture to you.

grace, which should not be capitalized of course. Nor should Being, Right and Praise for that matter

actually, many Christians would argue with this.

- - - - -

Is it just me, or does this poem hang all wrong? Seems too fake.

Hey Hugh clary. Thank You! I mainly need help on the figurative level of my research paper. For example the tone, word connotation, figurative devices such as similes, metaphors, hyperboles, etc. I would really appreciate it if you can at least guide me towards the direction in finding information on such things or if you canriefly explain it to me. Thank You so much!!!!!!!

Hana, go here:

[www.poeticbyway.com]


Les

Thank You les.

i need a comparison to the poem "how do i love thee" for e.b. browning
and the other poem "the tally stick " by jarold ramsey

i need a comparison to the poem "how do i love thee" for e.b. browning
and the other poem "the tally stick " by jarold ramsey

hi, tijen...was just passing through when I chanced upon your thoughts on EBB's sonnet 43, which I also needed. thanks a lot, and to s. bremen, too, for throwing the question forward.

hi riza,

thanx for your kind gestures, i'm just glad that i was of some help to you and anyone else who may have stumbled across my postings!

:)

i need the data analysis that related to love theme in sonnets from the portuguese .this is for my thesis .thank you

what is THE data analysis? All sonnets?

What, we're programming now?

pam

Please,please,please, somebody help me to find the analysis about grief, the whole analysis, about the sound devices, structural devices and sense devices. Thanks before.

hi,
i need some assistance to use sonnet to analyze and explain how the two parts of the poem combine to create the total effect neither part could achieve indepently.

What two parts? There is supposed to be an octave and a sestet in the petrarchan sonnet form, but I cannot see such a break (volta) in EBB's.

i need the data analysis that related to love theme in sonnets this is for my thesis .Also I NEED TO KNOW THE USE OF STRUCTURE AND LANGUAGE OF "HOW DO I LOVE THEE?" I HOPE TO RECEIVE YOUR ANSWER TO MY QUESTION.
thank you

Hey i am just writing an essay on EBB's sonnet 43 (how do i love thee?.......) comparing it to Shakespeare's sonnet 138. I have already analyzed his on its own, but i am having trouble with hers.
Can anyone help me please? Mainly lines-:
4 - For the ends of being and ideal Grace.
9 and 10 - I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
11 and part of 12 - I love thee with a love i seemed to lose
With my lost saints,

yeah those lines esp. but anything else will be appreciated! thanks

Vicky

Can someone analyze lines 9-14 of "How Do I Love Thee..." I have managed to get up to line 8 but the reference to her childhood has me somewhat confused. Thanks!

The trusting faith that one finds in childhood. Innocent belief, that is. Before those illusions are lost from the blows of experience.

hey guys,

i understand the poem 'how do i love thee?', but if i was asked to analyse the change during the poem, and how her comparisons become more elaborate, i would get a bit stuck!! please could someone help? thankx

pls. supply the characteristics of a sonnet especially that of Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

[www.sonnets.org]