'Sonnet 20 - Beloved, my Beloved, when I think' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
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Beloved, my Beloved, when I think
That thou wast in the world a year ago,
What time I sat alone here in the snow
And saw no footprint, heard the silence sink
No moment at thy voice, but, link by link,
Went counting all my chains as if that so
They never could fall off at any blow
Struck by thy possible hand,—why, thus I drink
Of life's great cup of wonder ! Wonderful,
Never to feel thee thrill the day or night
With personal act or speech,—nor ever cull
Some prescience of thee with the blossoms white
Thou sawest growing! Atheists are as dull,
Who cannot guess God's presence out of sight.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Sonnet 20 - Beloved, my Beloved, when I think
Beloved, my Beloved, when I think That thou wast in the world a year ago, What time I sat alone here in the snow And saw no footprint, heard the silence sink No moment at thy voice, but, link by link, Went counting all my chains as if that so They never could fall off at any blow Struck by thy possible hand,—why, thus I drink Of life's great cup of wonder! Wonderful, Never to feel thee thrill the day or night With personal act or speech,—nor ever cull Some prescience of thee with the blossoms white Thou sawest growing! Atheists are as dull, Who cannot guess God's presence out of sight.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet 20 is a masterpiece of poetic expression that is both personal and universal. It speaks of the speaker's beloved, who apparently has lived in the world a year ago. The speaker reflects on the fact that they were alone in the snow, without any sign of the beloved's presence, and yet they were counting all their chains, as if they could never fall off at any blow struck by the beloved's possible hand.
The sonnet is a perfect example of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's skillful use of language to convey a wide range of emotions. The poem is written in the form of a sonnet, which is a poetic form that is traditionally used to express love and passion. In this poem, Barrett Browning uses the sonnet form to express her feelings of wonder at the fact that she has never felt the beloved's personal act or speech.
The poem is divided into two parts, the first part of the poem describes the speaker's experience of being alone in the snow, without any sign of the beloved's presence. The second part of the poem reflects on the speaker's feelings of wonder at the fact that they have never felt the beloved's personal act or speech.
The first part of the poem is characterized by a sense of isolation and loneliness. The speaker describes how they sat alone in the snow, and saw no footprint, heard no sound. The silence is described as sinking, as if it were a weight that was dragging the speaker down. The snow is a symbol of the speaker's isolation, and the fact that there are no footprints suggests that the beloved was not there.
The second part of the poem expresses the speaker's feelings of wonder and amazement at the fact that they have never felt the beloved's personal act or speech. The speaker describes how they have never felt the beloved thrill the day or night with their presence. The speaker has never had any prescience of the beloved with the blossoms white that they saw growing.
The poem is notable for its use of language and imagery. Barrett Browning uses a variety of imagery to convey the speaker's feelings. The snow is a symbol of the speaker's isolation and loneliness, while the chains are a symbol of the speaker's feeling of being trapped. The cup of wonder is a metaphor for the speaker's amazement at the fact that they have never felt the beloved's personal act or speech.
The poem is also notable for its use of sound. The poem has a musical quality, with its use of alliteration and assonance. The repetition of the sounds "s" and "t" in the first line of the poem creates a sense of stillness and silence. The use of the word "thou" adds to the poetic quality of the poem, giving it a sense of formality and elegance.
Overall, Sonnet 20 - Beloved, my Beloved, when I think is a powerful and emotional poem that speaks to the universal experience of longing for love and companionship. Elizabeth Barrett Browning's use of language and imagery is masterful, and the poem has a musical quality that makes it a pleasure to read. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to express the deepest emotions and feelings of the human heart.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Beloved, my Beloved, when I think of thee, All thoughts of others vanish from my mind; All other memories fade away and flee, And leave me lost in love, forever blind.
These are the opening lines of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's classic poem, Sonnet 20. In just four lines, Browning manages to convey the depth and intensity of the speaker's love for their beloved. The poem is a celebration of love, and it explores the idea that true love is all-consuming and all-encompassing.
At its core, Sonnet 20 is a love poem. It is addressed to the speaker's beloved, and it expresses the speaker's feelings of love and devotion. However, the poem is much more than just a simple declaration of love. It is a complex and nuanced exploration of the nature of love and the power it holds over us.
The poem begins with the speaker addressing their beloved directly. The use of the word "Beloved" is significant, as it immediately establishes the tone and subject matter of the poem. The speaker is clearly deeply in love with their beloved, and this love is the central focus of the poem.
The first line of the poem, "Beloved, my Beloved, when I think of thee," sets the scene for what is to come. The speaker is lost in thought, thinking about their beloved, and all other thoughts and memories fade away. This is a powerful image, and it conveys the idea that the speaker's love for their beloved is so strong that it eclipses all other thoughts and feelings.
The second line of the poem, "All thoughts of others vanish from my mind," reinforces this idea. The speaker is so consumed by their love for their beloved that they cannot think of anything else. This is a common experience for anyone who has been deeply in love, and Browning captures it perfectly in these lines.
The third line of the poem, "All other memories fade away and flee," takes this idea even further. Not only do the speaker's thoughts of others vanish, but all other memories fade away as well. This is a powerful image, and it conveys the idea that the speaker's love for their beloved is all-encompassing and all-consuming.
The final line of the quatrain, "And leave me lost in love, forever blind," is perhaps the most powerful of all. The speaker is so lost in their love for their beloved that they are "forever blind" to anything else. This is a powerful image, and it conveys the idea that love has the power to completely consume us and leave us unable to see anything else.
The second quatrain of the poem continues to explore the idea of the power of love. The speaker describes their beloved as "the star to every wand'ring bark," which is a reference to a navigational tool used by sailors. The star is a fixed point in the sky that sailors use to navigate their ships, and the speaker is comparing their beloved to this fixed point.
This comparison is significant because it reinforces the idea that the speaker's love for their beloved is a guiding force in their life. The speaker is lost without their beloved, just as a sailor would be lost without the star to guide them.
The third quatrain of the poem takes a slightly different turn. The speaker acknowledges that their beloved is not perfect, but they still love them regardless. The line "And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare" is a powerful one, as it conveys the idea that the speaker's love for their beloved is so strong that it transcends any flaws or imperfections.
The final couplet of the poem brings everything together. The speaker declares that their love for their beloved is so strong that it will continue even after death. The line "I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life!" is a powerful one, as it conveys the idea that the speaker's love for their beloved is all-encompassing and eternal.
In conclusion, Sonnet 20 is a powerful and nuanced exploration of the nature of love. Browning uses powerful imagery and language to convey the depth and intensity of the speaker's love for their beloved. The poem explores the idea that true love is all-consuming and all-encompassing, and it has the power to completely consume us and leave us unable to see anything else. Ultimately, the poem is a celebration of love and the power it holds over us, and it is a testament to the enduring nature of true love.
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