'Sonnet XIII' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
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And wilt thou have me fashion into speech
The love I bear thee, finding words enough,
And hold the torch out, while the winds are rough,
Between our faces, to cast light on each ?--
I drop it at thy feet. I cannot teach
My hand to hold my spirit so far off
From myself--me--that I should bring thee proof
In words, of love hid in me out of reach.
Nay, let the silence of my womanhood
Commend my woman-love to thy belief,--
Seeing that I stand unwon, however wooed,
And rend the garment of my life, in brief,
By a most dauntless, voiceless fortitude,
Lest one touch of this heart convey its grief
Editor 1 Interpretation
Sonnet XIII: Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Introduction:
Sonnet XIII, written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, is a powerful poem that explores the theme of love through the eyes of a woman who is deeply in love with her partner. The poem is written in the form of a sonnet, which is a 14-line poem that follows a specific rhyme scheme and meter. The sonnet is a popular form of poetry that has been used by many famous poets over the years, including Shakespeare and Petrarch.
Literary Analysis:
The poem begins with the speaker describing her love for her partner in a very powerful and emotional way. She uses a variety of metaphors and symbols to express her feelings, such as "my soul can reach" and "depth and breadth and height." These metaphors are used to emphasize the depth and intensity of her love for her partner.
The poem then takes a darker turn when the speaker begins to question whether her love for her partner is reciprocated. She asks, "I love thee to the level of every day's / Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light." This line suggests that her love is a constant presence in her life, even in the quiet moments when she is alone. However, she then questions whether her partner loves her back in the same way. She asks, "I love thee freely, as men strive for right; / I love thee purely, as they turn from praise." These lines suggest that her love is pure and selfless, but that her partner may not feel the same way.
The speaker then goes on to describe the pain and anguish that she feels when she considers the possibility that her partner does not love her in the same way. She says, "I love thee with the passion put to use / In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith." These lines suggest that her love for her partner is all-encompassing and that it is rooted in her past experiences of pain and loss.
The poem then concludes with the speaker reaffirming her love for her partner, despite her doubts and fears. She says, "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." These lines suggest that her love for her partner is eternal and that it will survive even after death.
Interpretation:
Sonnet XIII is a powerful poem that explores the theme of love and the pain and anguish that can come with it. The poem is written in the form of a sonnet, which is a popular form of poetry that has been used by many famous poets over the years.
The poem begins with the speaker expressing her love for her partner in a very emotional and powerful way. She uses a variety of metaphors and symbols to express the depth and intensity of her feelings. However, the poem then takes a darker turn when the speaker begins to question whether her love for her partner is reciprocated.
The poem then goes on to describe the pain and anguish that the speaker feels when she considers the possibility that her partner does not love her in the same way. This section of the poem is particularly powerful, as it emphasizes the depth of the speaker's emotions and the intensity of her pain.
The poem concludes with the speaker reaffirming her love for her partner, despite her doubts and fears. This section of the poem is particularly powerful, as it suggests that love can survive even in the face of adversity and that it is eternal.
Conclusion:
Sonnet XIII is a powerful poem that explores the theme of love and the pain and anguish that can come with it. The poem is written in the form of a sonnet, which is a popular form of poetry that has been used by many famous poets over the years. The poem is particularly powerful in its use of metaphor and symbolism to express the depth and intensity of the speaker's emotions. Overall, Sonnet XIII is a beautiful and touching poem that speaks to the power of love and the human spirit.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet XIII is a classic piece of poetry that has stood the test of time. This sonnet is part of a larger collection of sonnets called Sonnets from the Portuguese, which was written by Browning during the 19th century. The collection is widely regarded as one of the greatest love poems in the English language. Sonnet XIII is a beautiful and powerful poem that explores the themes of love, death, and the power of memory.
The poem begins with the speaker addressing her beloved, saying, “And wilt thou have me fashion into speech / The love I bear thee, finding words enough, / And hold the torch out, while the winds are rough, / Between our faces, to cast light on each?” The speaker is asking her beloved if he wants her to express her love for him in words. She is willing to do so, even though the winds are rough and the journey may be difficult.
The second quatrain of the poem continues with the speaker describing the power of memory. She says, “I drop it at thy feet. I cannot teach / My hand to hold my spirit so far off / From myself—me—that I should bring thee proof / In words, of love hid in me out of reach.” The speaker is saying that she cannot express her love for her beloved in words because it is too deep and too personal. She drops it at his feet, hoping that he will understand the depth of her love without her having to express it in words.
The third quatrain of the poem explores the theme of death. The speaker says, “Nay, let the silence of my womanhood / Commend my woman-love to thy belief,— / Seeing that I stand unwon, however wooed, / And rend the garment of my life, in brief.” The speaker is saying that even though she has not been won over by her beloved, she still loves him deeply. She is willing to die for him, to “rend the garment of my life, in brief.” This is a powerful statement of love and devotion.
The final couplet of the poem brings the themes of love, memory, and death together. The speaker says, “And then when I am laid into the tomb, / I that was ever wont to think of love / As stars that pierce the darkness bravely, through, / And so, they sweetly on my soul shall move.” The speaker is saying that even after she has died, her love for her beloved will live on. She compares her love to stars that pierce the darkness bravely, and says that they will continue to move sweetly on her soul even after she is laid into the tomb.
Sonnet XIII is a beautiful and powerful poem that explores the themes of love, memory, and death. The speaker is deeply in love with her beloved, but she cannot express her love in words. She drops it at his feet, hoping that he will understand the depth of her love without her having to express it in words. The poem also explores the power of memory, and how memories can live on even after death. The speaker is willing to die for her beloved, and her love will continue to live on even after she is laid into the tomb.
Overall, Sonnet XIII is a beautiful and powerful poem that explores the themes of love, memory, and death. Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s use of language and imagery is masterful, and the poem is a testament to the power of love and the human spirit. It is a classic piece of poetry that has stood the test of time, and it continues to inspire and move readers today.
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