Close analysis
‘Sonnet 43’ by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Task 1: How?
The feeling of being in love is one many would find difficult to describe. It might be easy to
describe what you love about someone, or to explain how they make you feel. But to describe
how you love can be a challenge.
Try thinking about the opposite emotion: hate. How could you hate someone? Look at the
examples below and see if you can think some of your own…
You can hate someone
until your skin itches.
How do
you hate?
You can hate someone like
a fountain overflowing.
Task 2: Love
Having considered the idea of how an emotion can feel from the opposite perspective, now see
if you can do the same for the idea of love.
Love
Task 3: Considering context
Before we take a look at the poem, let’s consider whether your above responses might be
affected when considering the following potential influences.

How might being very unwell affect how you love or your approach to relationships?

How might being a woman in the 19th century affect how you love or your approach to
relationships?

How might being a Christian affect how you love or your approach to relationships?
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Close analysis
‘Sonnet 43’ by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Task 4: Understanding Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Read and highlight key information in the section below to further your understanding of the
poet.

Born in 1806 and died in 1861

At 15 years old she became ill, suffering terribly
from spinal pain and headaches. Later in life she
also experienced problems with her lungs. She took
laudanum (an opiate) for the pain, but this likely
also contributed to her ill health.

She was a passionate Christian.

She loved literature and read widely. She also
began writing poetry from a young age.

During the 1830s she lost her brother who drowned
in a sailing accident. She was badly affected and
became reclusive, an invalid partly through her
physical pain and partly through her grief.

She attracted fellow poet Robert Browning through her published collection of poetry
Poems in 1844. They wrote each other many letters and hid their courtship due to fear
of her father’s disapproval. Indeed once they married (see below) he did disinherit her.

In 1846 they married in secret and then moved to Italy. They were famously very happy
and devoted to one another.
Considering your thoughts after tasks 3 and 4 – how do you think Elizabeth Barrett Browning
might feel about her husband?
Task 5: Word association
As one final task before looking at the entire poem – consider the series of words in the box
below. Choose three of them and think about what they might suggest about her feelings
towards her husband.
grace
praise
depth
soul
smiles
quiet
faith
freely
strive
sun
passion
candle-light
tears
Word 1: .........................................................................................................
Word 2: .........................................................................................................
Word 3: .........................................................................................................
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Close analysis
‘Sonnet 43’ by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Task 6: Analysis questions
1.
What elements of the poem make it feel like the reader is part of a conversation with the
speaker?
2.
What language choices suggest the speaker’s excitement and joy within the relationship?
3.
What is the effect of the repetition of ‘and’ on line 3?
4.
What is the effect of the anaphoric repetition of ‘I love thee’, often used at the start of a
line?
5.
What connotations do both sun and candle-light have? How can we link this to her
experience of love? Can you link this to Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s life?
6.
In which phrase does the poet imply her life has not always been easy? What does this
suggest about her current life (and future) with her husband?
7.
Which lines reveal the importance of religion in the poet’s life? How might this differ to
more modern poems?
8.
How might the sonnet form help to accentuate her exploration of love? You should think
about:
9.
a.
What associations an Italian (Petrarchan) sonnet might have. Why use a form
associated with Italy as opposed to a Shakespearean sonnet (given that she is an
English writer)?
b.
Which words are emphasised by the rhyme scheme and given significance in this
way?
Where do lines run from one to the next (enjambment)? Where are they broken up part
way (caesura)? What do these structural devices add to the tone of the poem?
10. There are lots of plosive ‘p’ sounds in lines 8 and 9. What effect do you think they have?
11. Is the speaker really able to ‘count’ the ways she loves the object of her affection? What
might this ultimately tell us about love?
Task 7: Comparison
Which poems from your anthology do you think share similarities with ‘Sonnet 43’? List two and
explain why.
Which poems from your anthology do you think contrast with ‘Sonnet 43’? List two and explain
why.
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