Sonnet 43 Flashcards
Title (Sonnet 43)
It was number 43 of 44 that browning wrote as part of a collection
Sonnets are generally love poems
Question???? (Sonnet 43)
“How do I love thee?”
By asking this question Browning could be questioning how she can express her love for Robert Browning, who this poem is for.
1 2 3 4 5 (Sonnet 43)
“Let me count the ways!”
By using the verb ‘count’ this could suggest that there are many ways that she loves him and there are too many ways that she loves him and that there are too many to mention, further emphasised by the repition of “I love thee” at the beginning of every line.
Comparisons to something divine (Sonnet 43)
“Being and ideal Grace”
Browning could be referring to God in this part and comparing her love for Robert Browning as the way she loves God.
Light (Sonnet 43)
“by sun and candlelight”
This could suggest that she loves every part of every day and her love does not falter. By using the image of the ‘sun’ could suggest that he is her life source and that she cannot live without him. By using the image of ‘candlelight’ this could suggest that he lights up her dark thoughts.
Freedom (Sonnet 43)
“freely, as men strive for Right”
The adverb ‘freely’ could suggest that no one is influencing the way she feels about him and could relate to how her father disapproved of their relationship. The phrase ‘Strive for Right’ could imply that she is willing to ‘fight’ for their love.
ABAB last four lines (Sonnet 43)
“lose” and “choose”
“breath” and “I shall but love thee better after death”
This could suggest that she loves everything about Robert browning. She loves him with every emotion. Even with every ‘breath’ she takes she thinks about him. ‘Death’ suggests her love is eternal and that it is a level of commitment she is willing to promise.
Sorrow to happy (Sonnet 43)
“Old griefs”
This could imply that she has turned bitterness and anger she had previously into something positive in the form of love because of how much she loves him.
