sonnet 43

Question 1

brief summary

Answer 1

explores the many ways the speaker loves the addressee of the poem. it explores how love can transcend daily conventions of society

Question 2

context

Answer 2

Barrett Browning married Robert Browning against her fathers will. The sonnets she wrote are dedicated to Robert and show very in love she was with him.
Their relationship broke social conventions and liberated Barrett who had to live under her fathers tyrannical rule

Question 3

analyse the first line of the poem

“How do i love thee? let me count the ways!”

Answer 3

the poem starts with a question witch the main body of the poem attempts to answer

the iambic pentameter stresses the important words of the poem such as love

Question 4

analyse the second line of the poem

“i love thee to the depth and breadth and height”

Answer 4

“depth, breadth and height” draws attention to units of measurement which is
ironic and highlights how love cannot be measured

Question 5

analyse the last line of the poem

“I shall but love thee better after death”

Answer 5

the modal verb “i shall” expresses a definite affirmation of love this final line means that the speakers love overcomes death and is immortal

Question 6

rhyme scheme

Answer 6

ABBA
ABBA
CDCDCD

Question 7

structure

Answer 7

by structuring the poem in a single stanza it suggests that the two parts of the poem separated by rhyme scheme are linked to one another. implying that love joins people together and completes them it also alludes to the belief that couples become a single unit