Elizabeth Barret Browning: How Do I Love Thee

A Presentation By Cas Schroy

Childhood

• • • • • • Born: 1806 Durham, England Eldest of 12 children Well to do family An intelligent child but sickly Wrote first “epic” poem by age 12 Devout Christian

Early Adult Years

• • • • • • • 1826: Published An Essay on Mind and Other

Poems 1832: Father has to sell rural family estate 1833: Publishes translation of Prometheus Bound

1838: The family moves to London After the death of her brother she became a recluse 1844: Publishes Poems The two kept a secret courtship for 20 months exchanging 574 letters

Married Life

• • • • • 1846 they married and moved to Italy Had one son (Robert Wideman Browning) While in Italy she tried to help the fight for Italy’s freedom from Austria She was very happy in her marriage and life in Italy helped with her health Died in Florence June 29, 1861

Her Works

• • • Later publications include: ▫ Sonnets from the Portugese (1850) ▫ Casa Guidi Windows (1851) ▫ Aurora Leigh (1857) Considered a better poet than her husband during her life Criticism ▫ Social activism: slavery, child labor, women’s rights, ect.

How Do I Love Thee (Sonnet 43)

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace.

I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right.

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

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.

The Poem

• • • • • • Rhyme scheme: ABBA ABBA CDC DCD ▫ Petrarchan Sonnet Iambic pentameter Religious imagery Personification Repetition Author and Narrator in one

Works Cited

Barret Browning, Elizabeth. "How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets. Web. 22 Feb. 2012.

"Elizabeth Barret Browning." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. 6th ed. New York: Columbia UP, 2011. 1. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 21 Feb. 2012.

The Academy of American Poets. "Elizabeth Barrett Browning." Poets.org. The Academy of American Poets. Web. 22 Feb. 2012.

Pictures

http://digitalcollections.baylor.edu/ui/custom/default/collection/default/images/elizabeth-barrett-browning_engraving.jpg

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/myrecordjournal.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/cb/ccb000ac 570a-11e1-8291-0019bb2963f4/4f3a5921df430.preview-300.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/2/10/1297350014099/Robert-Browning-003.jpg