★★★How Do I Love Thee★★★
-----Elizabeth Barrett Browning
★★Summary:-----
In the octave the speaker asks herself about the ways of her love to her beloved. She wants to count her love to her beloved.She loves her lover to the limit of God's infinite space and His endless kindness which cannot be seen but can be felt with soul.
In the sestet the speaker says that her love to her beloved is as essential as the "oxygen" or "water" etc.She spontaneously requires every moment of day and night.Her love for her beloved is free form every kind of bitterness. She feels it by her main soul.She loves her beloved genuinely and does not expect any praise in return. Her passion for her beloved is as intense as her old sufferings.Her love is as blind as the faith she had in her childhood.She loves her beloved with the innocence of her life.She loves him with every atom of a life such as:--- breath,smiles and tears.Then she expects that she will love him better after death.
★★Rhyme Scheme:-----
Rhyme scheme is the ordered pattern of rhymes at the ends of the lines of a poem or verse
★Being a Italian sonnet the rhyme scheme of the poem is abba abba cdcdcd.
"ways"=a
"height"=b
"sight"=b
"Grace"=a
"everyday's"=a
"candlelight"=b
"Right"=b
"Praise"=a
"use"=c
"faith"=d
"lose"=c
"breath"=d
"choose"=c
"death"=d
Here last word of the 1st line is "ways" and last words of the 4th,5th and 8th are "Grace", "everyday's", "Praise". All the words have same sound. So we can mark it "a".
Again, the last words of the 2nd,3rd,6th,7th are "height", "sight", "candlelight", and "Right". All the rest have same sound. So we can mark it "b".Then the last words of the 9th,11th and 13th are "use", "lose", and "choose" They also have same sound. So we can mark it "c".
And finally,the last words of the 10th,12th and 14th are "faith", "breath", and "death". So we will mark it "d".
So at last we can find out that the rhyme scheme of the poem is abba abba cdcdcd.
★★Mood and Tone:---
Tone is a musical or vocal sound with reference to its pitch, quality, and strength.
And mood is the writer's attitude towards the subject.
The poem begins in a loving way with a deep tone. As the poem progresses, it is shifting from its most religious tone to a focus on more apparently secular human interests and becomes passionate. Then it shifts to a more serious tone. The tone towards the end of the sonnet transposes into one of resignation conveyed by the phrases "love thee better after my death'. A contrast of tone throughout the poem is suggested by the poet's determination and almost secularism and towards the end.Such a juxtaposition of tone underscores the poet's fervour, and simultaneously her acceptance of Christianity presiding over her fate.
★★Structure:---
The poem is a sonnet.A sonnet is a lyric poem consisting of fourteen iambic pentameter lines intricate by a rhyme scheme. Like any sonnet, it has 14 lines. It is written in the form of the Petrarchan sonnet. The Petrarchan sonnet is divided into two parts: octave (first eight lines) and sestet (last six lines). The octave of a Petrarchan sonnet presents a problem and the sestet solves the problem. The octave of the sonnet lists the depth of the poet's love hyperbolically and the sestet discusses a more mature love that transcends all. The rhyme scheme of the octave suits the rhyme scheme of the Petrarchan sonnet: abba abba. The rhyme scheme of the sestet of the Petrarchan sonnet varies and the rhyme scheme of the sestet of the poem is cd cd cd. Thus, it is a Petrarchan sonnet.
★★Theme:---
Theme is the central idea in a piece of writing. The whole body explains the theme.
The theme of the poem is the intense love of the poet for her beloved or husband. Her love for him knows no bound. She loves him to the limit of God's grace. She loves him genuinely and unconditionally and does not expect praise in return. She says her beloved or her husband that he is her everyday need. She wants to be with him all the hours of the day and night. She wants to love him better even after death. Thus, her love for him is intense and passionate.She shows divine love to her beloved.
★★Authors Position:---
When an author writes to persuade,he/she will have his/her own position on the subject.The author's position is an author's opinion about the subject.It may be subjective or objective.
Subjective means where the writer can use his/her own feelings,emotion, and own choice.
Objective means where writer cann't use his/her own feelings,emotions and own choice.
"How do I Love Thee" is an objective poem.Because here the poet shows her love through a speaker.She doesn’t include herself into the poem.So its an objective poem.
★★Figures of Speech :----
Figures of Speech means use of ornamental elements into a piece of writing.
★Apostrophe :---
Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which the something or someone is addressed.
*"How do I Love Thee"?
Here the poet addresses her beloved.
★Simile
Simile is a indirect comparison between two far-faced things by the help of 'as' or 'like'.
*"As men strive for Right ".
*" I love thee purely,as they turn from Praise".
★Assonance
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sound.
*"reach", "feeling", "Being", "ideal".
Here "e" is repeating one more times.So its an example of assonance.
★Imagery
Imagery means collection of some images.It turns our five senses to the subject matter.We can feel it imaginary.
*"sun and candle-light".
***To err is human.
-----Written by Krishna Mandal