Sonnet 43: Counting the Ways of Love
Elizabeth Barrett Browning begins her famous sonnet with the memorable question "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways" before taking us on a journey through the dimensions of her love. She expresses love that reaches to incredible depths and heights, comparing it to the furthest her soul can stretch.
The poem moves through different aspects of love - from everyday moments "by sun and candlelight" to more abstract concepts like loving "freely" and "purely". Barrett Browning cleverly uses contrasts to show how her love transcends ordinary boundaries and encompasses all parts of life.
In the final lines, the poet's emotion reaches its peak as she declares loving "with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life!" This powerful conclusion suggests her love is bound up with her very existence. The final line carries her love beyond even death itself, showing its eternal nature.
Did you know? Barrett Browning wrote this sonnet for her husband, fellow poet Robert Browning, as part of her collection "Sonnets from the Portuguese" (1850). Despite the title, these weren't translations but original works - she used "Portuguese" as a pet name Robert had for her.
