'Two Sayings, The' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
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Two savings of the Holy Scriptures beat
Like pulses in the Church's brow and breast;
And by them we find rest in our unrest
And, heart deep in salt-tears, do yet entreat
God's fellowship as if on heavenly seat.
The first is JESUS WEPT,--whereon is prest
Full many a sobbing face that drops its best
And sweetest waters on the record sweet:
And one is where the Christ, denied and scorned
LOOKED UPON PETER. Oh, to render plain
By help of having loved a little and mourned,
That look of sovran love and sovran pain
Which HE, who could not sin yet suffered, turned
On him who could reject but not sustain !
Editor 1 Interpretation
Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "Two Sayings"
Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "Two Sayings" is a poem that explores the themes of love and loss through two contrasting sayings about the nature of love. The poem is structured as a dialogue between two speakers, one of whom argues that love is a fleeting emotion, while the other insists that love is eternal. Through these two contrasting viewpoints, Browning creates a complex portrait of love that is both uplifting and heartbreaking.
The First Saying: Love is a Fleeting Emotion
The first speaker in Browning's poem argues that love is a fleeting emotion that is only temporary. This viewpoint is expressed through the following lines:
Love was a transient passion in the breast
Of one I briefly knew and mourned withal.
Here, the speaker is reflecting on a past relationship in which love was present but ultimately proved to be temporary. The use of the word "transient" suggests that the speaker believes love is something that comes and goes, rather than something that lasts forever.
The speaker goes on to contrast the fleeting nature of love with the permanence of death:
He died, and I could weep him from my breast,
But for a vista of eternal years,
Which finds in the last hue of love its rest,
And with a sweet oblivion stops my tears
Here, the speaker suggests that death is the only thing that is truly permanent, and that love can only exist for a limited time before it fades away. The phrase "last hue of love" is particularly poignant, as it suggests that love is something that gradually fades away until it is no longer visible.
The Second Saying: Love is Eternal
The second speaker in Browning's poem takes a different view on the nature of love. This speaker argues that love is eternal and can never truly be lost. This viewpoint is expressed through the following lines:
I say that love is life, and life hath length,
Which sets to all our pulses its own tune,
And there is music from the solemn strength
Of chorded echoes, vibrating to the moon.
Here, the speaker suggests that love is not a fleeting emotion, but rather a fundamental part of life that can never truly be lost. The use of the word "length" suggests that love is something that lasts forever, and that it is as essential to life as the beating of our hearts.
The speaker goes on to argue that love is not limited by time or distance:
And this is love. To dwell in feeling's tone,
Not always to be busy, meaning well,
But to be still, and hear her sweetest tone,
And pausing, breathe her in, and live and tell.
Here, the speaker suggests that love can transcend time and distance, and that it is something that can be felt even when we are not physically together with the ones we love. The use of the phrase "dwell in feeling's tone" suggests that love is something that can be experienced on a deep emotional level, rather than just a physical one.
Interpretation
Browning's "Two Sayings" is a complex and nuanced exploration of the nature of love. By presenting two contrasting views on the subject, Browning creates a multifaceted portrait of love that is both uplifting and heartbreaking.
On one hand, the first speaker suggests that love is a fleeting emotion that is ultimately temporary. This viewpoint is grounded in the reality of human experience, as we all know that love can sometimes fade away over time. However, the speaker's emphasis on the permanence of death suggests that there is still something deeply tragic about the idea of love being fleeting.
On the other hand, the second speaker argues that love is eternal and can never truly be lost. This viewpoint is more idealistic, and suggests that love is something that can transcend time and distance. However, the speaker's emphasis on the emotional depth of love suggests that it is not just an abstract concept, but rather something that can be felt on a very real and tangible level.
Overall, Browning's "Two Sayings" is a powerful exploration of the human experience of love. By presenting two contrasting viewpoints on the subject, Browning creates a complex and multifaceted portrait of love that is both uplifting and heartbreaking. Whether we believe that love is fleeting or eternal, Browning's poem reminds us of the power and importance of this fundamental human emotion.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry is a form of art that has been around for centuries, and it continues to inspire and move people to this day. One of the most famous poets of all time is Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who wrote the classic poem "Two Sayings, The." This poem is a beautiful and thought-provoking piece that explores the power of words and the importance of communication.
The poem begins with the lines, "I heard a bird at dawn / Singing sweetly on a tree, / That the dew was on the lawn, / And the wind was on the lea." These lines set the scene for the rest of the poem, which is a meditation on the power of words to convey meaning and emotion. The bird's song is a metaphor for the power of language, and the dew and wind represent the beauty and complexity of the world around us.
The next stanza of the poem is where the real meaning begins to emerge. Browning writes, "But I heard no more, for gladness / And for wonder of this strain, / As if God's own gracious sadness / Passed in pleasure through my brain." Here, Browning is expressing the idea that words have the power to move us in profound ways. The bird's song is so beautiful and so full of meaning that it has the power to evoke a sense of wonder and joy in the listener.
The third stanza of the poem is where Browning really begins to explore the idea of communication. She writes, "Then I said, 'My own heart's beating / Is a pleasant rhyme to hear, / And the words that I am repeating / Are the thoughts that make me dear.'" Here, Browning is suggesting that our own thoughts and feelings are just as important as the words we use to express them. Our hearts are like the bird's song, full of meaning and emotion, and the words we use to express ourselves are just a way of conveying that meaning to others.
The fourth stanza of the poem is where Browning really drives home the importance of communication. She writes, "But the bird upon the tree-top / And the dew upon the ground, / And the wind upon the lea-top / These were words without a sound." Here, Browning is suggesting that there are many ways to communicate besides words. The bird's song, the dew, and the wind are all forms of communication that convey meaning and emotion without the need for words.
The final stanza of the poem is where Browning brings everything together. She writes, "So, from lips that cannot sing, / And from eyes that cannot weep, / Let a secret word take wing, / For the ear alone to keep." Here, Browning is suggesting that even if we don't have the ability to express ourselves through words, we can still communicate through other means. A secret word, a gesture, a look, can all convey meaning and emotion in ways that words cannot.
In conclusion, "Two Sayings, The" is a beautiful and thought-provoking poem that explores the power of words and the importance of communication. Browning uses the metaphor of the bird's song to suggest that words have the power to move us in profound ways, and she suggests that our own thoughts and feelings are just as important as the words we use to express them. She also suggests that there are many ways to communicate besides words, and that even if we don't have the ability to express ourselves through words, we can still communicate through other means. Overall, "Two Sayings, The" is a powerful reminder of the importance of communication in our lives, and it is a testament to the enduring power of poetry to move and inspire us.
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