'Sonnet XXXVII' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

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Pardon, oh, pardon, that my soul should make,
Of all that strong divineness which I know
For thine and thee, an image only so
Formed of the sand, and fit to shift and break.
It is that distant years which did not take
Thy sovranty, recoiling with a blow,
Have forced my swimming brain to undergo
Their doubt and dread, and blindly to forsake
Thy purity of likeness and distort
Thy worthiest love to a worthless counterfeit:
As if a shipwrecked Pagan, safe in port,
His guardian sea-god to commemorate,
Should set a sculptured porpoise, gills a-snort
And vibrant tail, within the temple-gate.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Sonnet XXXVII by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Oh, how do I adore thee? Let me count the ways. This iconic line from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet XXXVII has captured the hearts of countless readers over the years. With its exquisite language and themes of love and devotion, it is no wonder that this sonnet has become one of the most beloved poems in the English language.

Background

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was a renowned poet of the Victorian era. Born in 1806 in Durham, England, she began writing poetry at a young age and published her first book of poetry at the age of 20. Despite suffering from poor health throughout her life, she continued to write prolifically and became one of the most celebrated poets of her time.

Sonnet XXXVII was first published in Barrett Browning's collection titled "Sonnets from the Portuguese" in 1850. The collection is a sequence of 44 sonnets that chronicle the author's love affair with her husband, Robert Browning. However, despite the title of the collection, the sonnets were not actually translated from Portuguese.

Analysis

Sonnet XXXVII is a classic example of a Petrarchan sonnet, which consists of an octave (eight lines) followed by a sestet (six lines). The rhyme scheme of the octave is ABBAABBA, while the sestet can have a variety of rhyme schemes. In this sonnet, the sestet has a CDDCEE rhyme scheme.

The sonnet begins with the speaker addressing her beloved, expressing her desire to "praise thee to the level of every day's / Most quiet need." She goes on to say that she loves him with the passion of her "childhood's faith" and with the "breath, / Smiles, tears, of all [her] life!"

Throughout the poem, the speaker uses hyperbolic language to convey the depth of her love. She says that if God grants her with an afterlife, she will love him even more, and if she reaches the gates of heaven, she will say his name before God's. She also says that if she loses him, she will love him even more in death.

The sonnet concludes with the speaker expressing her love for her beloved's soul, rather than just his physical form. She says that she loves him "freely," without reservation or restriction, and that she will love him "better after death."

Interpretation

Sonnet XXXVII is a powerful exploration of love and devotion. The speaker's passionate language conveys the intensity of her feelings for her beloved, and her willingness to love him even beyond death is a testament to the depth of her commitment.

The themes of spirituality and faith are also prominent in the poem. The speaker's reference to God and heaven suggest a belief in an afterlife and a higher power. Her desire to love her beloved even more in death suggests that she believes their love will continue beyond the physical realm.

The sonnet can also be interpreted as a commentary on the limitations of language. The speaker acknowledges that she cannot fully express the depth of her love through words, saying that she wishes to "praise [him] to the level of every day's / Most quiet need." This suggests that while language is a powerful tool, it is not always sufficient to fully capture the complexities of human emotion.

Overall, Sonnet XXXVII is a beautiful expression of love and devotion. Its exquisite language and passionate themes have resonated with readers for generations, making it one of the most beloved poems in the English language.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet XXXVII is a classic piece of poetry that has stood the test of time. This sonnet is a part of her collection of sonnets, Sonnets from the Portuguese, which was published in 1850. The collection is a series of love poems that were written by Browning for her husband, Robert Browning. Sonnet XXXVII is a beautiful and powerful piece of poetry that explores the depth of love and the power of the human heart.

The sonnet is written in the traditional Shakespearean sonnet form, which consists of three quatrains and a final couplet. The rhyme scheme of the sonnet is ABBA ABBA CDCDCD, which is a common rhyme scheme used in Shakespearean sonnets. The sonnet is written in iambic pentameter, which is a rhythmic pattern that consists of ten syllables per line, with the stress falling on every other syllable.

The sonnet begins with the speaker asking a question, “Pardon, oh, pardon, that my soul should make, / Of all that strong divineness which I know / For thine and thee, an image only so / Formed of the sand, and fit to shift and break.” The speaker is asking for forgiveness for reducing the divine love that she feels for her beloved to a mere image that is fragile and temporary. The speaker is acknowledging the limitations of language and imagery in expressing the depth of her love.

In the second quatrain, the speaker continues to explore the limitations of language and imagery in expressing the depth of her love. She says, “It is that distant years which did not take / Thy sovranty, recoiling with a sigh, / Have stamped my heart with an impression high / To worship thee with, thinking on thy sake.” The speaker is saying that the passage of time has not diminished her love for her beloved. In fact, her love has only grown stronger with time, and it has left an indelible impression on her heart. She worships her beloved, not for his sake, but for the sake of her love for him.

In the third quatrain, the speaker acknowledges the power of love to transcend time and space. She says, “And so, adieu,—nor sigh thou that I go, / For dust and dust alone shall make us part; / But the soul, well satisfied with flowers and grass, / Falls asleep, lapped in nature's lenient heart.” The speaker is saying that even though she may physically leave her beloved, their love will continue to exist beyond the limitations of time and space. The physical body may turn to dust, but the soul will continue to exist in nature’s embrace.

In the final couplet, the speaker concludes the sonnet with a powerful statement about the power of love. She says, “And I, who, faint and thirsting, did but touch / The altar of the heart, a-while ago, / Both feet upon the dust, when thou wert loth / To lose those raptures, lest I should forget, / Those raptures taught me, thou art more divine / Than all my stammering poets can divine.” The speaker is saying that her love for her beloved has taught her that he is more divine than anything that can be expressed in words. Her love has transcended the limitations of language and has revealed the true nature of her beloved.

In conclusion, Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet XXXVII is a beautiful and powerful piece of poetry that explores the depth of love and the power of the human heart. The sonnet is written in the traditional Shakespearean sonnet form, with a rhyme scheme of ABBA ABBA CDCDCD. The sonnet is written in iambic pentameter, which is a rhythmic pattern that consists of ten syllables per line, with the stress falling on every other syllable. The sonnet explores the limitations of language and imagery in expressing the depth of love and the power of love to transcend time and space. The final couplet is a powerful statement about the power of love to reveal the true nature of the beloved. Sonnet XXXVII is a timeless piece of poetry that continues to inspire and move readers today.

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