'Sonnet 28 - My letters! all dead paper, mute and white!' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
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Sonnets from the Portuguese1850XXVIIIMy letters! all dead paper, mute and white!
And yet they seem alive and quivering
Against my tremulous hands which loose the string
And let them drop down on my knee to-night.
This said,-he wished to have me in his sight
Once, as a friend: this fixed a day in spring
To come and touch my hand . . . a simple thing,
Yet I wept for it!-this, . . . the paper's light . . .
Said, Dear, I love thee; and I sank and quailed
As if God's future thundered on my past.
This said, I am thine-and so its ink has paled
With Iying at my heart that beat too fast.
And this . . . O Love, thy words have ill availed
If, what this said, I dared repeat at last!
Editor 1 Interpretation
Sonnet 28 - My letters! all dead paper, mute and white!
Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “Sonnet 28 - My letters! all dead paper, mute and white!” is a moving poem that speaks to the power of written communication and its ability to capture the essence of a person long after they are gone.
The poem begins with the speaker mourning the loss of her letters, which she describes as “dead paper, mute and white.” The choice of words here is particularly striking; the word “dead” suggests that the letters were once alive, imbued with the spirit of the person who wrote them. The words “mute and white” further emphasize the lifelessness of the letters, as if they were merely empty vessels that once contained something of value.
But the speaker does not despair for long. She goes on to say that despite the fact that her letters are dead, they are still “full of life” to her. This is a powerful statement; it suggests that the written word has the power to transcend time and space, and to capture something essential about the person who wrote it.
The poem then takes a turn as the speaker reflects on the impermanence of life. She acknowledges that everything in the world passes away eventually, but suggests that the written word is one of the few things that can outlast even death itself. The lines “They have been patient, all the dead lie there; / But now, alas! the poor souls totter hence” suggest that even though the letters may eventually crumble into dust, they will have outlasted the people who wrote them.
The poem ends with the speaker taking comfort in the fact that her love for the person who wrote the letters will endure even after the letters themselves have passed away. The final lines, “Only our love hath no decay; / This, no tomorrow hath, nor yesterday,” suggest that love is the one thing that is truly eternal, and that it can never be erased or forgotten.
Overall, “Sonnet 28 - My letters! all dead paper, mute and white!” is a powerful meditation on the power of the written word to preserve something essential about a person even after they are gone. The poem speaks to the human desire to be remembered, and to the ways in which we try to leave something of ourselves behind in the world.
But the poem also speaks to the inevitability of death, and to the impermanence of all things. In the face of this, the speaker finds comfort in the idea that love is the one thing that can never be erased or forgotten, and that it will endure even after everything else has passed away.
In some ways, “Sonnet 28 - My letters! all dead paper, mute and white!” can be seen as a kind of elegy for the person who wrote the letters. The speaker is mourning their loss, but also celebrating the fact that something of them lives on in the letters themselves.
Ultimately, the poem is a testament to the enduring power of the written word, and to the ways in which it can capture something essential about the human experience. It is a beautiful and moving tribute to the power of love to transcend even the boundaries of time and space, and to the ways in which we try to leave something of ourselves behind in the world.
In short, this poem is a masterpiece of Victorian poetry, and it continues to resonate with readers today as a powerful testament to the human spirit and its ability to endure even in the face of death.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Exploring the Depths of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet 28
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era, is known for her exceptional works that explore the themes of love, death, and spirituality. Her sonnet 28, "My letters! all dead paper, mute and white!" is a powerful piece that delves into the complexities of love and loss. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem's structure, language, and themes, and explore the emotions that Browning conveys through her words.
Structure and Language
The sonnet is written in the traditional Petrarchan form, consisting of an octave and a sestet. The octave presents the problem or the situation, while the sestet offers a resolution or a conclusion. The rhyme scheme is ABBA ABBA CDCDCD, and the poem is written in iambic pentameter, which gives it a rhythmic flow.
Browning's use of language is both powerful and evocative. The opening line, "My letters! all dead paper, mute and white!" sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The use of the words "dead" and "mute" creates a sense of finality and loss, while "white" symbolizes the emptiness and lack of emotion. The second line, "And yet they seem alive and quivering," creates a sense of contradiction, as the letters are both dead and alive at the same time. This line also introduces the theme of memory, as the letters are a reminder of the past.
The third and fourth lines, "As if instinct with fire, with soul aglow, / With all the living love once felt for me," convey the intensity of the emotions that the letters once held. The use of the words "fire" and "soul" creates a sense of passion and depth, while "living love" emphasizes the strength of the relationship that the letters represent.
The sestet of the poem shifts the focus from the letters to the speaker's emotions. The lines, "Till like sea-wanderers to treasures rare, / Through coral caves the hoarded wealth to see, / I come to you, and take you unaware," create a sense of longing and desire. The use of the metaphor of sea-wanderers emphasizes the speaker's journey to find the treasure of love, while "coral caves" symbolizes the obstacles that must be overcome. The final line, "And love you, love you, love you!" is repeated three times, emphasizing the intensity of the speaker's emotions.
Themes
The poem explores several themes, including love, memory, and loss. The letters represent a physical manifestation of the past, and the speaker's emotions are tied to them. The use of the metaphor of sea-wanderers emphasizes the journey that the speaker must undertake to find love, and the obstacles that must be overcome. The repetition of the phrase "love you" emphasizes the depth and intensity of the speaker's emotions.
Another theme that is explored in the poem is the idea of the past and the present. The letters represent the past, while the speaker's emotions are in the present. The use of the words "dead" and "mute" emphasizes the finality of the past, while the repetition of the phrase "love you" emphasizes the present and the future.
Emotions
Browning's use of language and structure creates a powerful emotional impact on the reader. The opening line, "My letters! all dead paper, mute and white!" creates a sense of loss and emptiness. The use of the words "dead" and "mute" emphasizes the finality of the past, while "white" symbolizes the emptiness and lack of emotion.
The third and fourth lines, "As if instinct with fire, with soul aglow, / With all the living love once felt for me," convey the intensity of the emotions that the letters once held. The use of the words "fire" and "soul" creates a sense of passion and depth, while "living love" emphasizes the strength of the relationship that the letters represent.
The sestet of the poem shifts the focus from the letters to the speaker's emotions. The lines, "Till like sea-wanderers to treasures rare, / Through coral caves the hoarded wealth to see, / I come to you, and take you unaware," create a sense of longing and desire. The use of the metaphor of sea-wanderers emphasizes the speaker's journey to find the treasure of love, while "coral caves" symbolizes the obstacles that must be overcome. The repetition of the phrase "love you" emphasizes the intensity of the speaker's emotions.
Conclusion
Elizabeth Barrett Browning's sonnet 28, "My letters! all dead paper, mute and white!" is a powerful exploration of love, memory, and loss. The use of language and structure creates a powerful emotional impact on the reader, conveying the intensity of the speaker's emotions. The repetition of the phrase "love you" emphasizes the depth and intensity of the speaker's emotions, while the use of the metaphor of sea-wanderers emphasizes the journey that the speaker must undertake to find love. Overall, the poem is a beautiful and poignant exploration of the complexities of love and loss, and a testament to Browning's exceptional talent as a poet.
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