Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “How Do I Love Thee?”—or Sonnet 43 from Sonnets from the Portuguese—is arguably one of the most recognized and quoted love poems in the English language. It’s a piece that many encounter in school, at weddings, or simply through cultural osmosis. Often, it’s presented as the ultimate expression of pure, boundless romantic love. But is that all there is to this famous sonnet? And more importantly, is that all there was to Elizabeth Barrett Browning herself?
Deconstructing “How Do I Love Thee” (Sonnet 43 Analysis)
The poem begins with a direct and seemingly simple question: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” This opening immediately draws the reader in, promising an enumeration of love’s facets. And indeed, Browning proceeds to meticulously list these “ways,” detailing a love that extends to “depth and breadth and height,” reaching “the ends of Being and ideal Grace.” It speaks of loving “to the level of everyday’s / Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.”
Many interpret this as a straightforward declaration of overwhelming emotion, a heart overflowing with love so immense it must be quantified. However, to see it solely as a gushing, inarticulate expression of love is to perhaps miss the nuance and the poet’s craft. As literary scholar Sandra Donaldson points out, there’s a deliberate, almost “scientific” precision in Browning’s approach. She poses a question and then systematically answers it, “counting the ways” with a poet’s precision.
This sonnet is part of a larger collection, Sonnets from the Portuguese. Browning initially presented these deeply personal poems as translations to shield their intimate nature. This context adds another layer to “How Do I Love Thee?”. It’s not just a generic love poem; it’s a sonnet written to her husband, Robert Browning, within a series exploring their profound and intellectual connection. Understanding this personal context enriches our appreciation of the poem’s depth and sincerity.
Beyond Love Sonnets: Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Political Voice
While “How Do I Love Thee?” secures Browning’s place in the romantic poetry canon, focusing solely on her love poems overshadows her significant engagement with social and political issues. Browning was not just a poet of romance; she was a poet deeply concerned with the injustices of her time.
Her poem “The Cry of the Children,” published in 1843, powerfully addresses the harsh realities of child labor in Victorian England. The poem gives voice to the suffering of children working in factories:
They look up, with their pale and sunken faces,
And their look is dread to see…
‘How long,’ they say, ‘how long, O cruel nation,
Will you stand, to move the world, on a child’s heart—’
These lines, though excerpts, convey the poem’s impactful imagery and urgent call to action. “The Cry of the Children” was published during a time of legislative debate about factory conditions and is believed to have contributed to public awareness and the push for reform. Legislation to improve children’s working conditions followed the year after its publication, highlighting the poem’s potential influence.
Browning also confronted the complex issue of slavery. Coming from a family with Jamaican plantations reliant on slave labor, she grappled with this legacy in her work. “The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point” offers a harrowing perspective from a slave woman, exposing the brutality and dehumanization of slavery: “So the white men brought the shame ere long / To strangle the sob of my agony.” This poem, among others, demonstrates her commitment to using her poetry to address social injustices, even when they touched upon her own family history.
Re-evaluating Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Legacy
In the years following her death, Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s literary reputation was somewhat eclipsed by that of her husband, Robert Browning. While Robert Browning’s poetic achievements are undeniable, it’s crucial to remember Elizabeth’s own significant standing in Victorian literary circles. She was considered for Poet Laureate, a prestigious position she narrowly missed. This near-appointment is particularly noteworthy considering that a woman was not officially appointed Poet Laureate in Britain until 2009.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning was a literary figure of immense talent and influence in her own right. Her life story is itself compelling – a celebrated writer who defied societal expectations and literary conventions. Beyond the enduring appeal of “How Do I Love Thee?”, her broader body of work reveals a poet who was not only deeply romantic but also fiercely intelligent, politically engaged, and profoundly compassionate.
To truly understand and appreciate Elizabeth Barrett Browning, we must look beyond the often-quoted lines of Sonnet 43. We need to re-read her, explore the range of her poetry, and acknowledge her contributions not just to love poetry, but to Victorian literature and social commentary as a whole. Only then can we fully grasp the depth and breadth of her literary legacy.
