Elizabeth
Barrett Browning’s poem is one that seems to promote an image where a woman is
expressing her love for a man. It is likely that the poem is a reflection of
the manner through which Browning loves her husband, and what her love has been
able to do for her. This is especially considering that before she met her
future husband, she had been a sickly individual, and it was only after she got
married that she had an improvement in her health status (Browning, The
Letters of Elizabeth Barrett Browning
16). The information concerning her personal life can be considered
useful in understanding this poem because it shows that she is an individual
that makes use of her personal experiences in her work. It also promotes an
image of an individual that is able to ensure that she creates a reflection of
her personal life in her work in such a way that she brings her audience as
close as possible to the reality of what occurs between two individuals that
love one another. Thus, she is able to ensure that there is an increase in the
emotional effect of her work on her audience.
One
of the most significant aspects of this poem is that it promotes an image of an
individual that is deeply in love; which ensures that there is a joyous tone
throughout the poem. This is seen through the way that she describes her
meeting with her lover using terms such as hearing “the footsteps” of her
lover’s “soul” next to her (Browning XX, line 1). This is an extremely important
statement because it shows that she is an individual that was extremely lonely
until such a time as she met her lover. In addition, in the same line, she adds
“I think” (Browning XX, line 1), meaning that despite the joy that she is
currently feeling, she is still uncertain concerning the direction towards
which her life is heading. Her statements suggest that while she is joyful
about the events that are taking place in her life, she is also concerned about
their consequences. Furthermore, she seems to attribute her continuing to live
to her lover, as seen in the case where she suggests that he saved her from
“obvious death” and provided her to discover the joys “Of life in a new rhythm”
(Browning XX, lines 6-7). These are extremely important lines because they
promote an image of an individual that seems to have been extremely lonely
until such a time as she met her lover. The statement “obvious death” is highly
symbolic because it implies that the persona lived in an environment and
society where nobody understood her, until such a time as her lover came to her
life.
The
imagery used in the poem is also extremely important in understanding the state
of mind of the writer. This is especially the case where the image of being in
the “brink of obvious death” is brought up. It shows that the writer is an
individual that was very close to death and that if not for her lover, she
would have ended up dying. However, with her recovery, an image of the
celebration of life is promoted, since the individual involved concedes that
while there are troubles in life, as seen in her sickliness, there is still so
much to live for. The use of juxtaposition can be seen in “country, heaven” (Browning
XX, line 10) and this is extremely important in the advancement of the idea
that because of the love that she feels for her lover, she is no longer willing
to die. Instead, the world has become a better place for her to such an extent
that it can be compared to heaven. Therefore, in the poet’s mind, it seems to
heaven and country are essentially interchangeable aspects of the same thing;
meaning that joy can not only be found in heaven with God, but also in the
regular human life, despite its troubles (Stott and Avery 37). Therefore, while
this poem seems to be one that celebrates life and love, and the joys that they
bring about in the lives of individuals, it also touches on its grimmer
aspects; essentially acknowledging that it is the latter that make the joys so
precious.
In
conclusion, the poet seems to acknowledge the power of love and the way that it
can have a positive effect on the lives of individuals. This is especially the
case considering that the mood of the poem increasingly becomes positive from
line to line. It shows a perspective that advances the need for individuals to
take advantage of all opportunities that they have in life, despite its grimmer
aspects, to find joy in it.
Works
Cited
Browning,
Elizabeth Barrett. "Sonnets From The Portuguese." Massachusetts:
Barre Publishing (1977).
Browning,
Elizabeth Barrett. The Letters of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Vol.
1. Macmillan, 1898.
Stott,
Rebecca, and Simon Avery. Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Routledge,
2014.
No comments:
Post a Comment