Sonnet 43 - Mr Bruff A* Analysis

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Elizabeth Barret Browning 

1806-1861
Famous in US and UK during her life - a celebrity
"Christ's religion is essentially poetry"

Sonnet 43 

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways! - 

Direct Adresses. The exclamation mark here shows although her husband may have asked the question she is far from being offended or upset by the question, Elizabeth delights in the oppurtuinity to explain her love.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and Ideal Grace. 

Depth and breadth and height, is Elizabeth's use of a spacial metaphor to say she loves every part of him. She uses religious langauge her 'soul' - the mind and the emotions of a person. "Grace" - a biblical word: God's undeserved and unconditional favour in our lives. This oppsite of soul and Grace could represent that the love she has for her husband combines the spiritual and the non spiritual parts of her. 'Out of sight' - her love is reaching to the unknown because she has never really loved anyone before - her blind faith. 

I love thee to the level of everyday's 
Moist quiet need, by sun and candlelight - 

She is saying that she loves him enough to meet his domestic needs and be a good wife to him (as…

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