“How Do I Love Thee: Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Introduction: “How Do I Love Thee: Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

“How Do I Love Thee: Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning was first published in 1850 in a collection titled “Sonnets from the Portuguese.” This deeply personal and passionate poem is characterized by its exploration of the multifaceted nature of love. The speaker quantifies her love, listing the various ways and depths to which she loves her beloved. The poem employs vivid imagery, religious allusions, and a powerful emotional intensity that resonates with readers across time and cultures. The sonnet’s structure, following the Petrarchan form, adds to its elegance and enduring appeal.

Text: “How Do I Love Thee: Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
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.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Annotations: “How Do I Love Thee: Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Line	Annotation
1. How do I love thee?	The speaker poses a rhetorical question, expressing a desire to quantify and express the depth of their love.
2. Let me count the ways.	The speaker suggests they will enumerate or list the various ways in which they love the subject.
3. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height	The speaker loves intensely and expansively, using spatial metaphors (depth, breadth, height) to convey the extent of their love.
4. My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight	The love described transcends physical limitations and can be felt deeply even when not directly visible or tangible.
5. For the ends of being and ideal grace.	The love extends to the ultimate purposes of existence and to perfection or ideal beauty.
6. I love thee to the level of every day’s	The speaker loves consistently, addressing the everyday needs and experiences of life.
7. Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.	The love is present during both ordinary times (“quiet need”) and special moments (“sun and candle-light”).
8. I love thee freely, as men strive for right.	The love is given willingly and generously, akin to how people pursue justice and what is morally right.
9. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.	The love is sincere and unaffected by external praise or recognition.
10. I love thee with the passion put to use	The speaker loves passionately, channeling emotions that were previously invested in personal sorrows (“old griefs”) and childhood beliefs (“childhood’s faith”).
11. In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.	This line emphasizes the depth and continuity of the speaker’s love throughout their life experiences.
12. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose	The speaker’s love for the subject is profound and has rekindled feelings reminiscent of love for lost saints or sacred figures.
13. With my lost saints.	Refers to the saints or revered individuals the speaker once loved but lost affection for.
14. I love thee with the breath,	The speaker’s love encompasses every aspect of their life, including breath (essential life force).
15. Smiles, tears, of all my life;	The love is expressed through all emotions and experiences (“smiles, tears”) that make up the speaker’s existence.
16. And, if God choose,	Acknowledges the uncertainty of life and fate, surrendering to divine will.
17. I shall but love thee better after death.	The speaker’s love is eternal and will continue to grow even after death.

Literary And Poetic Devices: “How Do I Love Thee: Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Device	Example	Explanation
Amplification	“Let me count the ways”	Emphasizing a point by repeating and expanding on it
Anaphora	“I love thee” (repeated)	Repetition of a phrase at the beginning of successive clauses
Apostrophe	“How do I love thee?”	Addressing a person or entity not present
Assonance	“height”, “sight”, “grace”	Repetition of vowel sounds
Enjambment	“My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight / For the ends of being and ideal grace”	Carrying a sentence or phrase over to the next line without punctuation
Hyperbole	“to the depth and breadth and height”	Exaggeration for emphasis
Imagery	“by sun and candle-light”	Creating vivid sensory images
Litotes	“to the level of every day’s / Most quiet need”	Understatement for ironic effect
Metaphor	“love thee with the breath, / Smiles, tears, of all my life”	Comparing two things without “like” or “as”
Personification	“my soul can reach”	Attributing human qualities to non-human entities
Repetition	“I love thee” (repeated)	Repeating a word or phrase for emphasis or unity
Rhyme	“sight” and “height”	Similar sounds in words at the end of lines
Simile	“as men strive for right”	Comparing two things using “like” or “as”
Synecdoche	“with my childhood’s faith”	Using a part to represent the whole
Triadic structure	“depth and breadth and height”	Using three elements to create a sense of completeness

Themes: “How Do I Love Thee: Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

• The Immeasurable Nature of Love: The speaker initiates the sonnet with a rhetorical question, “How do I love thee?” followed by a bold declaration to “count the ways.” This sets the stage for an exploration of love’s vastness and depth. The speaker quantifies her love not in numerical terms but through spatial metaphors: “depth and breadth and height.” This implies that love transcends conventional measurement, extending beyond physical boundaries and into the boundless realms of the soul and spirit. The speaker’s love is not a finite entity but an expansive force that continually seeks to reach further, mirroring the human spirit’s yearning for transcendence.
• Love’s Constant Presence: The speaker’s love is not confined to grand gestures or extraordinary circumstances. Instead, it permeates the “level of every day’s most quiet need.” This suggests that love is interwoven into the fabric of daily life, providing comfort and sustenance through both mundane routines and significant moments. The references to “sun and candlelight” symbolize the constancy of love’s presence, illuminating both the bright and dark aspects of existence. This imagery underscores the idea that love is not a fleeting emotion but an enduring force that persists through all phases of life.
• Love as a Spiritual Force: The poem establishes a connection between romantic love and spiritual devotion. The speaker compares her love to the purity of those who “turn from praise,” suggesting that love, like faith, can inspire moral integrity and a selfless orientation. The use of religious language, such as “passion” and “faith,” further reinforces this spiritual dimension. This parallel implies that love can be a transformative force, elevating individuals beyond worldly concerns and guiding them toward a higher purpose. The poem’s closing lines, invoking God’s will, solidify this connection between love and spirituality, suggesting that love is not merely a human emotion but a divine gift.
• Love’s Triumph Over Death: The speaker confronts the inevitability of death but asserts that her love will not be extinguished by it. She declares, “if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.” This unwavering conviction in love’s endurance reflects a belief in its transcendent nature. The speaker’s love is not bound by the limitations of mortal existence; instead, it anticipates an afterlife where love can flourish even more fully. This optimistic outlook on love’s eternal nature offers solace and hope in the face of mortality, suggesting that love is a force that can triumph over even death’s finality.

Literary Theories and “How Do I Love Thee: Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

• Feminist Theory: Feminist theory analyzes literature through the lens of gender and power dynamics. In this sonnet, the speaker’s assertion of her love and agency can be seen as a feminist statement.
• Reference: “I love thee freely, as men strive for right.” (Line 7)
• Explanation: The speaker claims her love as a choice, rather than a societal obligation. This line challenges traditional gender roles, where women’s love was often seen as a duty.
• Romantic Theory: Romantic theory emphasizes emotion, individualism, and the beauty of nature. This sonnet embodies these principles in its expression of intense love and connection to the beloved.
• Reference: “I love thee to the depth and breadth and height / My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight” (Lines 2-3)
• Explanation: The speaker’s love is described in grand, almost infinite terms, echoing Romantic ideals of intense passion and connection to the natural world (represented by “height” and “sight”).
• Queer Theory: Queer theory examines literature through the lens of non-normative sexuality and gender. While the poem’s speaker and beloved are not explicitly identified as non-heterosexual, the sonnet’s language and intensity of emotion can be interpreted as queer.
• Reference: “I love thee with a love I seemed to lose / With my lost saints” (Lines 9-10)
• Explanation: The speaker’s love is described as a rediscovered, intense passion, which can be seen as a queer reading of love as a non-normative, all-consuming force.
• Note: These interpretations are not exhaustive, and the poem can be analyzed through other literary theories as well.

Critical Questions about “How Do I Love Thee: Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Question	Answer
To what extent does the speaker’s quantification of love through spatial metaphors (“depth,” “breadth,” “height”) enhance or limit our understanding of love’s nature?	While these metaphors effectively convey the vastness and all-encompassing nature of love, they might not fully capture its nuanced complexities. Love is not solely a matter of magnitude; it involves emotional intimacy, shared experiences, and mutual respect, qualities not easily quantifiable. The focus on measurement could overshadow these essential qualitative aspects, leading to an incomplete understanding.
The speaker claims her love extends to both “sun and candlelight,” representing both joy and sorrow. However, does the poem adequately explore the complexities and challenges of love in difficult times?	The poem, while asserting love’s presence in both joy and sorrow, doesn’t delve into the potential challenges love faces during adversity. Love can be tested and strained by hardship, and the poem’s idealized portrayal might overlook the reality that love’s intensity and expression can fluctuate. This could leave readers with an overly simplistic understanding of love’s resilience.
While the poem draws parallels between love and religious devotion, to what extent does this analogy hold up under scrutiny?	The analogy between love and religious devotion, while evocative, might not fully withstand scrutiny. Romantic love and spiritual faith differ in their objects and ultimate goals. Romantic love is often directed towards another human being, while spiritual faith is typically focused on a divine entity or transcendent principle. While the poem’s religious language might resonate with some, it could also alienate or confuse those from different backgrounds, limiting the universality of its message.
The speaker asserts that her love will transcend death, but is this claim ultimately convincing?	The speaker’s assertion that love transcends death is a powerful sentiment, but the poem’s support for this claim relies heavily on personal conviction rather than concrete evidence. While the poem suggests that love can leave a lasting legacy through memories and emotional bonds, it doesn’t definitively prove that love itself continues in an afterlife. The focus on love’s eternal nature might inadvertently minimize the pain and grief associated with loss, potentially offering an unrealistic portrayal of love’s relationship with mortality.

Literary Works Similar to “How Do I Love Thee: Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

1. “Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” by William Shakespeare: Shakespeare’s sonnet also explores the theme of love and uses poetic language to praise the beloved’s beauty and virtues.
2. “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” by John Donne: This poem by Donne uses metaphysical conceits to describe a deep and spiritual love that transcends physical separation.
3. “She Walks in Beauty” by Lord Byron: Byron’s poem celebrates the beauty and grace of a woman, using rich imagery and romantic language to convey admiration and love.
4. “Love’s Philosophy” by Percy Bysshe Shelley: Shelley’s poem explores the idea that everything in nature seeks a mate, and similarly, human beings are made to love each other.
5. “How Do I Love Thee?” (Sonnet 43) by Christina Rossetti: Christina Rossetti’s poem shares a title with Browning’s and similarly explores the depth and dimensions of love, though in Rossetti’s distinct style and voice.

Suggested Readings: “How Do I Love Thee: Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Representative Quotations of “How Do I Love Thee: Sonnet 43” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Quotation	Context	Theoretical Perspective
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”	The speaker begins the sonnet by asking a rhetorical question, setting the tone for a passionate and introspective exploration of their love.	Feminist Theory: The speaker takes agency in exploring their own emotions and desires, challenging traditional gender roles.
“I love thee to the depth and breadth and height / My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight”	The speaker describes the extent of their love, using imagery and metaphor to convey its intensity.	Romantic Theory: The emphasis on the soul and the use of natural imagery (height, sight) reflect Romantic ideals of passion and connection to nature.
“I love thee freely, as men strive for right.”	The speaker asserts their love as a choice, rather than a societal obligation.	Feminist Theory: The speaker claims autonomy in their love, challenging traditional gender roles and societal expectations.
“I love thee with a love I seemed to lose / With my lost saints”	The speaker describes their love as a rediscovered passion, comparing it to a lost faith.	Queer Theory: The speaker’s love is described as a non-normative, all-consuming force, echoing queer themes of desire and identity.
“I shall but love thee better after death”	The speaker concludes the sonnet by affirming the eternal nature of their love.	Romantic Theory: The emphasis on the eternal and the transcendent reflects Romantic ideals of the sublime and the power of love to transcend mortality.