Sonnet 14 Elizabeth Barrett Browning

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• In this sonnet, Elizabeth Barrett Browning wishes for her lover, Robert Browning to love her genuinely and unconditionally, and not superficially. This is interpreted through the line “Do not say I love her for her smile ... her look ... her way Of speaking gently ... for a trick of thought That falls in well with mine ...” • She also does not want him to love her out of pity, for she is in physical as well as emotional pain. “Neither love me for Thine own dear pity wiping my tears dry!” • E.B.B’s intention in this specific poem is to express the way she wants Robert Browning to love her. This suggests that Robert Browning’s affection towards her is not strong enough, nor believable. The reason for his lack of affection may be because E.B.B is being too demanding and obstinate of her own perspectives of what love is and how she would like to be loved. • She is also stereotyping the way men perceive women, and the only reason why men fall in love with women is for their appearance and physique. This is interpreted through the accumulative listing from line 3 to 6, when she was telling Robert Browning not to say he loves her for those superficial reasons. • The themes from this poem are – love and unconditional love, mockery and superficiality. • The techniques used in this poem are – accumulative listing, from line 3 to 6 and emotive language, used throughout the poem, but especially from line
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