8/7/2019 What the Poets Have to Say on the Theme of Love

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Priya Das

What the poets have to say on the theme of love

To Love; mans greatest achievement, and yet his biggest weakness. Ithas been inspiring writers and poets for eons, each taking their owntwist on what love really is. The two sonnets, sonnet 29 by Edna StVincent Millay and sonnet 43 by Elizabeth Barrett browning exploreeach end of the spectrum that is love; comparing idealism withrealism, love and the tragedies that come along with loss of it. Thegeneral theme of Brownings sonnet 43 is perfect unconditional love, asentiment that she exudes throughout the sonnet; this is in oppositionto Millays sonnet, which breaks the surreal image of love, and exposesthe many painful truths.

Browning sets the tone for the sonnet with the first line; how do I lovethee, let me count the ways is said frivolously and almost naively,almost child like. In this first line, we can see that Browning take onlove is overall positive. Millays opening line sets the tone for her poemas well with Pity me not because the light of day, at close of day nolonger walks the sky Millay opens the open with a more sombre toneexpressing her sentiment on love.

Browning employs exaggerated imagery to put her feelings through of love, this form of writing encompasses the point of view of the sonnet,for example I love thee to the depth and breath and height my soulcan reach she states that she loves him to every extent she possiblycould, she measures her feelings for the subject of this poem. Sheimmerses herself in love and sees neither the wrong nor the pain,something, which is certainly not the case in sonnet 29. Millay begs thereader not to pity her for her mistakes, in this case she states love asone of those mistakes. Pity me not for beauties past away. Thebeauties past away in this case are the men that she has loved, sheexpresses her sentiment on how fickle and temporary relationshipsare, as she uses the plural for beauties meaning there have beenmore than one, showing how often this has occurred. Millay seems tospeak with more understanding on love than Browning; She asks thereaders, another difference between the two poems, Millay speaksdirectly to the reader about her loss whereas Brownings speaks abouther love.

Throughout sonnet 43, Elizabeth Browning uses metaphor to measureher love, stating I love thee to the level of everydays most quietneed shes uses this imagery to relate to the reader. Her sonnetswere intended for her secret lover, hence the exuberance in expressingher love. Her unconditional love for him is obvious as she says freelymeaning without constraints, purely with only good intentions atheart. This unconditional love is a sentiment refuted by Millay, sheperceives love with conditions a mans desire is hushed so soon she

8/7/2019 What the Poets Have to Say on the Theme of Love

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Priya Das

implies that a man loves to get something out of it, and once he hasreceived what he wants, he shall leave. Speaking from this experienceshe writes This have I known always: love is no more. This line sumsup Millays feeling of love. It is no more. She continues the line with that the great tide [] strewing fresh wreckage gathered in the gales

the strong sense of imagery portrays her sentiment on love. Thisstrewing wreckage are all the people hurt by love. She says it is theinevitable end as love is temporary, it ends in hurt, something not toput ones faith in.

This feeling is not shared by Browning; she puts her passion into love,her soul she hides nothing and wears her heart on her sleeve, she putsthe faith she has lost in her saints into her relationship. This scenariosounds similar to what Millay could have been experiencing before sheexperienced heartbreak.

As it stands these two sonnets couldn't be more conflicting on thetheme of love; however they both share the same fundamentalmeaning, Love is a risk, but it is a risk worth taking. This is affirmedthroughout sonnet 43, but it is confirmed with eh last lines of sonnet29. Pity me that the heart is slow to learn, when the swift mindbeholds at every turn. Millay admits that love hurts, but it is also theunknown and spontaneous nature of love that makes it worthwhile,even though loving is against her better judgement, she lovesnevertheless.

No one will ever be able to fully describe love. It has baffled writers andphilosophers alike, it is one of those indescribable things that makes usact in rash unpredictable ways, the spice of life and yet even thoughwe know that it is ephemeral we still take the risks hoping to be theone of the few that are spared of the inevitable pain that follows.

It is brave to love; It is foolish to love and yet we do so; humanscannot function without it , and as both Millay and Browning state, lifewithout love might be less painful, but it is a life not worth living.