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Sonnet 42 How Do I Love Thee? by Elizabeth Barrett Browning Born in 1806 in England, Elizabeth was born into an affluent family who owned sugarcane plantations in Jamaica. After a secret courtship, she married the successful British poet Robert Browning in 1846.

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Her sonnet uses the Italian format with a rhyming pattern of an octet and sestet making up the 14 lines. She uses assonance with depth and breadth; reach and feeling; and, being and ideal for overall euphonious effect. How do I love thee? Le t 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.

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She repeats I love thee to emphasize her feelings. She uses a simile to compare her love to the acts of noble men. I love thee to the level of every days Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight. I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

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She uses sound devices, such as alliteration, to add an elegant nature of the poem. An invalid and six years older than Robert Browning, she doubted his love for her. I love theee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhoods faith; I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

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With the dash, she emphasizes her feelings, breaking up the formality with a verbal outburst of simple words. She died in 1861, in her husbands arms. Browning said she died smilingly, with the face of a girls. Her last word wasBeautiful. 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. Much of her poetry has religious themes, after being inspired by Miltons Paradise Lost and Dantes Inferno.