Comparison Of Love Poetry:

Comparison Of Love Poetry:

Rememberby Christina Rossetti, How Do I Love Thee? by Elizabeth

Barrett Browning and When We Two Parted by Lord Byron

The three poems, Remember by Christina Rossetti; How Do I love Thee?

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and When We Two Parted by Lord Byron,

each explore love and loss in their own unique ways. Remember is, as

expected from the title, a solemn lament which is a farewell sonnet to

her treasured one. How Do I Love Thee? is again a sonnet of love but

is of a love that is present and hopefully will remain forever. The

third poem that will be examined is When We Two Parted which tells of

a lost secret love that has left a scar on Lord Byron's life.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning's impressive How Do I Love Thee? is, as you

might suppose, a poem describing the extent of the author's love of

her partner. It is one of her "Sonnets from the Portuguese" which were

written in her Italian days at the Casa Guidi. Like many of them How

Do I Love Thee? takes the form of a patriarchal sonnet which is the

most common sonnet form and is for the most part the more appropriate

form for love poetry over the English or Shakespearian sonnet or the

Spenserian sonnet. Using sonnet form, you would expect the change in

tone after the first octet but in this the change is less pronounced

with a subtle change to a graver side of love. Though it is so

understated it could be debated that it isn't there at all.

The second poem to be analysed is Lord Byron's When We Two Parted.

This is written from a different perspective to How Do I Love Thee?

where the relationship has ended and his feelings can be simply shown

in language. The overriding tone is one of hostility and bitterness

towards his pas...

... middle of paper ...

... love in

a different way, Remember shows it as a platonic love between friends

where it is going away. When We Two Parted tells the story of a lost

love edged with the feelings of bitterness that come with an ended

relationship and How Do I Love Thee? recounts an absolute love that is

flawless and perfect in every way. The presentation of loss in How Do

I Love Thee? is virtually non-existent with only one mention where the

love will grow stronger after death. In When We Two Parted loss is the

main theme of the poem and is shown as a very grave matter that is not

good for any person. Remember shows loss differently as though it

isn't necessarily an awful thing. It isn't good but you cannot dwell

on it, you must move on and live your life. Ultimately, love and loss

can be presented in many different ways and these poems show us some

of these ways very well.