
Sonnet 43
Introduction
Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote a sequence of sonnets and published them under the title “Sonnets from the Portuguese”, which gave the impression the poems were translations into English. This may have been her attempt to disguise their autobiographical origins because most critics believe the sonnets were love letters to her future husband, Robert Browning. Regardless of its purpose, “Sonnet 43” is an intense and heart-felt declaration of love.
Sonnet 43
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.
Approaching a Poem
One of the things that separates poetry from other forms of writing is the greater precision of the language the writer uses to tell their story. Every word and phrase has to justify its inclusion in the text or else the poem will lose some of its artistry and beauty. However, this can make poetry more difficult and demanding for first-time readers.
Many students will read a poem line by line. However, try reading through “Sonnet 43” again and make sure you pause at the punctuation marks rather than the end of each line. Does this approach help your understanding of the story?
A good technique to use when analysing a poem is to divide the text in terms of the sentences or punctuation. This should break down the story into more manageable beats. If you have a print out of “Sonnet 43”, you can copy out these scrappy marks and lines:

Paraphrasing
After separating the poem into smaller sections, you should rewrite the images in your own words or summarise their meaning. Copy out and complete the following table:
Quotation | Your Interpretation |
How do I love thee? | |
Let me count the ways. | |
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height / My soul can reach | |
I love thee to the level of every day’s / Most quiet need | |
by sun and candle-light | all day and all night |
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 | I love you with all my breath, in all my joys and sadness |
and, if God choose, / I shall but love thee better after death |
Comprehension Questions
- Suggest why the speaker is asking the question “how do I love thee”.
- How do you think the speaker feels asking that question?
- What do the measurements “depth and breadth and height” suggest about the speaker’s love?
- What does the word “soul” suggest about the “depth” of her love?
- What does the image of “sun and candlelight” suggest about her feelings?
- Why did the speaker want to emphasise that she loves him “freely”? You could consider the roles of men and women in the 1800s.
- The speaker refers to the “griefs” she experienced when she was younger. How do her intense feelings of love transform her outlook on life?
- Suggest why the speaker compares her new love to the emotions and devotion she once felt towards her faith?
- In yur own words, describe the meaning of the final two lines.
Form and Structure
Many sonnets begin with a question and the rest of the poem serves as an answer. Do you think this rhetorical device is effective?
If you would like to learn about sonnets and rhyme schemes, your next poem should be Amy Lowell’s “Aftermath“.