Name : Yusril Ahmadi

NIM : 2104020031

How Do I Love Thee? (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.

Initial Encounter
“How Do I Love Thee?” or Sonnet 43 is one of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's most
famous works, expressing the depth of love in a very personal yet universal way. This poem is
part of the collection of poems “Sonnets from the Portuguese” written for her husband, Robert
Browning. The sonnet “How Do I Love Thee?” immediately captured my attention through its
dramatic opening with (“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways”), followed by the
repetition of “I love thee” creating a powerful rhythm and restrained emotional intensity, as well
as using brilliant spatial and temporal metaphors to describe the various dimensions of love -
from the mundane to the spiritual, from the everyday to the eternal - all wrapped up in a tight yet
flowing sonnet structure, creating the perfect balance between passion and precision.
Identifying Key Elements & Analyzing the Text
1. Imagery
This poem is rich in imagery that depicts the various dimensions of love that the
author feels. It ranges from love that is vast and profound, to love that is an integral part
of everyday life. The imagery also depicts love that is sincere, pure, rooted in the past,
and even transcends the boundaries of death. The overall imagery of the poem can be
found in the following stanzas:

1) The Depth, Breadth, and Height of Love

“I love thee to the depth and breadth and height / My soul can reach, when feeling out
of sight” This imagery describes the love that the author feels as something very wide
and deep, beyond the boundaries that humans can reach.

2) Love as an Everyday Necessity

“I love thee to the level of every day's / Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light” This
imagery shows that the author's love is an integral part of everyday life, present in the
simplest needs, both during the day and at night.

3) Free and Pure Love

“I love thee freely, as men strive for right / I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.”
This imagery paints the author's love as sincere and selfless, uninfluenced by worldly
things such as praise.

4) Love Rooted in the Past

“I love thee with the passion put to use / In my old griefs, and with my childhood's
faith.” This imagery illustrates that the author's love is rooted in her past experiences
and beliefs, including childhood griefs and beliefs.

5) Love that Exceeds Death

“I shall but love thee better after death.” This imagery implies that the author's love has a
transcendent dimension, which will continue even after death

2. Metaphors

This poem uses many spatial metaphors that describe the beautiful nature of love, as in some
of the stanzas that have been written:
1. Love as a measureless entity that the speaker's “soul can ‘reach’.
2. Love as a moral imperative, likened to “men strive for right”.
3. Love as a sacred, spiritual force, akin to religious devotion.

3. Rhythm
 The poem is written using the rhythm of the Shakespearean sonnet structure, which consists
of 14 lines with the iambic pentameter metre. This pattern gives an impression of formality,
order, and solemnity that matches the sincere and profound tone expressed by the author. The
lines of the poem are divided into three quatrains (4 lines) and a couplet (2 lines) at the end.
This structure creates a repetitive and patterned rhythm, giving a sense of balance and unity in
the expression of love.

4. Symbolism

symbolism that enriches the meaning and spiritual nuances of the expressions of love.
Symbols such as “ends of being and ideal grace”, “sun and candle-light”, “lost saints”, and
“after death” depict love as something transcendent, eternal, pure, and beyond earthly
boundaries:

1. “Ends of being and ideal grace”

This symbol can be seen as a representation of love that has a spiritual or transcendent
dimension, transcending the boundaries of physical existence.

2. “Sun and candle-light”

This symbol depicts love that is eternal, present in all conditions, both during the day and
night.

3. “Men strive for right”

This symbol symbolizes love that is sincere, pure, and fought for just like a man who
strives for right.

4. “Lost saints”

This symbol refers to the author's past loves that have been lost, but the current love is
much more precious.

5. Tone

The tone of this poem makes us feel a very earnest and sincere love, conveying the speaker's
deep, almost religious devotion. Contemplative and introspective as the speaker reflects on
the various dimensions of their love. The scope is wide, moving from the cosmic to the
mundane.

6. Narrative structure
 Overall, the narrative structure of this poem follows the general pattern of a sonnet, which
begins with an introduction, then explores and develops various aspects of the problem, to
then reach a climax and resolution that emphasizes the main theme. The narrative structures
found in this poem are:

1. Introduction and Opening: The opening line “How do I love thee? Let me count the
ways” introduces the main subject matter, which is the attempt to measure or count the extent
of love felt.

2. Exploration and Development: In the first three quarters, the author explores and
develops the various dimensions of her love, ranging from the transcendental, everyday,
moral, to those rooted in the past.

Quaternary 1: Describes love that is infinite, transcending physical boundaries.

Quaternary 2: Describes love as an integral part of everyday needs.

Quartet 3: Expresses love that is sincere and pure, not for praise.

3. Climax and Resolution: In the final couplet, the poem climaxes with the statement that
the author's love will be “better” after death. This provides the resolution and conclusion that
the author's love has an eternal dimension, which will continue beyond the boundaries of
mortal life.

Formulating Interpretations

My interpretation is that this poem expresses a love that is profound, universal and transcendent.
The author describes her love as something that transcends ordinary boundaries, encompasses all
aspects of life, and has a spiritual or eternal dimension. The main message is that true love is
something that cannot be limited or measured, but rather transcends all forms.

Reflection
The process of analyzing this poem has deepened my understanding of how literature can
express ideas and emotions beautifully and profoundly. The use of figurative language, structure,
and style discussed in this analysis shows how poetry can be a rich medium to convey complex
meanings.
I feel a personal connection to this poem because the expression of love is so universal and
evocative. Although I have never experienced the love described in this poem, I can feel the
sincerity and depth of emotion reflected in it. This process of analysis has helped me to better
appreciate the power and beauty of literature in exploring the human experience.