Elizabeth Barrett Browning's How do I love thee - Essay Example

So though she was methodical by using the phrase, "let me count," within the same line was "How do I love thee?" Though she procured "depth"--which is the distance lets say from the surface of the ocean to its murky bottom, "breadth"--the distance side to side, and "height"--the distance from the floor to the roof--her poetic assonance--depth ("eth") and breadth ("eth") and height ("ight")--conveys the plucky beating of her heart for the man she loves. William Shakespeare, on the other hand, was a man of the Elizabethan era, the renaissance in England where creativity, breaking from the past and experimentation was the norm.

England was exposed to new wonders and knowledge brought home by its explorers and promoted by its progressive queen. Freedom of expression was encouraged, and Shakespeare was thus free-er in describing his passions than EBB. Thus the bard could compare his great love to Natures wonder--the Summers day--and have the temerity to rate his paramour "more lovely and more temperate" while the seasons day "hath all too short a date" and is sometimes "too hot" and its "gold complexion dimmd." The Victorian era differed.

There were various social reform movements popular in Elizabeth Barrett Brownings time that sought to battle the harsh conditions of the poor and downtrodden. Since these idealisms were highly praised in EBBs society, she of course would equate her strong love in those terms. EBB's speaks of the waking passion, that initial recognition of a spark in one's heart for another.