Topic > Complexity of Love in Elizabeth Barrett's Sonnet

“XXXV” is one of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's sonnets from Portuguese; written in a first-person narrative and centralized around the complexity that love brings such as loss and change. Browning writes this poem as if he is speaking to a person whose love he desires, or perhaps to someone he will eventually meet; but as he questions the different aspects of love, he tries to answer whether the benefits are worth the potential difficulties. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? You get an original essay that opens with the investigation of love that is congruent with the loss that can come from it: “If I leave everything for you” (Line 1). This first sentence is directed at the person he loves, implying that he may have to leave everything he has to love them. As she reflects on the sacrifice to be made, she has other questions: “And be all for me? I will never fail” (Line 2); who asks whether love will be an adequate and useful substitute for the life he currently lives. Expanding his expectations for this love, “Domestic conversations, blessings and common kiss” (line 3), mentions the commonalities that they have become accustomed to; “Talk at home” alludes to companionship, and “common kiss” invokes nourishment. Compromises must be made for love, this is what is implied: “This comes to each in turn, nor do I count it strange” (line 4). “When I look up, to leave a new range” (line 5), it is touching the reality that sets in after the exciting “honeymoon” phase of a relationship ends. “When I look up” suggests the end of the new and exciting phase of love and human perception of the loved one; “new scope” to reality that can bring difficulties to a love relationship, such as disagreements. Line 6 uses images of objects as metaphors: “Of walls and floors, another house besides this one?” do not advertise walls, floors or a house in the literal sense; the walls represent a sense of security, the floors assimilate stability and the house represents comfort. The next lines continue by expressing interest in whether or not the person he loves will meet these needs for security, stability, and comfort: “No, you will fill that place that is” (line 7). dead eyes too tender to know change?" (line 8) attributes to the reluctance she feels towards the idea of ​​someone truly loving her. "Dead eyes" used as a metaphor for her point of view; how her attitude is negative because love has caused her pain and as a result she feels uncomfortable about it. The phrase “too soft to know change” shows the ambiguity she feels when wondering whether someone who has been negatively affected by love is capable of doing so. to love or to be loved again. The reflection occurs in lines 9 and 10: “It is the most difficult thing to overcome love, / to overcome pain, he tries harder, as all things show; " depicting the idea that he has already tried to love, but the anguish always follows. His attitude changes slightly in line 11, “For pain is indeed love and pain beside,” he seems to be accepting that desperation is a part of love and love is a part of desperation; you can't have one without having to experience the other. However, his cynical view returns: "Alas, I have suffered, therefore I am difficult to love." (line 12), she is afraid that because she has experienced the pain of loss in love, it has made it difficult to love her. task. A hint of hope appears in "Yet Love Me, Don't You?" Open your heart wide" (line 13), seems to give this person he loves the opportunity to love him. "Open your heart wide" illustrates that this person will have to love without judgment, now that he has warned him of all the.