Comparison Of Love Poetry: Essay -- English Literature

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... ... 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.