Compare and contrast the theme of love and/or loss in a range of pre-1914 poetry Essay Example

Robert Browning but was aware that her father would not sanction their union. Consequently, they eloped and relocated to Italy.

In "Sonnet 1", Elizabeth Barrett Browning delves into the topic of love, while "Remember" and "Sonnet 71" explore love and loss. While the latter two sonnets address how the writer wants to be remembered after their death without causing sadness, Barrett Browning's sonnet expresses her love for her husband despite feeling sad due to her illness and life situation.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning reflects on Theocritus, a great poet whose work prompted her to consider her own life. She repeats the word “years” in the second line, emphasizing the fleeting nature of time. Lines three and four feature alliteration with the letter “g” in "gracious" and "gift", highlighting the benevolent quality of life and its creator, God. Throughout her illness, Barrett Browning finds comfort in her husband, who provides hope for her future.

The contrast between "old" and "young" illustrates the unpredictability of death at any age. The repetition of the letters 'u' and 'e' in "antique tongue" creates assonance, while the use of "sweet" and "sad" forms sibilance in line seven. The repeated appearance of the word "years" throughout the poem emphasizes that Barrett Browning endured a long period of suffering. Furthermore, lines two and seven share similarities in language as they both describe the bittersweet nature of passing "years".

In the sonnet, the octave reflects on the speaker's feeling of sadness upon contemplating the illness that has cast a "shadow" over her life. In the sestet, the speaker realizes that it was not "death" but rather the love of her husband Robert Browning that saved her. The

repetition of the sibilant sounds in "shadow", "straightaway", and "shape" is noteworthy. Additionally, the capitalization of the letter 's' in "shape" suggests that the entity behind Barrett Browning was otherworldly.

The theme of death is highlighted by Elizabeth Barrett Browning's use of alliteration featuring the letter 'b' in "behind" and "backwards". There is a symbol of hope for the author in the word "silver" used in the husband's voice, representing purity and value.

Christina Georgina Rossetti, a devout member of the Church of England, was born on December 5th, 1830 in London. The final line of her sonnet emphasizes the intimate connection between "death" and "love." Although the sonnet expresses sadness, its tone becomes slightly lighter in the sestet. The rhyme scheme flows smoothly with ABBA, CDDC, EFEFEF.

Her beliefs were so strong that when her fianc�, James Collinson, converted to Roman Catholicism, she terminated the engagement. Her writing covered various genres including love poetry, religious poetry, prose, ballads, and lyrics. The sonnet "Remember" has a wistful tone and follows an Italian rhyme scheme with ABBA ABBA EFFGEG in the octave with four (A) rhymes and four (B) rhymes.

The repetition of "gone" creates a sense of death, while the repeated use of "remember" throughout the sonnet draws the reader in as it echoes persistently. The phrase "silent land" suggests mortality, evoking a desolate and mournful setting.

As the letter 'O' is repeated, assonance can be found in the words "you", "no", "more" and "hold". The word "yet" is used in line nine as a volta. The sonnet reflects Rossetti's contemplation of her death and how nobody will be able to pray for her. Instead of being remembered and

mourned, she wants her loved ones to forget and smile. It is possible that her affection for James Collinson inspired her to write this sonnet.

Moreover, the sonnet's popularity stems from its uncomplicated phrasing, enabling readers to personalize their interpretation of the piece. The poem's central theme concerns love and departure, as the speaker conveys affection for their loved ones despite their imminent demise. This sonnet bears similarity to Shakespeare's "Sonnet 71," as both express a desire for loved ones to avoid grieving their passing. Shakespeare remains among the most esteemed English-language writers, known for his extensive repertoire, including 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two lengthy narrative poems, and numerous other works.

Born in Stratford-upon-Avon and marrying Anne Hathaway at only 18, the author of Sonnet 71 employs an English sonnet structure with the rhyme scheme ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG, the latter two of which reflect the work's theme of love and loss. In contrast to "Remember," an Italian sonnet with a similar focus on consoling loved ones after death, this piece features sibilance in its second line ("surly sullen") and assonance through repetition of the letter 'u'.

The reading experience can be affected by repetitive letters and words, which can create a hissing sound and impede the reader's pace. Notably, the words "warning" and "world" feature multiple instances of 'w,' while "vile" and "vilest" also have repetition. This repetition can make these specific words more memorable. Moreover, repeating the letter 'c' in words such as "compound" and "clay" may help with retention.

The words "let", "love", and "life" contain repeated letter 'l's, as does the phrase "wise world" with its repetition of the letter 'w'. Although

each sonnet centers on love, both 'Sonnet 71' and 'Remember' explore themes of love and loss, making them more similar. While Barrett Browning discusses her melancholic life prior to meeting her husband in her sonnet, Shakespeare and Rossetti express their desire for their loved ones to find happiness after their own passing.

According to them, it's better for people to forget them and be happy than to remember them and be sad. Additionally, the sonnets of Barrett Browning and Rossetti are in Italian while Shakespeare's sonnet is in English.