AppreciationofElizabethBarrettBrowning’sSonnets

何羽晴

【Abstract】A sonnet is a poetic form which originated in Italy，and later turns into lyric poetry by a knight of the pen.Among the sonnets，Shakespeare is the highest in poetic achievement.The important poets in every period of the history of English literature such as Shelley，Byron，Keats had written sonnets.In the western great cultural and artistic phylogeny，Elizabeth Barrett Browning is the star warmly gleaming，over sonnets poetry circle softly dreaming.By appreciating the artistic expression of her sonnets，we could explore and get in touch with Elizabeth Barrett Brownings inner self.

【Key words】Sonnet； Elizabeth Barrett Browning； Appreciation

ⅠINTRODUCTION

Elizabeth Barrett Browning （6 March 1806 – 29 June 1861） was one of the most prominent English poets of the Victorian era.Her poetry was widely popular in both Britain and the United States during her lifetime.Her poems are elegant and in good taste，a sad and sentimental，makes her readers experience the gamut of emotions.With specific nuanced observation of female，she truly describes the small world around her.And her love lyrics continues to echo down the centuries.

ⅡTHE ANALYSIS OF THE THEME OF MRS.BROWNINGS SONNET Ⅰ

I thought once how Theocritus had sung

Of the sweet years，the dear and wished-for years，

Who each one in a gracious hand appears

To bear a gift for mortals，old or young：

And，as I mused it in his antique tongue，

…………

How a mystic Shape did move

Behind me，and drew me backward by the hair；

And a voice said in mastery，while I strove，--

‘Guess now who holds thee？--‘Death.I said.But，there The silver answer rang，-- ‘Not Death，but love.

Sonnet I is from the famous piece Sonnets from the Portuguese，which was produced after she met Browning.It is the story of the author，Elizabeth Browning making her way in life and describes her love for her husband.It is called the most exquisite love poetry anthology in English，based on similar，personal experiences that Browning suffered through herself.In this sonnet，Browning uses the stanza structure of sonnets to draw obvious distinctions between two extreme emotions： happiness and sadness.In the first four lines she depicts the past as a good memory，but in the next four lines completely changes her position on the past，continuing this emotion for four more lines before switching again happy in the couplet.These changes are highlighted by the structural format.

In the first four lines Browning personifies the years，saying “...Who each one [years]in a gracious hand appears”，painting a picture of an old friend.This friend comes to people of all ages in order to reminisce and remind them of how good the past has been，and rejuvenate their memories.There is an abba pattern，enclosing this stanza and making it completely separate from the next stanza.And at end of the sonnet，through the words “mastery”and“strove”，here，the author has begun to pick herself up and is moving forward.She guesses that death still has its grip on her，however，it is in actuality love.The specific use of“death” and“love”in the last couplet shows how she has moved from a depressed state about her past，to hope in the future.

Ⅲ HEARTFELT FEELINGS IN MRS.BROWNINGS POETRY

Elizabeth Browning s sonnets are going the rounds years after years，not only a touching air of the real experiences，but also her sonnets mirror her life，cleanse the heart and broaden our horizons.It is her heartfelt feelings that leads she step into the secular life but go beyond it.Maybe she is the most brilliant spokesman of sonnets for her unique understanding of it.We are moved by her love story with Mr.Browning first while reading Elizabeth Brownings sonnets.What is love？ As Browning depicted in her poem，‘If thou must love me，let it be for naught.Except for loves sake only.Do not say， The true essence of love is even if the seas go dry and rocks crumble，your partner s will will remain firm.Through this relationship，the pair make common progress and perfect each other.And that is the true picture of Elizabeth Brownings love，which rests on good will and mutual understanding.

Ⅳ CONCLUSION

Elizabeth Browning cocoon herself in a private world of pretence since her injured her spine in a riding accident and suffered from paralysis for 24 years.She is fond of love but do not dare the extravagant demands to get it.Thanks God，she met the love of her whole life--Mr.Browning，who had a strong admiration for her talent and fell in love with she.Then they got married.She intensely happy 15 years of marriage ended with her death in Mr.Brownings arms.It was her love that saved her life and left behind immortal masterpieces to all posterity.She deduced romance stories another with her legendary life and works.

References：

[1]徐拯民.厄運，鑄成黃金的鏈環……——白朗寧夫人其人其詩[J].遼寧廣播電視大學學報.2014（04）.

[2]Dorothy Mermin，Elizabeth Barrett Browning： The Origins of a New Poetry [M]（1989）University of Chicago Press.