Poetry by The Brownings

Overview: This unit of lessons is designed to lead students to read the life and love stories about the couple-Elizabeth and Robert Browning -the Victorian poets. With some biographical knowledge about both poets, students will read and appreciate their poetry. They will also discuss how much their poetry can be related directly to their real life. Literary elements-sonnet, and dramatic poem, will also be studied. Students will demonstrate their understanding of their poetry by writing an interpretation of the couple' love for each other expressed in the poems.

Objective: Student will

Material: Elizabeth Barrett Browning XLIII "How do I love thee ? Let me count the ways"

Motivational Activities:

XLIII
How do I love thee ? Let me count the ways. by Elizabeth Browning 
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life !--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

 

More love poems by Elizabeth Browning
Sonnet VI/Sonnet VII/ Sonnet VIII/Sonnet IX

Love in life by Robert Browning

        I.

Room after room,
I hunt the house through
We inhabit together.
Heart, fear nothing, for, heart, thou shalt find her---
Next time, herself!---not the trouble behind her
Left in the curtain, the couch's perfume!
As she brushed it, the cornice-wreath blossomed anew:
Yon looking-glass gleaned at the wave of her feather.

        II.

Yet the day wears,
And door succeeds door;
I try the fresh fortune---
Range the wide house from the wing to the centre.
Still the same chance! She goes out as I enter.
Spend my whole day in the quest,---who cares?
But 'tis twilight, you see,---with such suites to explore,
Such closets to search, such alcoves to importune!

More Love poems by Robert Browing

Procedures and Activities

Activity I

Read Elizabeth Browning's sonnet and answer the following questions-

  1. How many different ways does the speaker love her beloved, according to the poem?
  2. What feeling is he speaker describing when she refers to " a love I seemed to lose/With my lost saints"? What is she saying that her beloved means to her?
  3. What is your impression of the romantic relationship described in this sonnet?
  4. There are different attitudes toward romantic relationship, such as idealistic vs. practical; adventurous vs. cautious; emotional vs. rational open vs. reserved. Where attitude does the speaker have for love?
  5. Do you think it is desirable to love or be loved in this way? Explain your answer.
  6. This sonnet is probably the most quoted love poem in the English language. What qualities both in its contents and its style, make it memorable?

Activity 2

Read a love letter by Robert Browning to Elizabeth Browning. How did he express his love for her?

Activity 3

Read Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess" and answer the following questions-

  1. The poet describes the duchess through the eyes of a fictitious painter. What imagery are drawn in the poem describing the portrait?
  2. What destroyed the duke's marriage ?
  3. What do you think is the real cause of the duchess' death?
  4. What can you infer from the duke's use of the word "last"(line 1)?
  5. What might it mean that no one save the duke draws the curtain(lines 9-10)?
  6. How would you explain duke's feelings about the duchess' tendency to be easily pleased (lines21-24)?
  7. What do you think happened to make the smile stop (line 46)?
  8. In your opinion, is the duke's graciousness in ignoring social differences genuine(53-54)?
  9. What relationship can you draw between the duke and the duchess' relationship and Neptune's taming the sea horse?
  10. What can you infer from the last two lines of the poem?
  11. How would describe the speaker's attitude toward his former wife?
  12. What major literary elements are used in the poem(irony, symbolism, characterization?

Respond-

In your notebook, explain your reaction to this poem.

Connect-

What does this poem reveal about the poet's attitude toward love and marriage? Is love about possessing each other? If it is not, what is it?

Activity 4

Read a love story between the two poets: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/poet/browning.html  and complete the following exercise-

1. Summarize the romance between Elizabeth and Robert Browning.

2. What is Elizabeth and Robert Browning's attitude toward love?

3. How is their attitude toward love revealed or indicated in the poems discussed in the class?

Activity IV

Illustrate your love letters.

See a sample illustration from the Extraordinary correspondence between Griffin and Sabine

More sample illustrations

Extensions:

1.Choose one of the poems and write an interpretation of it. From the anthology of each poet's works, read at least two more poems. In your interpretation essay, make sure to make connections between the couple's love life, their attitude toward love and the meaning of the poem.

2. Research the web and find at least two more good links pertaining to the topic. Link the sites to this assignment including a brief annotation for each site.

 Homework Assignment:

Write a love letter to a character (real or imaginary) in poetry or prose and write a response to the love letter from the point of view of the character.