Sonnets from the Portuguese. By Elizabeth Barrett Browning FULL Audiobook
“Sonnets from the Portuguese” is a collection of forty-four sonnets penned by the renowned 19th-century poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. These passionate poems, first published in 1850, delve into themes of love, longing, and devotion. Let’s explore the essence of this remarkable work:

1. Background and Context:
– Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote these sonnets between 1845 and 1846.
– The title itself is intriguing: “Sonnets from the Portuguese.” Why “Portuguese”? Robert Browning, Elizabeth’s husband, affectionately called her “the Portuguese,” which explains her choice of title.
– Elizabeth’s life was marked by illness and frailty, and she never anticipated finding love. However, her sonnet collection reflects a profound shift—from depression to joy and hopefulness.

2. Themes and Tone:
– Romantic vs. Spiritual Love: The sonnets grapple with the complexities of love, intertwining the earthly and the divine.
– Love vs. Reason: Elizabeth’s emotional journey defies rationality, emphasizing the power of love.
– Love as Choice and Freedom: The poems celebrate love as a conscious decision, a liberating force.

3. Key Sonnet: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways” (Sonnet 43):
– This sonnet is Elizabeth’s most famous and beloved work.
– Although traditionally interpreted as a love sonnet from Elizabeth to her husband, Robert Browning, the poem doesn’t explicitly name them.
– Let’s explore its lines:

“`
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
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 every day’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.
“`

– Elizabeth’s love transcends earthly boundaries, encompassing both mundane and extraordinary moments.
– She loves freely, purely, and passionately, drawing from her past experiences and unwavering faith.
– The final line suggests eternal love beyond mortal existence.

4. Overall Impact:
– These sonnets chronicle the early days of Elizabeth and Robert’s courtship.
– They reveal her initial reluctance to marry, her yielding to love despite familial objections, and their eventual happiness together.
– Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “Sonnets from the Portuguese” remains a timeless exploration of love’s depth and resilience.

In summary, this collection captures the essence of love—its complexities, its heights, and its enduring nature. Elizabeth’s words continue to resonate across generations, reminding us of love’s transformative power. 🌹📜

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More: Sonnets, Portuguese, Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Audiobook, Love, Poetry
Romance, Victorian, Literature
Sonnet Cycle, Passion, Emotion
Classic, Verse, English Literature

00:00:00 I thought once how Theocritus had sung
00:01:34 But only three in all God’s universe
00:02:41 Unlike are we, unlike, o princely heart
00:03:45 Thou hast thy calling to some palace floor
00:04:52 I lift my heavy heart up solemnly
00:06:00 Go from me. Yet I feel that I shall stand
00:07:07 The face of all the world is changed, I think
00:08:14 What can I give thee back, O liberal
00:09:21 Can it be right to give what I can give?
00:10:26 Yet, love, mere love, is beautiful enough
00:11:39 And therefore if to love can be desert
00:12:44 Indeed this very love which is my boast
00:13:51 And wilt thou have me fashion into speech
00:14:58 If thou must love me, let it be for nought
00:16:04 Accuse me not, beseech thee, that I wear
00:17:07 And yet, because thou overcomest so
00:18:11 My poet, thou canst touch on all the notes
00:19:20 I never gave a lock of hair away
00:20:27 The soul’s Rialto hath its merchandise
00:21:35 Beloved, my beloved, when I think
00:22:40 Say over again, and yet once over again
00:23:50 When our two souls stand up erect and strong
00:24:54 Is it indeed so? If I lay here dead
00:25:59 Let the world’s sharpness, like a clasping knife
00:27:00 A heavy heart, Beloved, have I borne
00:28:03 I lived with visions for my company
00:29:09 My own Beloved, who has lifted me
00:30:15 My letters! all dead paper, mute and white!
00:31:24 I think of thee!–my thoughts do twine and bud
00:32:29 I see thine image through my tears tonight
00:33:34 Thou comest! All is said without a word
00:34:35 The first time that the sun rose on thine oath
00:35:38 Yes, call me by my pet-name! Let me hear
00:36:41 With the same heart, I said, I’ll answer thee
00:37:43 If I le

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