Andrianna Pappas
After reading the poem “How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning I have reflected on how it made me feel as well as think. The poem is a timeless masterpiece that shines light on the true essence of love, evoking different emotions and feelings from within. As I read deeper into Browning’s verses, I develop a sense of warmth, as though being welcomed by the nature of love itself.
In the beginning of the poem, Its opening line, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways,” instantly pulls me in, alluring me on an expedition through the countless emotions of love. Browning shows a story of strong love and admiration through each line, like a pattern of caring actions. Reading the poem, I think about how love is endless and goes beyond time and space. Love is like an uncontainable force that can leap over barriers of the world.
To me, Browning’s words remind me that when it comes to love there are no boundaries and that anything is possible. When Browning says “smile, tears, of all my life-! And, if God chooses, I shall love thee better after death”. These words to me show how love survives after death, and that it is not bounded simply by earth and the human experience. Growing up very religious, these words to me also give me a message that God should always be in love. God should be in the center of your relationships and that the love you have for him and that he has for you is extremely important. 
Another thing I love about the poem is that the rhythm and melody of the poem creates a songlike elegance that really lets me envision the poem in a deeper way. I am a person who loves listening to music mostly because of their lyrics. Some of my favorite artists write about love in a poem-like way that is similar to this poem. I feel as if every word and phrase is carefully picked to fit into the poem and give the best description for the readers as possible. Browning’s words create a vivid scene, where love’s strength is beautifully felt.
Additionally, “How Do I Love Thee?” suggests me to reflect on my own experiences with love, welcoming me to analyze the extent of my fondness and the ways in which love has enriched my life. For me, when I go through Browning’s stanzas, I perceive the poem to not just refer to love in intimacy but love in general. I can relate it to my love for my family such as my mom, my dad, and my sisters. Although I have been in intimate relationships before when I go through this poem I dont think of it in that way, although the poem can often be perceived as that. When Browning says, “I love thee to the depth and breadth and height”, It encourages me to love people as much as you can give. To live your life through God and love is an important task because it lets us become the best versions of ourselves and enlightens our life.
Through Browning’s poetic lens, I am reminded of the countless ways in which love manifests itself. Through acts of kindness to a stranger or a friend, through being there for a loved one, and through tender gestures love is in everything. It is more than just a feeling but truly a desire to love. What makes me truly love this poem is Browning’s ability to convey such profound sentiments with such elegance and grace. Her words resonate with authenticity and sincerity, touching the very core of my being. It is as though she has distilled the essence of love into its purest form, offering a glimpse into the depths of the human heart.
“How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning is a timeless testament to the enduring power of love. The poem’s beautiful lines and sincere sentiments capture the timeless realities of love and commitment, making a lasting impression on the reader’s spirit. It’s a masterpiece that echoes through time, highlighting the boundless capacity of the human heart to love and be loved in return.
“How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
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.
Hey! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this poem, I’ve definitely heard this poem referenced before in regards to the first line, but I’ve never seen it in its entirety, so I appreciate getting to learn about it through you. The last 3 lines, in particular, are really sweet and resonated with me, so I understand that warm feeling you were talking about, love can be such a beautiful thing. I agree that the repetition of the parallel structured lines makes it seem like an endless list to show the extent of the speaker’s love. Even on my first read-through of the poem I also picked up on a distinct rhyme and rhythm, it definitely does have musicality to it. I love that this poem encourages self-reflection for you and that you feel it can be applied to relationships outside of the romantic as well, I hadn’t thought of it that way but I think that’s an even more genuine sweet way to look at love as all-encompassing.
I am impressed that you noticed the rhythm of this piece. Reading the poem I only noticed her love for God I didn’t notice it was a play on her love for a specific person. I also can see how it’s easy to relate to a women expressing power of love.
Hey Adrianna! I love, what you had to say about love lol! After reading through the poem myself I completely agree that love does surround and envelope us in such a warm feeling. I especially loved what you had to say about how the way that love is described in this poem is “timeless.”
Hi Andrianna,
I enjoyed reading how you interpreted Browning’s poem as a representation of many different forms of love, from romantic to familial to religious. Ambiguity in poems is an element that I particularly enjoy as well because I can take from it what I need at the time and whenever I revisit it, take a different meaning. Ambiguity allows us readers to relate to the poem in different ways, which I think is a thoughtful consideration on the poet’s end. Such a topic as love is felt and experienced in a variety of ways by everyone, but I like how Browning expresses the intensity of love with such warm and welcoming language. And I agree that love is timeless, which this poem does well in exhibiting.