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Grief - Elizabeth Barrett Browning
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Grief
Presented by Ali and Poorvi
Biography
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Biography
Elizabeth Barrett Browning was an English writer of the Victorian era, popular in Britain and the United States.
Her works have brought her large amounts of successes and have placed a major influence on outstanding writers of the day, including Edgar Allan Poe and Emily Dickinson.
Meaning Behind 'Grief'
Grief is a Petrarchan Sonnet written in 1844.
Inspired by the death of Browning's favourite sibling, Edward.
Elizabeth considered this the 'greatest sorrow' of her life.
This incident spun her into a serious case of depression.
Meaning Behind 'Grief'
Analysis - Structure
- Grief is a Petrarchan Sonnet which follows the structure 'ABBA-ABBA-CDE-CDE'
- Standard sonnets include 10 syllables on each line, but lines 2,6 and 8 consist of less or more than 10.
Analysis - Structure
Analysis - Metaphors & Similes
- "If it could weep, it could arise and go" was a metaphor used to compare her grief to a statue
- express Grief for thy dead in silence like to death" was a simile used to compares her silence to death.
Analysis - Metaphors & Similes
Analysis - Imagery
In grief, imagery is found in line four "Beat upward to God's throne in loud access" and in lines seven and eight "vertical eye-glare/Of the absolute heavens."
Analysis - Imagery
Word Choice
"I tell you, hopeless grief is passionless."
The word "hopeless" places a different meaning and theme onto the phrase, when being compared to a phrase without the word.
Word Choice
"I tell you, grief is passionless."
The meaning and undertone of this phrase has altered, and doesn't express Browning's extent of her grief as well as the other phrase.
Tone of Voice
The tone of voice in a poem has a large impact on how the audience feels and reacts to the poem.
Your tone of voice is crucial when reading aloud as it allows the audience to imagine the grief for themselves.
Tone of Voice
Theme
The theme in Grief, as suggested by the title, is grief and sadness.
It has been said that Browning treated this poem like a journal, and it was the only way she expressed her emotions while she was going through the most traumatic period of her life.
Theme
Explanation of Techniques
The use of metaphors, tone of voice and word choice display the extent of her grief and how depression influenced her emotions.
Explanation of Techniques
Her word choice also allows any reader to apply their experiences to the poem.