Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s sonnet begins with a rhyme scheme of ABBA ABBA CDDC CE showing that the poem is a Shakespearean sonnet, considering the couplet at the end. This sonnet dwells on the previous love that she has had and the love that she desires to have instead. The sonnet is broken up into three different parts. The first sestet focuses on the kind of love that Browning desires to have. “If thou must love me, let it be for naught (nothing), Except for love’s sake only.” This statement meaning that the speaker wants someone that doesn’t love her for anything except for love itself. She then mentions things that may cause people to love someone, such as their smile, their looks, or their way of speaking, because it intrigues them.
The second sestet discusses why people should not love for appearance or material things. Browning says that these things change, or can be changed at the expense of the person. Love is then shaped by these material things and love therefore is not true.
“Neither love me for Thine own dear pity’s wiping my cheeks dry.
Since one might well forget to weep who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby.”
Elizabeth Browning suffered from a blood vessel bursting in her lungs that caused her to become very sick and weak. She later had to move to a slight confinement for her own safety. There she continued to try and write poems. Although it was a challenge she made due. In this quote from the poem Browning does not want anyone who just loves her because they pity her or because she may be saddened, because in due time she will not have tears and the comfort she once had may disappear along with the love. I think this poem is basically a lesson learned by Browning from prior experiences. After finding Robert Browning and realizing that what he offered her was true love, she was excited.
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