poetry analysis- sonnet 29

‘ R T P’

• renew they presence

‘ M T D T A B’

• my thoughts do twine and bud

‘R T B’

• rustle thy boughs

‘ H T W’ ‘NTS’

Hides the wood

Nought to see

Structure and context

• Volta (renew thy presence) againsttypical nature of sonnet, against conventions of women in Victorian society + focuses of more rational solution

• Iambic pentameter- breaks up the rhythm, breaks away from traditions of sonnet, rebellion from moral customs

• Enjambement and causura - makes the tone uneven she cannot control her desires

• Part of collection cakes sonnets from the Portuguese - she claimed to not have written them, wanted privacy in relationship?

Comparisons- phorphyrias lover

• Complex feelings of desire

  • S29 rhymth distrusted by enjambement + Break in iambic pentameter shows her overwhelming longing

  • PL first person dramatic monologue uses Enjambement to show instability of narrator and repetition of ‘and’ shows his obsessive observation over her

  • both control there emotions and remain calm (s29 with Volta and pl with caesura)

• Show intense emotions

  • s29 uses extended metaphor for feelings of longing described as suffering

  • Pl uses natures power with personification to represent his strong emotions and pathetic fallacy

  • Both uses natural imitate

• S29 shows physical love as harmony in relationship PL shows it as destructive

  • s29 uses harmony in nature to release tension but pl uses the disharmony of nature

  • S29 prefers physical unity hower pl prefers the precense of his lover as he does not reply to her

  • Both concerned with physical unity but browning chooses his own deluded thoughts instead

Comparisons- loves philosophy

• both show longing - S29 first person conveys intense emotions dedicated to lover, conveys frustrations and uses natural imagery

• Lp uses first person as part of plea, also frustrated, personified nature to represent love

• Both present physical love as unifying

• S29 has a hopeful ending she breakers the conventions of sonnets with a Volta to represent solutions she answers her own question at end

• LP ends with a rhetorical question and they are still frustrated at the end of the poem