Sonnet 29 - I think of thee!

thoughts (longing)

my thoughts do twine and bud about thee

• vines = thoughts of him, uncontrollable, want to cling on and explore all of him

• tree = lover, presents him as strong and stable, also reliable and secure as well as having masculine strength

• twine could present close physical connection but also can be overwhelming and suffocating

vines (longing)

wild vines

• vines cling onto things and so could present how she desires to be close to him. Her thoughts spread quickly and can become out of control

• perhaps her growing thoughts are beginning to feed off of him and become detrimental

• adjective ‘wild’ highlights her overwhelming and intense feelings and how they’re unrestrained

drop (passion)

drop heavily down, - burst, shattered, everywhere!

• sudden release of tension, so far thoughts have been metaphorically wrapping around her love, but now she imagines them falling away, this could present how she no longer needs her thoughts to imagine their connection

• shift in tone from yearning and entanglement to freedom could reflect Browning’s desire for physical and emotional presence being fulfilled

• violent and powerful imagery could be used to create a sense of uncontainable passion and show how consuming and powerful love is

• “burst” and “shattered” connote breaking something apart, this could symbolise the destruction of her obsessive thoughts

• dashes and exclamation mark help create the sudden and chaotic atmosphere

too near (passion)

I am too near thee

• she is no longer the ivy, they’re so close that there is no separation

• monosyllabic words help to create a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment because they are now together

• ending is reversal of beginning - now that her lover is present, he blocks her thought completely, overpowering them with his presence.