sonnet 29

What is Sonnet 29 about?

a speaker’s borderline obsessive thoughts about her lover, and idea of vines encircling a tree is used as a metaphor for speaker’s growing glove, and eventually they realise that it is better to be physically present rather than thinking about him

“I t____ of t____! - my t_____ do t____ and b___ about thee, as w____ v_____, about a t___”

“I think of thee! - my thoughts do twine and bud about thee, as wild vines, about a tree”

Analyse “I think of thee! - my thoughts do twine and bud about thee, as wild vines, about a tree”

“I” and “thee” - pronouns - in the same line which displays separation and her longing to be closer to him, but they are only separated by a few words, so the distance between them to be overcome

“think” and “thoughts” - repetition - she can only be with him in her imagination due to physical distance between them, which acts a barrier in their love, and “th” alliteration shows how she is craving and lusting for him

“thee” - repetition - she is constantly thinking of him

“wild vines” - shows the couple’s intimacy, as she fantasises him being wrapped around him, as he is a tree, a phallic symbol, and she is wild for him

“twine and bud” - metaphor - her thoughts are compared to plant, which have uncontrollable growth, as she shows that her desire and passion is natural at a time where women’s’ sexual feelings were suppressed, here her love for him constantly evolves and feels new every time

“Rather, instantly/ renew they presence; as a strong tree should, Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare”

“Rather, instantly/ renew they presence; as a strong tree should, Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare”

Analyse “Rather, instantly/ renew they presence; as a strong tree should, Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare”

extended metaphor - sexual innuendo, as she wants to see him

“instantly” - adverb - connotes urgency and speaker cannot wait her lover to come to her in a physical sense

“as a strong tree should” - simile - uses his masculinity to persuade him to come to her

“Renew” and “Rather” - imperatives - shows her new found confidence and power which has developed from her arousal, as she has lost all her inhibitions, particularly in context of Victorian society she lives in + alliteration has animalistic connotations, mimicking sounds of animals and demonstrates wildness she feels to her desire, almost like a bird calling out their name

What is structure of the poem?

Petrarchan sonnet - centred mre on prospective love from a distance

Give context for the poem

written whilst she was courting Robert Browning

during victorian era, women were expected to not experience or express any strong emotions, especially those of a sexual nature