The Petrarchan Sonnet: An Outlet for Elizabeth Browning

Eminent author, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, brings to paper a beautiful lyric poem, Sonnets from the Portuguese, following the traditional conventions of the Petrarchan sonnet. While focusing on sonnets II and III of Elizabeth Browning’s, Sonnets from the Portuguese, it becomes evident that the characteristics of the Petrarchan sonnet, combined with literary techniques and syntax choice, make the sonnet an ideal vehicle to portray such intense and complex emotions which Elizabeth Browning is experiencing. She easily conveys her melancholy mood and feelings of inferiority and unworthiness of Robert’s love by choice of syntax and phrases. Structurally, Sonnets from the Portuguese follows the typical mould of the Petrarchan sonnet, defined by a particular rhyme scheme. However, as an author, Elizabeth Browning, being female, depicting female desires and emotions, is atypical to this mould. Most sonnets published during the Victorian period were composed by male authors, depicting male emotions, desires, and aspirations.

The notion of the sonnet itself is meant to show stately importance. The sonnet, commonly referred to as a love poem, has fourteen lines, usually fai

Nor the seas change us, nor the tempests bend;

Notice the rhyme scheme, abba, present in the first quatrain, which follows the traditional rhyme scheme of the Petrarchan sonnet. Browning clarifies that only she, her Lord, and the speaker could have heard the utterance of love. Either she or Robert replies that it was God that speaks the words of love, and since this “curse” of love is from God, it has encompassed her vision. As God is all powerful she is powerless to fight the developing love between herself and Robert. Words such as “curse” and phrases such as “darkly on my eyelids” when referring to love, exemplify the melancholy mood of the author. The vision of love, which God has placed on her eyes, is referred to as a “death-weights”. This implies that Elizabeth is confused by the emotions she feels, mistakenly associating these feelings with death. She feels that since this vision has been placed on her eyes by God, death would be far less exclusive with this vision. Elizabeth Browning uses powerful words throughout Sonnets from the Portuguese as a method to invoke the mood of the sonnet. By referring to Robert Browning as “Thou” and “thee”, the reader is able to see how she respects him. Through language she pays homage to Robert Browning’s character.

The Petrarchan sonnet, also known as the Italian sonnet, is divided into two sections, the octave and sestet. The first eight lines, known as the octave, serve to bring about a poetic image, situation, idea, or topic, which the author wants to address. The octave is also subdivided into two quatrains, consisting of four lines each. The octave or quatrains can both be identified by the rhyme scheme typical to the Petrarchan sonnet. Following a rhyming pattern of abba, abba, Elizabeth Browning’s Sonnets from the Portuguese, clearly falls within the Petrarchan conventions.

With gages from a hundred brighter eyes

rly long lines, enabling the author to convey importance to the subject which is being address. Preferably the lines should consist of ten syllables which will create a fluid motion in the poetry. Sonnets II and III of Browning’s, Sonnets from the Portuguese follow this convention. For the most part, Elizabeth Browning’s lines consist of ten syllables, with few exceptions. These exceptions however, do not alter the sweeping motion of the lines, rather they add to the lull of the poetry. Sonnets from the Portuguese depicts the complexities and uncertainties of love and the developing

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