Analysis Sonnet XLII
When you first read this poem, it may not make much sense to you. This poem is written in syntax very unfamiliar to modern ears. This unfamiliar rhythm and meter makes it difficult to figure out the actual meaning.
This is a challenge for modern readers; it’s not unlike reading another language. Any foreign language can be difficult, learning to read and understand it requires lots of practice. You will probably need to read this poem at least twice silently and again twice aloud in order to begin to understand what Elizabeth Barrett Browning conveys through the language.
Remember the theme of this unit. The literature we will be reviewing has something to do with the past and the future. This poem speaks directly to that theme.