Maggie GianniosisEnglish 12

Mrs. CrawfordTuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Biography:Born in Coxhoe Hall, Durham, England, in 1806, Elizabeth Barrett was an

English poet of the Romantic Movement. She was the oldest of twelve children, and was educated at home. Ms. Barrett was a brilliant young lady, having read great works such as Paradise Lost and many Shakespearean plays before the age of 10. By the age of 12, she had written her first “epic” poem, but unfortunately was plagued with lung aliment two years later, that would stay with her for the rest of her life. In addition, at the age of fifteen, she suffered a spinal injury while riding her horse. Despite all this, she continued to thrive in education and throughout her teenage years, she taught herself Hebrew and grew fond of Greek studies.

Elizabeth not only lost her mother, but her brother as well. After moving to London, dark times fell upon her, and she was truly emotionally broken. She secluded herself in her bedroom, and five years later, produced and released a collection of her work, entitled Poems. This gained the attention of Robert Browning, who was six years her junior. They eventually exchanged 574 letters for the next 20 months, which led to a romance between the two, bitterly opposed by her father. Her father did not want any of his children to marry and as a result, Elizabeth and Robert eloped and settled in Florence, Italy. Her father never spoke to her again. There, Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s health improved and she had a child, named Robert Wideman Browning.

Elizabeth wrote the Sonnets from the Portuguese, which she dedicated to her husband. This, of course, indicated that How Do I Love Thee? Sonnet 43 was written about Robert Browning, her life long partner. These Sonnets have been admired and considered by many her best work, and best collection of love lyrics in English literature.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning died in Florence on June 29, 1861.

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/152

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16786/16786-h/images/217.jpg

Biography:Beyonce Giselle Knowles was born on September 4th, 1981, in

Houston, Texas, where she attended a performing arts school, and soon became one of the worlds most influential artists of our generation. From the age of 7, she was exposed to talent shows and by her teenage years, she was actively performing. By 1996, Destiny Child was established, bringing her name into the industry for good. The groups albums skyrocketed and the hits just kept coming. Eventually, Destiny Child made it to the Grammy’s, where Beyonce then entered the acting industry. Beyonce had become an established name and by 2003, she was ready to set off into a solo career.

Reports began circulating that Beyonce was romantically involved with hip hop artist Jay-Z, introducing new hits, filled with romance. Her solo career became a huge hit as she walked her way through the MTV awards and blew the public away with her talent and uniqueness. By 2008, after huge progress and success in her career, Beyonce married Jay-z in New York, and she embarked on a new adventure in the music career.

In 2008, Beyonce Knowles launched a brand new album, I Am…Sasha Fierce, spreading like wildfire across countries, which included the contagious Single Ladies dance. Beyonce Knowles states that “the double album allows me to take more risks and really step out of myself, or shall I say, step more into myself, and reveal a side of me that only people who know me see”, mentioning the song Halo, dedicated to her partner, Jay-Z. By 2010, Beyonce took home six Grammys, becoming the only female artist to win six trophies in one night.

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How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.I love thee to the depth and breadth and heightMy soul can reach, when feeling out of sightFor the ends of being and ideal grace.I love thee to the level of every day'sMost quiet need, by sun and candle-light.I love thee freely, as men strive for right.I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.I love thee with the passion put to useIn my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.I love thee with a love I seemed to loseWith my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,I shall but love thee better after death.

By Elizabeth Barrett Browning

http://www.poetryconnection.net/images/Elizabeth_Barrett_Browning.jpg

Remember those walls I built

Well, baby they’re tumbling down

And they didn’t even put up a fight

They didn’t even make a sound

I found a way to let you in

But I never really had a doubt

Standing in the light of your halo

I got my angel now

It’s like I’ve been awakened

Every rule I had you breakin’

It’s the risk that I’m takin’

I ain’t never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I’m looking now

I’m surrounded by your embrace

Baby I can see your halo

You know you’re my saving grace

You’re everything I need and moreIt’s written all over your faceBaby I can feel your haloPray it won’t fade away

I can feel your halo halo haloI can see your halo halo halo I can feel your halo halo haloI can see your halo halo halo

Hit me like a ray of sunBurning through my darkest nightYou’re the only one that I wantThink I’m addicted to your light

I swore I’d never fall againBut this don’t even feel like falling Gravity can’t forgetTo pull me back to the ground again

It’s like I’ve been awakenedEvery rule I had you breakin’It’s the risk that I’m takin’I ain’t never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I’m looking nowI’m surrounded by your embraceBaby I can see your haloYou know you’re my saving grace

You’re everything I need and moreIt’s written all over your faceBaby I can feel your haloPray it won’t fade away

I can feel your halo halo haloI can see your halo halo halo I can feel your halo halo haloI can see your halo halo halo

By Beyonce Knowles

www.youtube.com

Thesis: Both Browning and Knowles words demonstrate the love and appreciation for their lovers, however the words of Browning are filled with much more imagery and symbolism, while those of Knowles are much more simplistic.

http://www.gossipcheck.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/beyonce-knowles.jpg

http://www.todayinliterature.com/biography/elizabeth.barrett.browning.asp

Literary Techniques:

- Repetition: Repetition is evident throughout the poem, where “I love thee” is written a numerous amount of times. It is used to emphasize the idea of the poem, which is telling her lover how much she truly loves him.

- Imagery/ Symbolism: Browning has a talent in imagery and symbolism, where each sentence leaves the reader with more than just a simple line to analyze. For example: I love thee freely, as men strive for right - The imagery used here is men fighting for their rights. It symbolizes the fact that she can love him freely, no constraints holding her back.

- Tone: Browning uses tone. She is admiring, content, sentimental, reflective, loving, and joyous.

- First Person: Browning speaks throughout the whole poem in the first person, allowing the poem to be much more personal, and allowing readers to have a special connection and understanding with Browning. She does not shy away from expressing her emotions.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Elizabeth-Barrett-

Browning,_Poetical_Works_Volume_I,_engraving.png

Literary Techniques:

- Repetition: Like many songs, Knowles uses repetition throughout the song, emphasizing the impact her lover has on her.

- Imagery/Symbolism: Although it doesn’t not compare to that of Browning, imagery and symbolisms are present in the song. For example: Remember those walls I built, Well, baby they’re tumbling down - In terms of imagery, she uses the walls, and when it comes to symbolism, these walls represent her guard, she lets it down and everything comes out, no separation.

- Tone: Knowles uses tone. She is admiring, content, sentimental, reflective, loving, and joyous.

- First Person: Beyonce’s lyrics are written in the first person, allowing her as an artist to connect with the song, making it much more personal. This also allows fans to have a special connection and understanding with Knowles. In addition, fan can relate to the lyrics, and also see that they are not the only one’s in this world that are experiencing these feelings.

http://991.com/NewGallery/Beyonce-Knowles-I-Am-Sasha-Fierce-452754.jpg

American, Grammy Award-winning artist Beyonce Knowles’ Halo (2009) and British poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s How Do I Love Thee? Sonnet 43 (1849) romantically express the love, appreciation, and uniqueness of their lovers through their works. Browning idea’s, written long before Knowles, are much more complex and sophisticated.

Browning poem expresses the immense love she feels for her husband, and that her love for him will never die, but rather flourish after death. She counts all the reasons why she “loves” him, through actions and symbolism. Unlike Knowles, Browning uses the word love frequently throughout the poem, symbolizing a deeo connection she feels with her partner, and the unconditional feelings she has towards him. Through her words, her lover is brilliantly perfect and there is no other in this word that better matches her. He is simply her soul mate. Browning’s melodic words are flawless, I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.

Both are wistful, though Knowles lyrics are more easily understood. Although, she perfectly displays the admiration of her partner, just like the words of Browning. The imagery the audience is hit with, Remember those walls I built, well, baby they’re tumbling down, and they didn’t even put up a fight, they didn’t even make a sound, are extremely vivid and clear, and symbolizes the weakness she feels for him. In addition, Everywhere I’m looking now, I’m surrounded by your embrace, emphasizes the theme on love in the song.

Similar to Browning, Knowles praises and values all the aspects her lover brings to their relationship, through Browning leavers readers with more profound ideas, such as, I love thee freely, as men strive for right. Her love for thee can be showed freely, with no constraints or limitations. Both the poem and song express the emotion and love they feel for their partner, and the joy that they have brought to them. Both Knowles and Browning suffered difficult lives, whether it was Browning losing her mother and brother, and fighting for love against her fathers will, or Knowles struggled for success and having many instances where she felt her goals could not be reached. In the end, both reached their respective success, and were able to share their future, lives, and thoughts with another individual, who made them a better person, and quickly became their other half.