thesis for sonnet 29

by William Shakespeare

When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state, And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries, And look upon myself and curse my fate, Wishing me like to one more rich in hope, Featured like him, like him with friends possessed, Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope, With what I most enjoy contented least; Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising, Haply I think on thee, and then my state, (Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven’s gate; For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

Summary of Sonnet 29

• Popularity of “ Sonnet 29”: Sonnet 29 is one of the best sonnets written by William Shakespeare. It is famous for its themes of love and hopelessness. It was first published in 1609. The poem speaks about an unfortunate man, frustrated with the present state of his life. It also illustrates the power and impact of true love.
• “Sonnet 29”, As a Representative of Love: This poem is about a speaker , initially downcast about fate, but becomes excited when he recalls his beloved . The poem begins with the description of the speaker’s discontent and his lamentation over the miserable plight of life. He curses his poor fate for his catastrophic condition. He feels abandoned and useless. He feels that even God is not answering his calls. Also, he is envious from the successful and talented people around him. He wishes to be rich, satisfied, and fortunate like them but meets only failures and disappointments. After cursing his present sad state, he suddenly talks about a special person and his mood changes in a dramatic way. This thought of love provides him immense pleasure and removes his negative feelings. What, however, stays in the minds of the readers is the magical effect of love that eradicates his sorrow and makes him feel special.
• Major Themes in “Sonnet 29”: Anxiety, love, and jealousy are the major themes of this sonnet. The poet discusses his miserable plight and the impact of love. The poem also explains how love brings optimism and hope to people who feel lonely and oppressed. In short, sonnet 29 is also about self- motivation .

Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “Sonnet 29”

literary devices are tools used by writers to convey their emotions, ideas, and themes to make texts more appealing to the reader. Shakespeare has also used some literary devices to bring depth in this poem. The analysis of some of the literary devices used in this poem has been discussed below.

• Assonance : Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /i/ in “Wishing me like to one more rich in hope” and the sound of /e/ in “Haply I think on thee, and then my state.”
• Imagery : Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example, “I all alone beweep my outcast state” and “That then I scorn to change my state with kings.”
• Consonance : Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /s/ “Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising”.
• Personification : Personification is to attribute human characteristics to non-human or lifeless objects . For example, “From sullen earth sings hymns at heaven’s gate.” Here, Shakespeare personifies earth as if it is a human being that can sing.
• Symbolism : Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings different from literal meanings. For example, “lark” stands for hope and good fortune.
• Alliteration : Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick succession, such as the sound of /th/ in “Haply I think on th ee, and th en my state.”
• Enjambment : It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break ; instead, it continues to the next line. For example,

“For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings.”

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “Sonnet 29”

Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.

• Sonnet : A sonnet is a fourteen lined poem usually written in iambic pentameter . This Shakespearean sonnet consists of one octave and sestet .
• Couplet : There are two constructive lines of verse in a couplet , usually in the same meter and joined by rhyme . This sonnet ends with a couplet, which usually reveals the central idea of the poem or a concluding thought.
• Rhyme Scheme : The rhyme scheme followed by the entire sonnet is ABAB CDCD EBEB FF.
• Iambic Pentameter : It is a type of meter consisting of five iambs . The poem comprises of Iambic Pentameter . For example, “When in disgrace with Fortune and men’s eyes.”

Quotes to be Used

The lines stated below can be used in a speech or lecture to glorify the positive attributes of true love.

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Background of the Poem

Historical context.

William Shakespeare is one of the most well-known names in English literature. He was the most famous playwright of his time. He also used to work as an actor in theatre at that time. Later on in his life, he went on to buy shares of a famous theatre in London. Along with his occupation with theatre, he also wrote many English poems. Among these poems, there are 154 sonnets which were published together in a collection in 1609.

In the 1590s, there was a severe plague in London city which resulted in the closure of all the theatres in the city. During this time, he wrote his poetic pieces. Sonnet twenty-nine is also one the sonnets written at this time. Due to the closure of theatres at that time, Shakespeare found it difficult to earn his livelihood. Therefore, it can be said that these conditions led him to reflect on his miserable conditions in this poem.

Another event of disgrace also happened in these years. One of the University Wits playwrights, Robert Greene, made fun of Shakespeare’s writing in his diary. He wrote that Shakespeare is trying to imitate the University Wits and is an insignificant writer. He furthered by writing that Shakespeare is a jack of all trades. This meant that he was a master of none. This reason can also clarify why Shakespeare said that he is in “disgrace with fortune.” He must have been hurt by such comments made about him at the start of his career.

As far as the person addressed in this sonnet is concerned, there is no obvious clue in the sonnet. However, the collection of sonnets is usually considered to be addressed to two different persons. The first 126 sonnets make the first portion of the collection. These sonnets are addressed to a male beloved. The last twenty-eight sonnets of the collection make the second portion. This portion is addressed to a mysterious lady. Based on this information, it can be said that this sonnet is addressed to the lovely guy with whom Shakespeare was in love.

Literary Background

The poem is written in sonnet form, which is a tradition borrowed from Italy. The main features of this form are that it is composed in strictly fourteen lines, and the meter used is iambic pentameter. The Italian poet and philosopher, Petrarch, invented this form of writing poetry for the first time in the fourteenth century. In England, this tradition reached late in the sixteenth century.

In England, Thomas Wyatt was the first poet to practice writing poetry in the form of a sonnet. He followed all the conventions of Italian sonnets. Many other poets like Philip Sidney and Henry Howard also used this form in England. They made a few changes in it by introducing quatrains in it. Sonnet twenty-nine is confirmation of this tradition. It is composed of fourteen and is divided into three quatrains and a couplet.

However, the theme of this sonnet does not conform to the traditional themes of sonnets. Traditionally, sonnets addressed the impossible pursuit of the love of a god-like female beloved. However, this sonnet discusses the miseries of the speaker and the pleasant effect of the beloved’s thoughts on his mood.

Sonnet 29 Summary

First quatrain.

The poem opens with the speaker describing his miserable condition. He says that when he finds himself in a state of failure and misfortune, he cries over his condition. He cannot bear the unjust treatment by his fortune. To add further to the injury, he is not only treated badly by fortune but also by the people of his society. He considers himself in union with no one. Nothing is favoring his side. So, he cries over his conditions. He cannot tolerate the fact that he has been announced an outcast by society.

Along with his weeping, he also tries to find some solace from prayers. He prays to the gods, but his prayers provide no gain. They fall on deaf ears of gods and are not answered. When his prayers face such a response, he says that he becomes more miserable. He considers his situation in the world and concludes that there is no comfort for him here. He curses his luck for all the worries he has in his life.

Second Quatrain

In the second quatrain, the speaker reflects on the thoughts he has when he is in miserable conditions. He says that he envies the fates of other people. He wishes to have the life of the person who has better hopes than him. He has lost his hope and cannot find to see any reason to live. Therefore, he envies the people who have high hopes in their lives. He also wants to have the fortunes of the rich people. Furthermore, he feels the vacuum of good friends in his life. He wants to have friends like the rest of the people.

His wishes do not end here. He says that he thinks of people with skills and wants to have their skills. These skills have rendered those people respectable in society, and the speaker wants to achieve the same respect. He also talks about the envying the scope of some people in society. He wishes to have that scope so that he could use it in his favor.

In the last line of the quatrain, the speaker confesses that he is not contented with the things he used to enjoy in the past. He is now fed away with all those things. He considers his skills and friends as lesser than those of others. This makes his condition even worse.

Third Quatrain

 The speaker speaks about his shift of mood in the third quatrain. He says that when he is trapped in such a dejected state, he reaches the point that he starts loathing his own self. However, his mind turns towards his beloved by chance. This moment turns out to be vital in changing the mental condition of the speaker. He says that his mind starts singing hymns as a lark sings at the daybreak.

In the couplet, the speaker tells his beloved about the reason for his change of mind. He tells his beloved that the thought of his love reminded him of the great treasure he has. This treasure is so worthy that he is now not ready to swap position even with a king. The wealth of a whole country cannot match the worth of his treasure.  

Themes in Sonnet 29

Power of true love.

One of the most major themes of this poem is the power of true love. The speaker creates a context of miseries and sadness to highlight the positive effect of love on one’s mind. He says that he is  dejected and fed up with worldly affairs. He thinks himself as an outcast from society and curses his fate for all the bad things that have happened to him. In such conditions, love appears as a hero and saves his day. He is rescued from the tides of miseries and self-loathing.

 This shows that love is a very powerful feeling when it is pure. It can do miracles to people and guide them through their lives. In the poem, the speaker asks the gods for help, but they do not help him. This shows that love is mightier than gods. When even the gods failed to help the poor speaker, love did in a moment.

For the most part of the poem, the speaker appears melancholic. He has miseries all around him in his life. In the very first line, he is in disgrace with fortune and people. This shows that he is badly treated by natural and social forces. Fortune is not helping him by making him face worrisome situations. Similarly, his society is not helping him to get rid of these situations. He is left all alone in the world. This state makes him say that he is an outcast from society.

The miseries of the speaker multiply when he sees that other people are granted things that he lacks. He wants to have the skills that other people have. Moreover, he wants to be as hopeful and as resourceful as some other people of his society are. This feeling of emptiness makes him more miserable. He blames his luck for all these things. In this sense, the theme of misery hovers over the poem.

The speaker of the poem talks a great deal about his envious feelings in the poem. He says that he curses his own fate and envies the fate of others. There are many aspects of others’ lives which he wants to own. He thinks that he should have the type of friends that other people have in their circles. He also envies people’s skills. He desires to have those skills as well.

Moreover, the fortunes and hopes of people are also the objects of his envy. These feelings are so strong that they overwhelm him, and he is not able to enjoy the enjoyable aspects of his life. His own life becomes dull and boring for him. In this way, envy becomes a major theme of the poem.

Even though it is not discussed overtly in the poem, the theme of religion plays a vital role in the overall content of the poem. The speaker says that he troubles the heaven with his cries but does not mention any answer in return. However, he mentions that heaven is deaf, and his cries are bootless, which suggests that he is skeptical of religion.

Furthermore, love serves as an alternative to religion by helping the speaker in his bad times. The speaker asks heaven for help, but his plea is ignored. On the other hand, he does not ask anything from love but still receives help from there. This difference in response highlights the superiority of love over religion.

In this way, religion is highlighted in a negative way in the poem.

Sonnet 29 Literary Analysis

The speaker starts the poem by referring to his miserable social status and says he has lost his position in men’s eyes. Here, the speaker employs the literary device synecdoche by referring to whole humans by using the word “eyes.” This device brings an artistic effect to the poem. He continues to describe his condition and exaggerates his poor social connections by using the term “outcast.” This use of hyperbole conveys his dissatisfaction over his current condition.

In the third line of the poem, the speaker explains his struggle to better his condition. He says that he troubled the gods with his cries. However, he uses the epithet “deaf” with the word “heaven” and “bootless” with the word “cries.” This personification of heaven creates the image of an indifferent God who does not want to hear the cries of the humans. He is troubled by them. In the next line, he blames this all over his luck.

In the second quatrain, the speaker describes his envy. He wants to have the hope, the skills, and the friend of other people. He says that his current condition does not let him enjoy what he used to enjoy in the past. He used words like “rich,” “featured,” and “possessed” to show that he lacks what other people have.

After the octave, the gloomy tone of the poem changes. The speaker starts using cheerful words and talks about his shift of mood. He says that with the arrival of the beloved’s thought in his mind, his mental condition changes drastically. He soon becomes happy and starts comparing this change to daybreak. He uses a simile to say that his mind starts singing just like a lark sings at dawn.

In the couplet, the speaker exaggerates his love and says that he will not even accept a kingdom in return for his beloved’s thought. The two lines are connected together in structure and thought, which shows the connection between the speaker and his beloved.

Sonnet 29 is written in the usual form of Shakespearean sonnets. It is composed of fourteen lines the meter used to write in iambic pentameter. The first twelve lines make three quatrains, and the last two lines are in the form of a couplet. 

There are two distinct portions of the poem based on the thought they convey. The first eight lines of the sonnet form the first portion and are called the octave. This portion explains the depressed mental state of the speaker. The last six lines of the sonnet form the second portion and are called the sestet. This portion explains the happier image after the speaker starts thinking about his beloved.

Rhyme Scheme

The rhyme scheme of the sonnet is ababcdcdefefgg. However, the difference in this sonnet is that the “b” and “f” rhymes are identical.

The meter used in this sonnet is iambic pentameter.

The diction of the poem is made to suit the tone of the poem. In the first section of the poem i.e., the octave, the tone of the poem is gloomy, and the diction supports the tone. Words like “outcast,” “bootless cries,” and “curse,” etc. reflect this tone of the poem.

In the last part of the poem i.e., the sestet, the tone of the poem alters and becomes hopeful and cheerful. The diction of this part also follows this shift in tone. The words like “arising,” “sings,” and “sweet love” reflect the cheerful tone of the poem.

The tone of the sonnet is different in the two different parts of the poem. In the octave, the tone of the poem is sad and gloomy. In the sestet, there is a shift in the tone and becomes cheerful and hopeful.

Speaker of the Poem

The speaker of the sonnet is a lover who is living in a miserable condition. He/she reflects on his/her condition and describes his miseries. He is envious of other people who have better skills and resources than him.

Literary Devices used in Sonnet 29

Personification.

•     Deaf Heaven: In the third line of the poem, heaven is personified by linking the quality of deafness with it. This device brings the effect of creating an image of an indifferent god. In this way, the speaker attains the empathy of the readers.
•     Sullen Earth: In the twelfth line of the poem, the earth is personified by linking the quality of being morose with it. This device is employed to create a vivid image of the morose mental state of the speaker.

  In the thirteenth line of the poem, the word wealth stands for the happiness and love of the speaker. This device makes the happiness of the poem relevant to the context of the poem.

In the eleventh line of the poem, the speaker compares the shift in his mental state with the morning songs of a lark by using the phrase “Like to the lark.” This simile creates the image of a lark singing in the morning, which enhances the effect of the poem.  

• Outcast State

In the second line of the poem, the speaker describes his lack of social connection by using the phrase “my outcast state.” This phrase is clearly exaggerated as the speaker is not an outcast but just not contented with the friends he has. This device is employed in the poem so that the miseries of the speaker are highlighted.

• Change my state with kings

In the last line of the poem, the speaker claims that he is so proud of his beloved thought that he will not be ready to let it go in return for a whole kingdom. This is clearly an exaggeration as no king will want to give his state in return for just a thought. This device intensifies the speaker’s claim that he considers the thought of his beloved better than anything.

Assonance is the repetition of the same vowel sound in a sentence in a poem. In the following line of the poem, sound /i/ is repeated:

“Wishing me like to one more rich in hope.”

Similarly, the sound /e/ is repeated in the following line:

“Haply I think on thee, and then my state”

Such repetition of sounds makes the poem more rhythmic and conveys the urgency of the speaker.

Consonance is the repetition of the same consonant sound in a line in a poem. In the poem, the sound /s/ is repeated in the following line:

“Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising”

Alliteration

The repetition of the same starting sounds in a line is called alliteration. In this poem, alliteration is found in the following line:

Haply I think on thee, and then my state

The sound /th/ is repeated in this line, which reflects the abrupt change in the tone of the speaker. He is overjoyed by the thought of his beloved and utters rhythmic words as a result.

Enjambment is a literary device in which the thought in one line is continued into another line. In this poem, both the lines of the couplet continue the same thought. This device implies the mental communion of the speaker and the beloved joining the two lines in the poem.

Synecdoche is a literary device in which a part refers to a whole or a whole refers to its part. In the first line of the poem, the speaker uses the phrase “men’s eyes” to refer to his belittling in society. Here the speaker uses the word “eyes” to refer to the whole of humans.

The word “state” is used three times in the sonnet in three different meanings. In the first line, it means the financial and social conditions of the speaker. In the tenth line, this word refers to the mental state of the speaker. In the last line, it is used to mean the kingdom of a king. In this, there is a play on this word.

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Sonnet 29 – ‘I think of thee!’, Elizabeth Barrett Browning Poem Analysis/Annotations

• July 7, 2020
• All Poems / GCSE AQA

Sonnet 29 - 'I think of thee!', Elizabeth Barrett Browning

FULL POEM - SCROLL DOWN FOR LINE-BY-LINE ANALYSIS​

I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud

About thee, as wild vines, about a tree,

Put out broad leaves, and soon there ‘s nought to see

Except the straggling green which hides the wood.

Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood

I will not have my thoughts instead of thee

Who art dearer, better! Rather, instantly

Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should,

Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare,

And let these bands of greenery which insphere thee

Drop heavily down,—burst, shattered, everywhere!

Because, in this deep joy to see and hear thee

And breathe within thy shadow a new air,

I do not think of thee—I am too near thee.

LINE-BY-LINE ANALYSIS

The poem begins purposefully, with the speaker directly addressing (the use of which creates a heartfelt and personal tone) her lover (if taken to be autobiographical, this would be Robert Barrett Browning, famous poet and husband to Elizabeth) and immediately declaring how much he occupies her thoughts. Barrett Browning’s natural imagery of the ‘wild vines’ that ‘twine and bud’ ‘about a tree’ signify how natural loving him is for her, as though it is second-nature, as well as how it constantly evolves to become even deeper, just like new flowers sprout from the bud of a vine. Additionally, the way in which the ‘wild vines’ intertwine ‘about a tree’ is a metaphor for the couple’s intimacy – both physically and emotionally.

However, the vines that represent her thoughts keep evolving to the point where the ‘broad leaves’ that they produce completely engulfs the tree that represents her lover, concealing it from view. Metaphorically, this means that her thoughts for him have grown so strong that they overwhelm and conceal his identity so that she cannot see past them and see him for who he really is, not who he is in her thoughts.

The speaker’s reference to her lover as her ‘palm-tree’ is significant due to the palm branch’s symbolism of victory and triumph in Christianity. This originates from Jesus’ Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday when palm branches were placed in his path. Hence, this metaphor is used by the speaker to describe the greatness of her lover and her feeling of triumph having found him. She goes on to vow that she won’t let these growing thoughts about her lover overwhelm and replace the real version of him – the latter being  ‘dearer’ and ‘better’.

Continuing with the tree metaphor, the speaker uses the imperatives ‘renew’ and ‘rustle’ to urge her lover to take action and renew his presence in her life to enable her to replace the thoughts she has of him with real-time spent in his company – in turn reacquainting her with his actual being (interpreted from the metaphor, ‘rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare’).

These ‘bands of greenery’ are the vines, representing her thoughts engulfing her lover who is represented by the tree. The extent to which they now conceal his actual being is emphasised by the word ‘insphere’. Her thoughts are every evolving, from just intertwining with the tree previously to now enveloping him from all angles. The triplet ‘burst, shattered, everywhere’ and the caesura (exclamation mark) conveys her eagerness for these thoughts to be replaced by his physical presence.

The conclusion to the poem offers a satisfying resolution, with the speaker’s longing to rid her mind of these thoughts being answered as she finally comes face-to-face with her lover, experiencing ‘deep joy to see and hear [him]’. She is revitalised in his presence, breathing ‘a new air’ – a metaphor for her relief for experiencing his actual company and not her interpretation of it. The statement ‘I do not think of thee’ is the opposite of the opening statement of the poem – illustrating how the speaker’s character has progressed in parallel with the cyclical narrative of the poem.

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Envy and Jealousy

When the speaker experiences shame, despair, and disappointment, he withdraws from the world with a feeling of helpless loneliness, convinced that even God has abandoned him: “I all alone beweep my outcast state, / And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries'' (Lines 2-3). His depression makes the speaker feel as if he lacked the agency to do anything; directing his anger inward, the speaker begins to negatively compare himself with the seemingly better-functioning people he sees around him. Envious, he fruitless wishes for one man’s better emotional state, another man’s good looks, the friendships a third has developed, a fourth man’s talent and skill, or yet another man’s better and more wide-ranging prospects: “Wishing me like to one more rich in hope, / Featured like him, like him with friends possessed, / Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,” (Lines 5-6).

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Gcse-grade revision from beyond, powered by twinkl, sonnet 29: i think of thee aqa love and relationships.

I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud About thee, as wild vines, about a tree, Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Welcome back to Beyond English’s AQA Love and Relationships poetry bonanza. This week, we’re exploring Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet 29: I Think of Thee! . We’ll be focusing on:

So, without further ado, let’s get started!

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Sonnet 29: I Think of thee! is a poem by Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. It is from her collection Sonnets from the Portuguese . Barrett Browning became one of the foremost poets of the Victorian period, and is equally well remembered for her love affair and marriage with the poet Robert Browning. 

Sonnets from the Portuguese is a series of 44 love sonnets written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning to her future husband, Robert Browning, in the years 1845-46. While Elizabeth Barrett Browning felt the poems were too personal for publication, her husband Robert convinced her to publish them in 1850. This was on the understanding that they would appear to the public as if they were translations of much earlier European works.

Barrett Browning had originally focussed on the Bosnian culture as the one that the poems would ostensibly be from. Robert Browning convinced her to call them Portuguese. However, since she admired the early Portuguese poets and because his pet name for her was ‘My Little Portuguese’. Robert Browning was convinced that the poems were the finest collection of sonnets in the English language since those of Shakespeare, and they have proved immensely popular. 

Sonnet 29: I Think of Thee Structure

The poem is a sonnet, an old-style love poem. The specific style of sonnet used here (and in all the sonnets in Barrett Browning’s collection) is the Petrarchan sonnet. In this type of poem, the first eight lines (the octave) set out a problem. Commonly this type of poem will have a volta or turn in the ninth line, and the end of the poem (last six lines referred to as the sestet) offers a solution. In Barrett Browning’s poem, however, the volta appears in the seventh line, perhaps expressing the excitement and impatience of the poet to see her lover. 

Throughout the poem, the poet’s excitement is expressed in the use of exclamation marks and the breaks in the regular iambic pentameter and through the use of punctuation in the middle of lines. The effect is one of breathless anticipation on the part of the poet. Caesura and enjambment are used throughout to break up the standard monotony of the sonnet form and to express her deepening excitement as the poem progresses. 

The transition between the problem of the first half of the poem and the solution of the second is mirrored in the repetition of the line: ‘I think of thee!’ This is changed at the end of the poem to ‘I do not think of thee’ as the poet has decided that she would rather see her lover.

Poem Analysis of Sonnet 29: I Think of Thee

Sonnet 29: I think of thee! is a love poem, a sonnet of 14 lines in which the poet, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, expresses her deep desires for her fiancé, Robert Browning. She discusses how much he is in her thoughts when they are not together, and worries at first that her imaginings of him may obscure what he is really like. She wishes for him to be a strong, solid presence in her life (the tree imagery) and wants to be with him (physical longing) rather than just thinking about him. 

The metaphor used throughout the poem is an extended one in which Robert Browning is seen as a tree, reflecting the solid, secure presence he represents in her life. He is, at various points in the poem, a ‘palm-tree’ and a woodland species with broad leaves. Her use of the tree metaphor is mixed and varied. Some elements of the poem seem overpowering – she is the ‘wild vines’ that twine around him, her thoughts for him are constantly growing and unrestrained in their enclosure: ‘insphered’. She sees these ‘wild vines’ of her thoughts being broken and shattered by him, since she dreams of a time when they can be together properly and not simply in her mind. They are ‘straggling’ and thus inferior to the real thing she dreams will be theirs one day. 

Some of the language of the poem reflects her deep physical longing for her lover and works well in comparison to similar feelings in Love’s Philosophy . Language such as ‘Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare, And let these bands of greenery which insphere thee, Drop heavily down’ could be read in a number of ways.

We hope this helped you understand Sonnet 29: I Think of Thee better. If you want to consolidate your understanding further, then you may find these resources useful:

• AQA Poetry: Sonnet 29: I Think of Thee! – Revision Notes
• GCSE Audio Poem ‘Sonnet 29 – I Think of Thee!’
• GCSE Poetry Sonnet 29 lesson Pack

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I think of thee (Sonnet 29) Summary & Analysis by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
• Poetic Devices
• Vocabulary & References
• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
• Line-by-Line Explanations

"I Think of Thee" is a sonnet written by the English Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Barrett Browning wrote the poem, along with the other sonnets published in her collection Sonnets from the Portuguese , during her courtship with the equally famous English Victorian poet Robert Barrett Browning from 1845-1846. The poem expresses the speaker's desire to see and be physically close to an absent lover. It argues that when it comes to love, reality is sweeter than fantasy, and suggests that true love requires deep vulnerability and passion—as well as a willingness to reject restrictive social conventions.

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The Full Text of “I think of thee (Sonnet 29)”

1 I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud

2 About thee, as wild vines, about a tree,

3 Put out broad leaves, and soon there 's nought to see

4 Except the straggling green which hides the wood.

5 Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood

6 I will not have my thoughts instead of thee

7 Who art dearer, better! Rather, instantly

8 Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should,

9 Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare,

10 And let these bands of greenery which insphere thee

11 Drop heavily down,—burst, shattered, everywhere!

12 Because, in this deep joy to see and hear thee

13 And breathe within thy shadow a new air,

14 I do not think of thee—I am too near thee.

“I think of thee (Sonnet 29)” Summary

“i think of thee (sonnet 29)” themes.

Fantasy Vs. Reality

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Love, Vulnerability, and Freedom

Line-by-line explanation & analysis of “i think of thee (sonnet 29)”.

I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud About thee, as wild vines, about a tree,

Put out broad leaves, and soon there 's nought to see Except the straggling green which hides the wood.

Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood I will not have my thoughts instead of thee Who art dearer, better!

Rather, instantly Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should, Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare,

Lines 10-11

And let these bands of greenery which insphere thee Drop heavily down,—burst, shattered, everywhere!

Lines 12-13

Because, in this deep joy to see and hear thee And breathe within thy shadow a new air,

I do not think of thee—I am too near thee.

“I think of thee (Sonnet 29)” Symbols

The Palm-Tree

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Vines and Greenery

“i think of thee (sonnet 29)” poetic devices & figurative language.

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Alliteration

End-stopped line, “i think of thee (sonnet 29)” vocabulary.

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

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Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “I think of thee (Sonnet 29)”

Rhyme scheme, “i think of thee (sonnet 29)” speaker, “i think of thee (sonnet 29)” setting, literary and historical context of “i think of thee (sonnet 29)”, more “i think of thee (sonnet 29)” resources, external resources.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning — An article detailing the courtship and marriage of two of the most influential poets in English literature. 

The Role of Women — An article about the traditional role of middle-class white women in Victorian society, and the ways in which Barrett Browning's poetry confronted and challenged these expectations. 

A Reading of the Poem — Listen to "I Think of Thee" read aloud.

The Victorian Era — An introduction to the important social and literary changes that were taking place during Browning's lifetime.

Barrett Browning's Biography — Learn more about the poet's life and work courtesy of the Poetry Foundation.

LitCharts on Other Poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways (Sonnets from the Portuguese 43)

If thou must love me, let it be for nought (Sonnets from the Portuguese 14)

The Cry of the Children

Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions

I Think of Thee (Sonnet 29)

By elizabeth barrett browning, i think of thee (sonnet 29) essay questions.

Discuss Browning's use of caesura in this work.

A caesura is a poetic device in which a single line is broken by a pause, with two separate phrases oriented around that central pause. This poem includes a good deal of caesura, which is especially prominent in its first and final lines. In line one, Browning writes "I think of thee! - my thoughts do twine and bud," with an exclamation point and a hyphen dividing the two phrases. The second of these phrases offers a metaphorical elaboration upon the statement made in the first. In the final line, Browning writes "I do not think of thee - I am too near thee," again using a hyphen to juxtapose two thoughts, so that the second phrase explains the first. The parallel structure of these two lines, each containing caesura, help to bring the poem full circle and emphasize their juxtaposed content.

How does Browning use extended metaphor in this poem?

An extended metaphor is used to convey a highly abstract, complex concept in clear and accessible terms. The poem's speaker describes a knotty situation in which her own thoughts about a lover cause her to lose sight of the lover's real self, even as she simultaneously feels close to him via imagination. This odd dynamic is made comprehensible through figurative language in which the speaker's thoughts are represented as vines, and the listener is represented as a tree. In particular, the use of a physical object to describe non-corporeal thoughts helps make the situation feel visceral and urgent.

I Think of Thee (Sonnet 29) Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for I Think of Thee (Sonnet 29) is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Study Guide for I Think of Thee (Sonnet 29)

I Think of Thee (Sonnet 29) study guide contains a biography of Elizabeth Browning, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About I Think of Thee (Sonnet 29)
• I Think of Thee (Sonnet 29) Summary
• Character List

The Sonnets

By william shakespeare.

• Year Published: 1609
• Language: English
• Country of Origin: England
• Source: Shakespeare, W. The sonnets. In R. G. White (Ed.), The complete works of William Shakespeare. New York: Sully and Kleinteich.
• Flesch–Kincaid Level: 11.0
• Word Count: 130
• Genre: Poetry
• Keywords: 17th century literature, british literature, poetry, william shakespeare
• ✎ Cite This
• Passage PDF

Shakespeare, W. (1609). Sonnet 29. The Sonnets (Lit2Go Edition). Retrieved May 31, 2024, from https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/179/the-sonnets/3268/sonnet-29/

Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 29." The Sonnets . Lit2Go Edition. 1609. Web. https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/179/the-sonnets/3268/sonnet-29/ >. May 31, 2024.

William Shakespeare, "Sonnet 29," The Sonnets , Lit2Go Edition, (1609), accessed May 31, 2024, https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/179/the-sonnets/3268/sonnet-29/ .

When in disgrace with Fortune and men’s eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state, And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries, And look upon my self and curse my fate, Wishing me like to one more rich in hope, Featured like him, like him with friends possessed, Desiring this man’s art, and that man’s scope, With what I most enjoy contented least, Yet in these thoughts my self almost despising, Haply I think on thee, and then my state, (Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven’s gate,     For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings,     That then I scorn to change my state with kings.