The poem
XIV
If thou must love me, let it be for nought Except for love's sake only. Do not say 'I love her for her smile—her look—her way Of speaking gently,—for a trick of thought That falls in well with mine, and certes brought A sense of pleasant ease on such a day'— For these things in themselves, Beloved, may Be changed, or change for thee,—and love, so wrought, May be unwrought so. Neither love me for Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry,— A creature might forget to weep, who bore Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby! But love me for love's sake, that evermore Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity.
Love is for eternity, therefore when you accept to love Thee, love Thee for the right reasons. Reflect on love choices since you may not see the changes that can be brought upon the individual. Love thee for himself, not for what you think Thee is. The love you express for another may change someday, as love always always does, or never does. Do not pity love nor do not bore it. Love is not comfort, love is simply.
This poem, written in the middle of the 19th Century, is at the epicenter of a changing culture. The need for love to be pure and lasting supports a need for solidarity and consistancey as male, female, class, and industrialization are changing the landscape and relationships of this figures to their landscape. E.B Browning and Robert Browning's relationship was seperated by her life threatning illness, her father,…
Read the whole commentThis poem, written in the middle of the 19th Century, is at the epicenter of a changing culture. The need for love to be pure and lasting supports a need for solidarity and consistancey as male, female, class, and industrialization are changing the landscape and relationships of this figures to their landscape. E.B Browning and Robert Browning's relationship was seperated by her life threatning illness, her father, and her notiriety. She was by far, a more recognized poet than he (suggested reading Porphyria's Lover R. Browning), adding a difficult kink to their very distant and long courtship.
Sonnet 14 inspires a hope beyond these things that are not lasting, to move beyond a sympathetic pity sentiment for she, but something more noble and sustaining than the both of them (the poet speaker and her lover). It also suggests a love beyond death, something not tied to the mortal limitations tied with the flesh (smile and weeping). This being a woman giving an instruction in love is significant in itself asserting a power and strength in E. B. Browning's work and life, despite her constant, and eventual dying, from life long illness.
This poem talks about the ever lasting nature of ture love; which the poet defines as not being based on any other thing but love. She is also suggesting that true love can remove all pains and leave only happiness as she writes,"....a creature might forget to weep, who bore thy comfort long."
In the poem she is telling him she dosent want him to love her for her looks or for her mind because those things change and when they do would he still love her?
She is telling him to love her just because he love's her because true love dosent chang and is forever.
The poem is saying that once you have decided you were in love with someone, that love should be the motivator and driving force...thus letting go of the physical, mental and emotional conflicts that evolve and just going froward...BLINDLY and having faith in LOVE