ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING’S LIFE AS

REFLECTED BY HER SELECTED POEMS

THESIS

Submitted to the Board of Examiner

In Partial Fulfillment requirement

for Literary Degree at English Literature Department

by

SITI HAMIDA

AI 150349

ADAB AND HUMANITIES FACULTY

THE STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY

SULTHAN THAHA SAIFUDDIN JAMBI

2019

MOTTO

Meaning: “I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah, and I know

from Allah that which you do not know.” (Qs. Yusuf: 86)1

Artinya: “Hanya kepada Allah aku mengadukan kesusahan dan kesedihanku. Dan

aku mengetahui dari Allah apa yang tidak kamu ketahui.” (Qs. Yusuf:

86)2

1 Abdullah Yusuf Ali, (1934) “The Meaning of Glorious Qur’an Text Translation and

Commentary”, p. 245 2 Abdullah Yusuf Ali, p. 245

DEDICATION

In the name of Allah SWT most gracious merciful and the prophet Muhammad

SAW, the inspiration of Muslim’s life.

I would like to dedicate this thesis to:

My beloved father (Kholis), thank you for your sacrifice, love, support, care and

pray. Without your pray, I cannot finish my study.

My beloved mother (Darmiana), thank you for your patient to educate me so far,

for your sacrifice, your love, support, pray and all of that you are given to me.

For my sisters, Reni Asnita and Liana Astri. My brother, Irawanto. And for my

niece, Naifa Zahrani. Thanks for all the affections, attentions, happiness, and

laugh which colored my day.

I do love you all!

Then, to Mr. Firdiansyah, MA and Mr. H. Mislan, M.Pd as my supervisions, thank

you for your patient as long as you guided me to finish my thesis, for your helping

and supporting.

My beloved friends, Siti Aisyah, Sri devi Arisandi, Rini Rahayu, Ana Sholawati,

Rika Agustina, Dian Ratna Ningsih, Andi Astri Wardhana, Miftahul Jannah,

Ulmala sari, Afrasin Maisah Rahman, Randi Mirza, and Zamril. Thank you for

your inspirations, all of you are good people, I am so happy to living around wise

people as you all.

My dearest classmate, BSI A and B, for your kindness, love, support, and

everything.

The last for all people who have helped me in writing this thesis, I would like to

say thank you so much. I love you all as always.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Alhamdulillahirabbil ‘aalamiin.

All praises be to Allah SWT, the most beneficent and the most merciful

that shows me the right path; Islam and let me flow easily in accomplishing the

thesis entitled “ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING’S LIFE AS

REFLECTED BY HER SELECTED POEMS”, which is submitted to fulfill

the requirements for bachelor degree (S1) in English Literature, Adab and

Humanities, Islamic State University, Sultan Thaha Saifuddin Jambi. Sholawat

and salam be upon prophet Muhammad SAW who has brought us from the

darkness to the lightness.

Then, I would like to thank those who have assisted me in writing this

thesis. My sincere gratitude goes to:

1. The Rector of Islamic State University, Sulthan Thaha Saifuddin Jambi, Dr. H.

Hadri Hasan, MA. The Vise of Rector, Dr. H. Suaidi, MA, Ph.D., Dr. H.

Hidayat, M.Pd., and Dr. H. Fadilla, M.Pd., who allowed me to study in the

university.

2. The Dean of Adab and Humanities Faculty, Prof. Dr. Maisah, M.Pd.I. The

Vise of dean, Dr. Alfian, M.Ed., Dr. H.M. Fadhil, M.Ag., and Dr. Raudhoh,

M.Pd.I.

3. The Head of English Literature Department, Ulfatmi Azlan, S.S., M.A and the

secretary Dian Muhlisa, MA who have given the great supervised.

4. My great supervisors, Firdiansyah, MA and H.Mislan, M.Pd who have

continuously guided me throughout the process of accomplishing this thesis.

5. All of my lectures who have given me knowledge and experiences during

meeting in the class till now.

6. All of officials in Adab and Humanities Faculty who have managed my

administrations and requirements as long as my study till graduation.

ABSTRACT

Hamida, Siti. 2019 “Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Life As reflected By Her

Selected Poems”. English Literature Department, Adab Faculty,

The State of Islamic University Sulthan Thaha Saifuddin Jambi.

Supervisor I : H. Mislan, M.Pd

Supervisor II : Firdiansyah, M.A

This study aims at finding the reflection of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s

life as seen in her selected poems. Moreover, this study designs to find out the

meaning of Elizabeth Barrett Browning poems and the reflection of Elizabeth

Barrett Browning’s life is her poems. This study is qualitative descriptive since

the data are collected, analyzed, and described in the form of words rather than

numerical scores or statistics. The study is descriptive because it tries to describe

the reflection of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s life. The data of the research are

sentences in every stanza of the poems. This study has one primary data source

which is the six selected poems and taken from the Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s

biography.

Meanwhile, six selected poems reflect Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s life.

In the first poem “How Do I Love Thee (1850),” this poem tells about her life

when she felt happy after marry with someone who she loves. The second poem

“A Thought For A Lonely Death-Bed (1845),” this poem tells about her feeling of

scared when she has to face the death alone. The third poem “A Curse For A

Nation (1860),” this poem tells about her sympathy with the Italian cause after the

outbreak of fighting. The fourth poem “The Cry Of The Children (1842),” this

poem tells about child labor, she want to abolish slavery and child labor in

England. The fifth poem “Exaggeration (1845),” This poem tells about her life

when she wants to give spirits for her sisters and for her brothers. And the last

poem “Irreparableness (1845),” this poem describes about her expression of

sadness.

The research result shows that Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poems are

varies, there are: happiness expression, sadness expression, and sympathy

expression. In happiness expression there is a poem entitled ‘How do I love thee’.

In sadness expression, there are poems entitled ‘A thought for a lonely death-bed,

Exaggeration, and Irreparableness”. In sympathy expression, there are poems

entitled ‘A curse for a nation and The cry of the children’.

ABSTRAK

Hamida, Siti, 2019 “Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Life As reflected By Her

Selected Poems”. English Literature Department, Adab Faculty,

The State of Islamic University Sulthan Thaha Saifuddin Jambi.

Supervisor I : H. Mislan, M.Pd

Supervisor II : Firdiansyah, M.A

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menemukan cerminan kehidupan Elizabeth

Barrett Browning dalam puisi-puisinya. Terlebih lagi, penelitian ini didesain

untuk menemukan makna didalam puisi-puisi Elizabeth Barrett Browning dan

cerminan kehidupan Elizabeth Barrett Browning dilihat dari puisi-puisinya.

Penelitian ini menggunakan deskriptif kualitatif karena data yang disimpulkan

dianalisis, dan dijelaskan dalam bentuk kata dan bukan angka atau statistik.

Penelitian ini deskriptif karena menjelaskan cerminan kehidupan Elizabeth Barrett

Browning. Data penelitian ini berupa kalimat-kalimat pada setiap bait dalam puisi.

Sumber dari data penelitian ini adalah enam puisi yang telah dipilih dan yang

diambil dari biograpi kehidupan Elizabeth.

Sementara itu, enam puisi yang dipilih mencerminkan kehidupan Elizabeth

Barrett Browning. puisi pertama, “How Do I Love Thee (1850),” puisi ini

menjelaskan tentang kehidupannya, ketika dia merasa bahagia setelah menikah

dengan seseorang yang dia cintai. Puisi kedua, “A Thought For A Lonely Death-

Bed (1845),” puisi ini menjelaskan tentang perasaan takutnya ketika dia harus

menghadapi kematian sendiri. Puisi ketiga, “A Curse For A Nation (1860),” puisi

ini menjelaskan tentang simpatinya kepada Italia karena setelah pecahnya

pertempuran. Puisi keempat, “The Cry Of The Children (1842),” puisi ini

mencertikan tentang kerja paksa anak, dia ingin menghapus perbukan dan kerja

paksa anak di Inggris. Puisi kelima, “Exaggeration (1845),” puisi ini menceritakan

tentang kehidupannya, ketika dia ingin memberikan semangan kepada saudara-

saudaranya. Puisi terakhir, “Irreparableness (1845),”puisi ini mencerikan tentang

perasaan sedihnya.

Hasil dari penelitian menunjukkan bahwa puisi Elizabeth Barrett

Browning ini bervariasi, ada ekspresi kebahagiaa, ekspresi kesedihan dan ekspresi

simpati. Di ekspresi kebahagiaan ada sebuah puisi yang berjudul ‘How do I love

thee’. Di ekspressi kesedihan ada beberapa puisi yang berjudul ‘A thought for a

lonely death-bed, Exaggeration, and Irreparableness’. Di ekspressi simpati ada

beberapa puisi yang berjudul ‘A curse for a nation and The cry of children’.

TABLE OF CONTENT

PAGE OF TITLE………....................................................................................... i

APPROVAL………………………………………………………………..…… ii

LETTER OF RATIFICATION……………………………………………….. iii

ORIGINAL THESIS STATEMENT…………………………………………. iv

MOTTO…………………………………………………………………………. v

DEDICATION……………………………………………………………..……vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT……………………………………………...……... vii

ABSTRACT.………………………………………………………...………….. ix

ABSTRAK………………………………………………………..……………... x

TABLE OF CONTENT……………………………………...………………... xii

CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Problem………………………………………...….1

1.2 Formulation of the Problem…………………………………………...5

1.3 Limitation of the Problem……………………………………………..5

1.4 Purpose of the Research……………………………………………….5

1.5 Significance of the Research…………………………………………..6

CHAPTER II : THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK

2.1 Biographical Approach………………………………………………. 7

2.2 Expressive Theory………………………………………………...… 10

2.3 Semiotic Study……………………………………………………… 11

2.4 Poem ……….…………………………………………………...…... 13

2.5 Meaning……………………………………………………...……… 15

2.6 Review of Related Research………………………………………... 17

CHAPTER III : RESEARCH METHOD

3.1 Design of the Research…………………………………………...…. 20

3.2 Source of Data Collection…………………………………………... 21

3.3 Technique of Data Collection………………………………………..22

3.4 Technique of Data Analysis………………………………………… 23

CHAPTER IV : FINDING AND ANALYSIS

4.1 The meaning in Elizabeth Barrett Browning selected poems……….26

a. How do I love thee………………………………………………...26

b. A thought for a lonely death-bed……………………………….....27

c. Exaggeration………………………………………………………27

d. Irreparableness…………………………………………………….28

e. A curse for a nation……………………………………………..…28

f. The cry of the children……………………………………………..29

4.2 Elizabeth Browning selected Poem Reflect Her Real Life…………..30

A. Reflection of Happiness.………..…………….…………………..30

How Do I Love Thee…………………………………………….. 30

B. Reflection of Sadness.………………………………….…………33

a. A Thought for A Lonely Death-Bed………………………....... 33

b. Exaggeration………………………………………….……….. 34

c. Irreparableness………………………………………………….35

C. Reflection of Sympathy………………………………………...... 36

a. A Curse for A Nation……………………………………...…... 36

b. The Cry of The Children……………………………...…...…... 38

CHAPTER V : CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

5.1 Conclusions...……………………………………………………….. 40

5.2 Suggestions ..……………………………………………………….. 41

REFERENCES

APPENDIXES

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Problems

Human life is inseparable from the existence of literary work.

Human is not only given a mind by God but also completed with feeling.

Literary means of information in the form of a sign to receive, to save, to

transfer. Literary is a sign that contain text.3 Human can feel what happen on

their own life or environment. On the other hand, they can also fell happy,

sad and other concerning with their emotion such as feeling that they have

not only kept in both in their mind or heart, but certainly they are able to

express as an idea or overflow emotion though literary work. It means that

by literary, people can express what they seen in life. What they have

experience of it and what they have though and felt. They transform those

aspects in various from of literary work. Generally in the literary, there are

four main steps of interpretation. Like these to determine directly the

primary meaning, explain the meaning implicit, determine the theme,

explaining the meaning of the text.4 According to Ahmad Bahrun, “Sastra

adalah kegiatan seni yang menggunakan bahasa dan garis-garis symbol

lain sebagai alat dan bersifat imajinatif.5

From explanation above, the writer can take assumption that literary

work is all about language. Language is a thing to make communication

with the other, and also language is imaginative symbols. A person can

describe life as outlined by the media of language, writing or other objects.

Literary work is also part of the culture in a society that has a value system

which is considered as a valid rule.

3 Suwardi Endraswara. (2011). Metedologi Penelitian Sastra. (Yogyakarta: FBS Universitas

Negeri Yogyakarta, CAPS). p.65. 4 Ibid, p.45. 5 http://www.scribd.com/doc/31552799/Pengertian-Sastra-Menurut-Para-Ahli (retired on

friday at November 16, 2018 at 04. 13 pm).

Literary work is one of human creativities. It is divided into three

parts, which are called genres i.e. poetry, prose and drama. They have

certain characteristic and terms. Since this thesis deals with poetry, it is

worthwhile to define what poetry is. In the encyclopedia Americana,

etymologically the word “poetry” was divided from Greek word “poiein”

which mean to make or to construct.6 Poet result is from creativity processes

operating under the impulse of feeling and embodying the combination of

product of the poet’s perceptions thought and feeling.

Poem is the tool to express the human feeling and sense that used

selected language as a media to explore and filed up with figurative

language and another element to beautify the tone, rhyme, and another

aspect which make the poem more interest. Poem deals with the deepest

emotions, it seeks to capture in a few linguistics sign the realities of life.

Poem can be analyzed from many aspects like structure and its elements,

styles, and point of view of the story. Poem appears and created by poet

illustrates the human life which is explored by using some figures of speech.

Poem is arranged by a good and a bright thinking. Pradopo said

“puisi itu mengekspresikan pemikiran yang membangkitkan perasaan yang

merangsang imajinasi panca indra dalam susunan yang berirama”.7 So that

poem is an experience that is explored in the beautiful words with many

poetic elements like figurative language or another speech act like rhyme,

tone, thyme, symbol, etc.

Poem has many meanings in a word, as Waluyo said “puisi adalah

karya sastra. Semua karya sastra bersifat imajjinatif. Bahasa sastra bersifat

konotatif karena banyak digunakan makna kias dan makna lambang”8. The

poem is literary work. All the characteristics of literary work are

imaginative. The literary language characteristic is connotative because it

uses many figurative language and sign.

6 Encyclopedia Americana. (1945). International Edition (Glorier Imorporated). p.277 7 Rachmat Djoko Pradopo. (2005). Pengkajian Puisi. (Yogyakarta: Gajah Mada University).

p.7 8 Herman J. Waluyo. (1991). Teori Dan Apresiasi Puisi. (Jakarta: Penerbit Erlangga). p. 22

This research is chosen because the writer is interested in studying

poem. Reading poems carefully automatically develops our knowledge and

it makes possible to arrange the works that are chosen by the author. Beside

that the writer can also get the authors feeling or experiences from the

poems, the writer wants to know what the reason of the author to wrote that

poems.

Mrs. Browning was born in London, England, in 1809, and she died

at Casa Guidi, Flo rence, June 29, 1861. In 1844 she came forth from her

seclusion in two volumes of “Poems by Elizabeth Browning”. The

melancholy though showed traces of the sadness of much of her former life.

Some of her poems are especially admirer. “Cowper’s Grave”, “The Cry of

the Children”, “ A Child Asleep”, and “He Giveth His Beloved Sleep”.

The writer is interested in choosing Elizabeth Barrett Browning as

the topic, because as we know Elizabeth Barrett Browning has produced

many poems and she was famous poem of 18th century, as well as one of the

most popular poems. Elizabeth Barrett Browning begin write the poem from

six years old and naturally it is based on his life experience. Because of that

the writer is interested to choosing the Elizabeth Barrett Browning poems as

the topic of research. The writer picks out some examples from the author,

such as in poem entitled: “A Thought for A Lonely Death-Bed”.

Quotes:

To die alone, with none beside thy bed

To ruffle round with sobs thy last word said

And mark with tears, the pulses ebb from thee

Pray then alone, ‘O Christ, come tenderly !

This poem is a sadness expression, Elizabeth Barrett Browning

describes about her life when she felt lonely overflowing sadness and scares

when she has to face the death alone. No one beside who hold her hand cry

of lost and she is in her own, no family, no friend, no beloved, no someone

special, and not even an angel who want to accompany her in final sleep.

She felt scared when she has to face the death alone. No one accompanies

her, she was really sad because of her destiny. She only pray alone before to

face her death ‘O Christ, come tenderly!’.

The writer chooses the poem in this research, because as we know

literary work is generally fictional, such as a poem. But there are some

poems that related to the real life of the author or related to the past of the

author. As found in Elizabeth’s poems, some of her poems are based on her

real life. Poem is literary works that describe the behavior of life based on

feeling and experience of life and poems have beautiful high value in the

form or in the meaning. There are many famous authors from England one

of them is Elizabeth Barrett Browning, She makes a lot of poems in her lifes,

she has 236 poems such as about happiness poem, sadness poem, and life

experience’s poem. She is also known as Elizabeth Barrett Browning. She

was born on March 06, 1806 at Coxhoe Hall Durham and dead on June 29,

1861. Her childhood was passed in Hisefordshire, after years spent his time

in her father’s house at Wimpole Street, Elizabeth married Robert Browning

secretly to avoid her father’s anger. Elizabeth devoted love and her happy

marriage at poem and known to the world.

One of her famous poem is “Sonnets from Portuguese and Aurora

Leight” and many others poems. Elizabeth Browning also create many

sadness poem in her literary work such as Tears by Elizabeth Barrett

Browning poem, A Thought for A Lonely Death-Bed by Elizabeth Barrett

Browning poem, The Cry of The Children by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

poem, The Cry of The Human by Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem, A

Dead Rose by Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem, and so on. It’s shown that

life is not only about happiness but sadness also give big influences in life.

Elizabeth was famous at the time, some of her poems create based on

her own fear as the writer know in Elizabeth biography, she have

complication illness and her life is not simples full of worry, prejudice, and

complicated. Her poems greatly influenced Emily Dickinson and Edgar

Allan Poe, who admired her as a woman of achievement. Her popularity in

the United States and Britain was further advanced by her stands against

social injustice, including slavery in the United States, injustice toward

Italian citizens by foreign rules, and child labor.

Based on the background that was deciphered, the writer interested

to know what is the reflection of Elizabeth Browning’s life as seen in her

poems. So, the title in this thesis is “Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Life As

Reflected by Her Selected Poems”.

1.2 Formulation of the Problems

The focus of this study, the researcher limits and focuses of this

study by formulating the research questions as follow:

1. What are the meanings in Elizabeth Barrett Browning selected poems?

2. How do Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s selected poems reflect her life?

1.3 Limitation of the Problems

Based on the problems above, in this research the writer limit and

focus to analyze six poems by Elizabeth Browning, such as : “A thought for

A Lonely Death-bed” poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Exaggeration”

poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “How Do I Love Thee” poem by

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Irreparableness” poem by Elizabeth Barrett

Browning, The Cry of The Children” poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning,

“A Curse for A Nation” poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. These poems

are taken in “Elizabeth Barrett Browning Poems” book publisher:

Poemhunter.com – The World’s Poetry Archive. The writer will found the

reflection of the author’s life in her selected poems.

1.4 Purpose of the Research

Based on the problems statement is mentioned above, the purposes

of this research is:

1. The writer wants to know the meaning Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s

selected poems

2. The writer wants to know and want to find out of Elizabeth Barrett

Browning’s selected poems that reflect her life.

1.5 Significance of the Research

In this research, the writer analyzed poems of England’s author,

Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The writer would like to find out the Reflection

of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s life as seen in six selected poems. The

writer hopes this research develops the writing ability and give additional

information and knowledge about Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poems to

the writer and also to the reader, especially to the students in English

Literature Department. And finally, the writer hopes this research be useful

to the next researcher and can take the positive side of this poem. Moreover,

the writer hopes this research make other people easier to identify the

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poems and takes the positive side from it.

Furthermore, this study gives some information concerning the poem

through implicit meaning.

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

In this chapter, the writer conducts library research that gives theory of

research questions from some related literatures as references for this thesis. The

writer also make note some quotations from the experts to support the theory used

in this thesis. In addition, the writer presents theoretical background that becomes

the base of this thesis.

2.1 Biographical Approach

There are many ideas about biographical approach. To support this

research, the writer use biographical approach. Wellek and Warren said

biographical approach is one of old approach, biographical approach is

sistematic study about the creative9. It means that biographical approach is

one of old approach and a creative activity of human being, from their

imagination, develop and through to become an art. According to Guerin : “

Biographical approach is literary work chiefly, if not exclusively as reflect

of the author’s life and time or the life and tome of charachters in a work”10.

It means that biographical approach is anlayzing of the literary work

based on the background of the author’s biography that can be seen in life,

and also social culture environment of the author’s in a literary work. Social

culture of way of life of certain time periode gives the reader a greater

knowledge based on which to draw conclusion and bettr to understand the

story. Discovering details about author’s life and time also provide similar

ways to further develop idea about the story, so biographical approach

explains about the author’s, his creative, his carrier, his activity, and his

personal life11. Nyoman Khuta Ratna explain :

9Wellek and Warren in Nyoman Khuta Ratna. Teori, Metode Dan Teknik Penelitian Satra,

p.56 10Wilfred L. Guerin. (2005). A handbook of Critical Approach of Literature,( New York :

Oxford University Press), p.51 11Jako sumardjo&saini K.M. (1986). Apresiasikesusateraan,(Jakarta :Gramedia),p.22

“biografi yang semata-mata menganalisis riwayat hidup, dengan

proses pemahaman mulai dari individu kemasyarakatan, namun

biografi juga menilai sejauh memberi masukan tentang penciptaan

karya sastra dan biografi juga dapat dianggap sebagai studi yang

sistematis tentang psikologi pengarang dan proses kreatif”.12

Based on those statements, it can be concluded that biographical

approach is study about a creative activity of human being, from their

imagination. It means that biographical approach is a studied about the

author’s life of literary work, and also biography can be considered as

systematic study about psychology and creativity process of the author’s

life. The most obvious cause of a work of art is creator, the author and

chance an explanation in terms of the personality and the life of the writer

has been one of the oldest and the best established methods of literary study.

This approach uses to find the fact that are related to analyze the

biographical approach of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s life.

Biographical approach, the critics that are interested in using

biographical approach insist that the only way to locate the real work is in

reference to the civilization that produced it. It is necessary that the critic

investigates the social setting in which the work was created and which it

necessarily reflects. The traditional biographical approaches to literary

usually take as it’s basis some aspect of the socio cultural frame of

reference, combining it with an interest in the biographical as well as

knowledge of and interest in literary history. The critics must not only

examine the work itself but also the work in relation to others by the same

author or two works of similar kinds of subject matter by the different

authors in the same period-all areas of knowledge that might enrich the

reading experience. There are two factors; first, accuracy in the presentation

of historical facts is of value to the historian, but not necessarily to the

author. Second, a work of literary might have historical significance, but not

necessarily literary significance.

12 Nyoman Khuta Ratna. Teori Metode Dan Teknik Penelitian Sastra, p.59

Biographical approach is one of the most basic approach used in

analyze of poetry is referred to as the historical method of literary critics. It

means that the critic interprets the poem within the history, or contemporary

frame of reference, behind the poem. The biographical approach insists that

a poems meaning can only be understood within a historical setting. That is,

those who use this approach do not allow for possibility of making a

completely interpretative reading a poem.13

Biographical approach in order to understand to literary object, one

most appreciates the ideas and personality of the author, the followers of this

approach attempt to learn as much as they can about the life and

development of the author and to apply this knowledge in their attempt to

understand his writings. The biographical material provides useful facts that

could put the reader in better position to understand and appreciate the

literary object.

The biographical approach as the method of analyzed the poem by

examining the poem in relation to what is known about the poet’s life. If we

want to use this approach we have to know the poet’s life or the poet’s

biography. There are advantages in using the biography approach of the

author in the analysis, namely to illuminated the element within a work,

words, allusions to particular place and historical event, conflict, theme,

characters, and setting. Furthermore, biography gives ease to see the

expression of author’s deep concern and conflict. Therefore, Elizabeth’s

personal life, her time and works are taken into consideration.

13 Indiani, Eka Permatasari. (2016). An Analysis of Feminism Maya Angelou’s Poems By

Using Historical and Biographical Approaches, Vol. 3 Nomor 2. P.158

2.2 Expressive Theory

In this research, the writer analyzes about the reflection of the author’s

life as seen her selected poems. Expressive theory is meaning of something

that relates to research. Because of that, the writer chooses the expressive

theory for this research after that the writer analyzed it to find the answer of

the research.

Longinus stated that Untuk menciptakan karya agung yang terpenting

adalah unsur kreatif penulis; passion and emotion.14 From that statement it

can be concluded to get good literary work is depend on the writer itself, the

important thing is the element of creativity of the writer such as her passion

and her emotion.

Andrew stated that the idea of the author is not a timeless given: the

figure and significance of the author varies across time and from one culture

to another, from one discourse to another and so on.15 It means that

expressive theory is analyzing about activity creative of human being, from

their imagination, develop and through to become an art.

Expressive theory treats a literary work primarily in relation to the

author. It defines literary work as an expression, overflow, utterance, or

projection of the though and feeling, or as the products of human feelings.16

Here, the writer decided to use expressive theory because it is suitable with

the research that will be analyzed about the author’s life with the poem

itself. According to Abrams In Partini Sardjono Pradotokusumo’s book:

“pendekatan kritis yang terkandung yang utama terhadap karya

sastra yaitu : 1). Pendekatan yang menitikberatkan pada karrya itu

sendiri (pendekatan objektif. 2). Pendekatan yang menitikberatkan

pada penulis (pendekatan ekspresif). 3). Pendekatan yang

menitikberatkan pada semesta (pendekatan mimetic)”17.

14 Longinus in Partini Sardjono Pradotokusumo. (2005). Pengkajian Sastra. (Jakarta:

Penerbit PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama). 72. 15 Andrew Bennett and Nicholas Royle. (2004). An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and

Theory. (Great Britain). Third Edition, 22. 16 M.H.Abrams. (1999). Romantic Theory and the Critical Tradition, (London, New York:

Oxford University).p.22 17 Pradopokusumo Partini Sardjono. (2005). Pengkajian Sastra”, (Jakarta: Gramedia). p.63

Based on means that expressive theory is theory that focus on the

writer or the author itself and usually the story tells about the author life that

has happened in the past event and the author through their life to the literary

work such as the selected poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning that will be

analyzed, because some of the poems by Elizabeth is reflect of the her life.

According to Gerry Mackie said:

“Expressive theory studies the psychological aspects of the writer

during the creative process is projected through the works of creation,

both of in the relation to the writer as a person and the writer as a

representative of the community to choice in many circumstances of

life”18.

From explanation above, expression theory treats literary work

primarily in relation to the author. It defines poem as an expressive, or

overflow, or utterance of feeling. As a type, as well as those associated with

the creative process by which this occurred.

Here, the writer analyze about the reflection of Elizabeth Barrett

Browning’s life as seen in her selected poems. Where expressive theory

focuses on the writer or the author itself usually the story tells about the

author’s life that has happened in the past event and the author through her

life to the literary work such as Elizabeth Barrett Browning poems. This

theory is very suitable with this research because this research tells about the

reflection of the author’s life and one of the experiences of the author.

2.3 Semiotic Study

In analyzing this research, the writer uses Semiotics Theory because it

relates to the problem that will be analyzed.

The word Semiotic is derived from the Greek, seme, as in semeotikos,

an interpretation of sign, semiotic is the study of sign and symbol and their

meaning and the used, especially in writing, or method to analyze the sign.

Barthes said, semiotic basically wants to discuss how human signifies its

18 Gerry Mackie (2007). On The Expressive Theory Of Voting, (University Of California,

Sandiego). P.2.

thing. Cobley and Jansz also said “…discipline is simply the analysis of

signs or the study of the functioning of sign systems.”19 It means that,

semiotic focus on sign or study about functional of sign systems.

According to Riffaterre, Semiotika adalah metode pemaknaan yang

khusus, yaitu dengan memberi makna karya sastra sebagai sistem tanda-

tanda itu, istilahnya memproduksi makna tanda-tanda.20 It’s means that,

semiotic can give the meaning of poetry by the signs. There are three

Semiotic of Riffaterre in meaning of poem, they are:

a. Displacing of meaning, Displacing occurs when the sign shift from one

meaning to the other meaning, and also when a word represents to the

other word as it happen in figurative language.

b. Distorting of meaning, Distorting of meaning occur when there is

ambiguity in poetry, contradiction, or non-sense.

c. Creating of meaning, creating of meaning is caused by rhyme,

enjambemen (if the sentences is not complete means enjambemen) ,

homolog, and typography.

Semiotic of Riffaterre learn about how semiotic can give the meaning

of literary work, especially a poem. By some of steps: displacing meaning,

distorting meaning, and creating meaning.

Semiotic of Roland Barthes learns how humanity defines things.

Meaning in this case cannot be stirred by communication. Meaning means

that objects not only carry information, in which case the object are to be

communicated, but also constitutes a structured system of signs. One of the

important areas that Barthes encroached on his study of signs is the role of

the reader. In his mythological book, he expressly denotes denotative: 1)

signifier, 2) signified, 3) denotative sign, 4) connotative sign, 5) connotative

signified, 6) connotative sign. This opinion asserts that the literature has a

19 Alex Sobur. (2003). Semiotika Komunikasi. (Bandung: Remaja Rosda Karya). P.15-16 20 Michael Riffaterre. (2016). Teori Dan Aplikasi Semiotika Michael Riffaterre.

(Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar). P.5

layer of meaning21. It means that, semiotic of the study of sign, sign

function, and the production of meaning.

“Semiotics is the study of how people make meaning through both

linguistic and non-linguistic ways. It is a philosophical theory

concerned with understanding how people use signs and symbols

meaning-making. Sign systems include words, images, number and

objects. These signs have meaning only because people have agreed

upon and use this shared meaning”22.

It means that, the sign is very important in life, before the reader

should know about the sign in novel, poems, lyrics, and so on. We must

understand first, what the meaning of that symbol. Symbol is about Words,

Body Language. Example, the word “house” refers to a structure designed

for people to live within only because a culture uses it in this way. How this

meaning of “house” came to be is what those who study and research

semiotics are interested in.

Based on the explanation above, there are many explanation of

Semiotic, here the writer only focus of semiotic Riffaterre, because the

writer thinks, semiotic Riffaterre is very suitable with the problem of

research. The meaning of semiotic is about the reader and the text. It means

that, the reader freely to interpret the literary works, especially a poem,

without a feeling bound by the author’s. The reader is really influences in

this theory.

2.4 Poem

Poem is one of literary work that expresses the ideas or the emotions in

a powerfully vivid imaginative style. A poem is comprised of a particular

rhythmic and metrical pattern. In fact, it is a literary technique that is

different from prose or ordinary speech.

21 Roland Barthes, P.39 22 http://www.Learning-theories.com (retired on saturday at November 17, 2018 at 04. 15

pm).

According to Riffaterre in Pradopo, “poem is indirect expression,

meaning that is describe something by using connotative meaning. Then

indirect expression caused by displacing of meaning, distorting of meaning

and creative of meaning.”23 Frost in Arp Thomas’s book stated that, “Poem

is provides the one permissible way of saying one thing and meaning

another”.24

From explanation above, the writer can take assumption that, the poem

is not only a tool to express the human’s ideas. But also often teaches the

readers a moral lesson, share something that have experienced, and give

pleasure to the readers. Indirectly, poem is enable the readers to look ‘into

the life of things’, while science sharpens our intellect, poem enriches our

moral insight.

There are some kinds of poem, those are:

a. Descriptive

Descriptive poem is the poem which describes people or

experiences, scenes, or objects.

b. Reflective

Thoughtful poems often containing a great deal of description

which the poet comments or from which he draws conclusion are

directly stated; at other times implied.

c. Narrative

Narrative is a telling of a story or a description of an event.

d. The lyric

The lyric is usually a short poems like a song which is usually the

expression of a mood or feeling.

e. The sonnet

The sonnet is a poem of fourteen lines which follows a very strict

rhyme pattern. It is usually divided into two parts: the ‘octave’ (the first

eight lines), and ‘sestet’ (the last six lines).

23 Pradopo. (2007). Pengajian Puisi. (Yogyakarta: University Press). P.77. 24 Thomas. (2012). Perrine’s Sound and Sense: an Introduction to Poetry. (Boson: Printed

in the United State of America).P.72.

2.5 Meaning

The word ‘meaning’ and it’s corresponding verb ‘to mean’ are among

the most eminently discussable in the English Language. Some people

would like semantic to pursue the study of meaning in a wide sense of all

that is communicated by language.

According to Kreidler: “The dimension of meaning included reference

and denotative, connotative, sense relations, lexical and grammatical

meaning, morphemes, homonymy, polysemy, lexical ambiguity, sentence

and meaning”.25 different from Kreidler, Abdul Chaer explained that kind of

meaning included a lexical, grammatical and contextual meaning, denotative

and connotative meaning, conceptual and associative meaning.26

From all of type meaning, in this research, the writer only focus on the

theory of meaning that related with this research such as lexical and

contextual meaning.

1. Lexical Meaning

The meaning of word or lexical meaning is a part of linguistic

knowledge and is therefore a part of the grammar. The term lexical

meaning, which is used in semantics, is interpreted as the meaning of the

lexeme whether it is word lexeme of phrasal lexeme.

Lexical meaning is the smallest meaning unit in the meaning system

of language that could be distinguished from other similar units. Lexical

meaning refers to the real meaning, meaning that proper with our sense

of observation, or granted meaning.27 it has been known that language

has an amount of lexical system by which the semantic with structure

could be based the meaning on paradigmatic and systematic. Many

people said that lexical meaning is the meaning in the dictionary or that

of the lexeme meaning event without any context. Lexical meaning is

usually considered as being the meaning of word.

25 Kreidler. (1998). Introducing English Semantics, (London and New York: Routledge

Publishing). P.41 26 Abdul Chaer. (2007). Linguistik Umum. (PT. Rineka Cipta). P.289. 27 Abdul Chaer, p.289

Lyons assumed that lexical meaning is a meaning describe in the

lexicon or dictionary. In addition, he also said that lexical meaning are

the meaning of a word or sentence which upon the meaning of it’s

constituent lexemes.28 It can be concluded that the lexical meaning refers

to the sense or meaning of a word that appears the real meaning without

need any context to explain the meaning.

2. Contextual Meaning

Contextual meaning is the meaning of word based on the situation in

which they are used. According to Abdul Chaer, “Contextual meaning is

the meaning of a lexeme or word inside a context”.29 Contextual

meaning could be regarded in the situation, the time and the

environment. It means that, different situation will give different

meaning. contextual meaning is found outside the text, namely

immediate context. The approach used is that every text is an act of

communication, not text that appeared without any purpose and intent.

As an act of communication, text producers would wish to have meaning

that can be understood by the recipient (reader or listener). It may be said

that contextual meaning is the meaning that related the context of

something or depending on the circumstances that form the function of

word in sentence formation since different arrangement of the same

word con covey different context.

28 John, Lyons. (1984). Language and Linguistic. (Cambridge: Cambridge University

Press). P.40 29 Abdul Chaer. Linguistik Umum. P.290

2.6 Review of Related Studies

The first, literary research is in Muhammad Sofian’s research, student

of English Literature Department of Adab Faculty, in Islamic University

Sulthan Thaha Saifuddin Jambi 2013. His thesis title is “The Senses

Through the Meaning of Life that Correlated with Khalil Gibran as Depicted

on Khalil Gibran’s selected Poetries”.30 He applied Biographical Approach

and the sense of life concept by to support his research. He uses qualitative

method, which also uses descriptive technique to describe and analyze the

data. As result, he found the answer from two problems as found in the

poetry of Khalil Gibran are 1) there are three sense of life in Khalil Gibran

selected poetry, they are happiness, sadness, and anger and fear. 2) Khalil

Gibran’s poetry have many correlation with his life such as his family,

friends, environment, government, and love.

The second, the literary research is in Fajar Aditya Yunarto’s research.

His titled is “The reflection of Sylvia Plath’s Suicidal Manner and Suicidal

Attempts in ‘Lady Lazarus’ as Seen Through the Imagery”.31 The objectives

of this study are : 1) to find out how the imagery in the poem is inferred. 2)

to reveal how the inference of the imagery reflects Sylvia Plath’s suicidal

manner and suicidal attempts. This study applies library research and uses

biographical approach, and applies three theories (theories on imagery,

theories on suicide, and the relationship between literature and biography).

In this research, he found that there are various kinds of images that are used

in the poem, the biography of Silvia Plath proves that Sylvia Plath also

suffered from similar severe stresses. Through the imagery the poem reflects

Sylvia Plath’s suicidal manner and suicidal attempts.

30 Muhammad Sofian. (2013). The Senses Through the Meaning of Life that Correlated with

Khalil Gibran as Depicted on Khalil Gibran’s selected Poetries. (Jambi: Universitas Islam

Negeri). P.1 31 Fajar Aditya Yunarto. (2006). The reflection of Sylvia Plath’s Suicidal Manner and

Suicidal Attempts in ‘Lady Lazarus’ as Seen Through the Imagery. (Yogyakarta: Sanata Darma

University). P.1

The third, literary research is in Siti Mustofiah’s research, student of

English Literature Department of Adab Faculty, in Islamic University

Sulthan Thaha Saifuddin Jambi 2012. Her thesis title is “The Reflection of

Khaled Hosseini’s Life as Seen in His Novel, ‘The Kite Runner’”32. She

uses Expressive Theory for analyzing about the author’s life, so she uses this

theory to make this thesis. And also she uses biographical approach that is

really suitable with her thesis. She has found the problems in this novel such

as: 1) what are the similarities of life between the author’s life, Khaled

Hosseini, and main characther’s life, Amir, that happen in his novel The

Kite Runner? 2) how is the life of the author influence to the novel The Kite

Runner.

The fifth, literary research is in Dwi Retno’s research, student of

English Literature Department of Adab Faculty, in Islamic University

Sulthan Thaha Saifuddin Jambi 2018. Her thesis titled is “The Analysis of

Symbolisms Found in Khalil Gibran’s Selected Poems”.33 The objectives of

this study are: 1) to know the classification of symbols by C.S. Peirce in the

Khalil Gibran’s Poems. 2) to describe the performance of semiotic

expression in Khalil Gibran’s Poems. 3) to know meaning of symbols used

in Khalil Gibran’s poems. She uses Semiotic Theory for analyze about the

symbols to make this thesis. She can distinguish five classification of

symbols (based on Peirce); they are: nature symbol, conventional symbol,

genuine symbol, singular symbol, and abstract symbol. She found four types

of Peirce’s symbols. There are 7 (seven) data of natural symbols, 14

(fourteen) data of genuine symbols, 3 (three) data of singular symbols, and 3

(three) data of abstract symbols. Whilst, the conventional symbols were not

found.

32 Siti Mustofiah. (2012). The Reflection of Khaled Hosseini’s Life as Seen in His Novel,

‘The Kite Runner’. (Jambi: Universitas Islam Negeri). P.1 33 Dwi Retno. (2018). The Analysis of Symbolisms Found in Khalil Gibran’s Selected

Poems. (Jambi: Universitas Islamic Negeri). P.1

From the previous research above, different from previous research, in

this research, the writer is going to focus on the reflection of Elizabeth

Browning’s life as seen in her selected poems such as: “A Thought for A

Lonely Death-bed poem by Elizabeth Barret Browning”, “Exaggeration

poem by Elizabeth Barret Browning”, “How do I love thee poem by

Elizabeth Barrett Browning”, “Irreparableness poem by Elizabeth Barret

Browning”, “The Cry of The Children poem by Elizabeth Barret

Browning”, “A curse for A Nation poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning”.

So the title in this proposal is “Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Life As

Reflected by Her Selected Poems”.

CHAPTER III

METHOD OF RESEARCH

3.1 Design of the Research

In writing this thesis, the writer uses the qualitative descriptive method

to accelerate in analyzing the problem. According to Bodgan and Taylor in

Margono, “Penelitian Kualitatif adalah prosedur penelitian yang

menghasilkan data deskriptif berupa kata-kata tertulis dan dari orang-orang

yang dapat di amati.”34 It means that, qualitative research is a research

procedure that produces descriptive data in form of written words and from

people that can be observed. In addition characteristic of the qualitative are

analytic descriptive and produce descriptive data spoken words of the person

or behavior being researched.

In this research, descriptive method can be defined as a problem

solving procedure investigated by describing the state of the subject or

object in the study. Descriptive method is a method in examining the status

of group of humans, an object, a set of conditions, a system of thought, or

class of event in the present. The purpose of this descriptive study is to make

a description, painting systematically, factually and accurately, of the facts,

the characteristics and relationships between the phenomena and

investigated. According to Nawawi,

“Metode deskriptif dapat diartikan sebagai prosedur pemecahan

masalah yang diselidiki dengan menggambarkan atau melukiskan

keadaan subjek atau objek penelitian (Novel, Drama, Cerita pendek,

Puisi) pada saat sekarang berdasarkan fakta-fakta yang tampak atau

sebagaimana adanya.”35

Descriptive method can be interpreted as problem solving which is

investigated by picture or depict the state of the subject or research object

(Novel, Drama, Short story, Poem) at present based on visible facts or

34 Margono. (2007). Metodologi Penelitian. (Jakarta: Rineka Cipta). p.36 35 Siswantoro. (2010). Metode Penelitian Sastra. (Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar). p.56

unification. It means that, descriptive method can be defined as a problem

solving procedures investigated by describing the state of the subject or

object in the research. According to Jalaludin Rahmat in Ibrahim’s book

state that, “Metode Deskriptif dapat diartikan sebagai sebuah penelitian

yang dilakukan untuk melukiskan variabel, satu demi satu dengan

mengumpulkan data secara unvarian, yang digunakan untuk mencari teori-

teori tentative bukan mengkaji teori.”36

On the other hand, descriptive method refers to method that provides

an accurate portrayal of characteristics of a particular individual, situation,

or group. In short, descriptive method deals with everything that can be

counted and studied, which has an impact of the lives of the people it deals

with.

From the explanation above, the writer can conclude that qualitative

descriptive method is a way of working in the research that emphasized on

aspects of the deepening of the data. It also help the writer collecting the

data to interpret and report in order to get the result of a research.

3.2 Source of the Data

Elizabeth Barret Browning has 236 poems. But In this research, the

writer takes the source of data from six of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s

selected Poems. The poems are taken from a most popular written book by

Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The writer wants do the research by using the

text of her poems. The writer does not analyze all poems from her all poems,

but the writer took only seven poems of them in order to make the analysis

deeper. The followings are the analyzed poems: “A thought for a lonely

death-bed” poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Exaggeration” poem by

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “How do I love thee” poem by Elizabeth

Barrett Browning, “Irreparableness” poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning,

“The Cry of The Children” poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and “A

Curse for A Nation” poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

36 Ibrahim. (2015). Meodology Penelitian Kualitatif. (Bandung: Alfabeta). p.59

3.3 Technique of data Collection

In this research, the writer applied documentation as technique of data

collection. The writer analyzed Elizabeth Barrett Browning of six selected

poems to collect the data which related this research.

According to Creswell, “The data collection procedures in qualitative

research involve four basic types: observation, interview, documentation and

visual image”.37 Sugiyono statet that “Dokumen merupakan catatan

peristiwa yang sudah berlalu. Dokumen biasa berbentuk tulisan, gambar

atau karya-karya monumental dari seseorang”.38 According to Atkinson

and Coffey stated that:

“Documents contain text (words) and images that have been recorded

without a researcher’s intervention. For the purposes of this discussion,

other mute or trace evidence, such as cultural artifacts, is not included.

Documents as ‘social facts’, which are produced, shared, and used in

socially organized ways.39

It means that, documentation refer to how to record the events in form

of documents, a note or file that saved. It is about events or something that

has occurred in the past. There some forms of them as kinds of

documentation are picture and literary work by someone. Document in the

form of literary work such as novels, poetries, films, short stories, and

others.

The writer used documentation method to collect the data in this

research, because based on the statement above, the form of documentation

can be a text, picture or literary work. The writer collect the data from

Elizabeth’s selected poems and it is one of the literary work that part of

document. The writer took the data by reading the poems.

37 John W Creswell. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods

Approaches. (United Stated of America, 1994). P.148. 38 Sugiyono, Metode Penelitian Kualitatif. p.240 39 Glem A Bowen. (2009). Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method. (Western

Carolina University). p.1

The writer has some steps in collecting the data, in order to make this

research more specific. They are :

1. Prepare data collection sheet, after getting all important sources, the

writer read it to make sure that the data are collecting suitable with the

research.

2. Selecting the data, to get the data, the writer reads carefully some poems

that were chosen as data for analyzing. And also the writer will searches

the poem that has correlation with Elizabeth’s real life.

3. Give a description, the writer make description or brief information

about the data. Making a note of data, after reading the sources carefully,

the writer marks any important statement to make the writer easier in the

analyzing process for the research.

4. Drawing conclusion, effort to obtain certainly about the correctness of

the data. The writer processes the data to analyze them. finally, the

writer made a good arrangement for the thesis proposal itself as the last

in finalizing research.40

3.4 Technique of data Analysis

After collecting the data, the writer analyzes the data, in qualitative

research. Technique analysis data is used to answer the formulation of the

problems. In analysis the data, the writer uses a technique of data analysis.

According to Patton in Lexy J. Moleong’s book, “Analisis data adalah

proses mengatur data mengorganisasikannya kedalam suatu pola, kategori,

dan satuan uraian”.41 It means that data analysis used to explain the data to

be more easily understood.

Susan Stainback stated that data analysis is critical to the qualitative

research process. It is to recognition, study, and understanding of

interrelationship and concept in your data that hypotheses and assertion can

40 Siswantoro. (2010). Metode Penelitian Sastra. (Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar). P. 73 41 Lexy J. Moleong. (2014). Metodology Penelitian Kualitatif, Ed Revisi. (Bandung:

Remaja Posdakarya). P.248

be development and evaluated.42 It can be concluded that data analysis is an

important part and also foundation of scientific research. Because data

analysis is process of systematically examining data with the purpose of

spotlighting useful information, to evaluating data. Besides that, data

analysis will draw conclusions about the information.

In this research, the writer used technique descriptive analysis to

describe of the data, descriptive analysis will help the writer to summarize

the data in meaningful way. According to Nawawi:

“Metode deskriptif dapat diartikan sebagai prosedur pemecahan

masalah yang diselidiki dengan menggambarkan dan melukiskan

keadaan subjek atau objek penelitian (novel, drama, cerita pendek,

puisi) pada saat sekarang berdasarkan fakta-fakta yang tampak atau

sebagaimana adanya.”43

The quotation above explained that descriptive method is the way to

find out solving problem. The descriptive method can help the writer to

solve the problem from the data.

There are some steps in analyzing the data in order to make this

research more specific such are:

1. Data reduction

Miles and Huberman described this technique as the first of three

elements of qualitative data analysis. Data reduction refers to the process

of selecting, focusing, simplifying, abstracting, and transforming the data

that appear in written up field notes or transcriptions. The writer chooses

the important data only from all the sources of data. The writer identified

the data based on the real life of Elizabeth selected poems, which focus

on her selected poems.

2. Data display

According to Miles and Huberman, data display is an Organized,

compressed assembly of information that permits conclusion drawing. A

display can be extended piece of text or diagram, chart, or matrix

42 Sugiyono. (2007). Memahami Penelitian Kualitatif. (Bandung: Alfabeta). P.88 43 Siswantoro. (2010). Metode Penelitian Sastra. (Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar). P.54

provides a new way of arranging and thinking about more textually

embedded data. The writer will make the narrative display by retrieving

data from the text which has correlation with the problems of research.

3. Conclusion / verifying

Conclusion or verifying is the result of analyzing that answer the

research problem based on the data analyzing. The conclusion is the last

phase of research. The writer concludes the result of analysis and the

answer the formulation of the form of descriptive data.44

44 M.B. Miles and Huberman, A.M. (1984). Qualitative Data Analysis: a Source Book of

New Method. (London: Sage Publication). p.21

CHAPTER IV

FINDING AND ANALYSIS

4.1 The Meaning of Elizabeth Barrett Browning Selected Poems

This part discuses the analysis of meaning in Elizabeth Barrett

Browning’s selected poems. Poem is one of literary work that has sentences

and words which differences meaning from daily language people used. The

writer only focuses on the meaning of Semiotic Riffaterre and contextual

meaning. Contextual meaning could be regarded in the situation, the time

and the environment. It means that, different situation will give different

meaning in a sentence.

a. How Do I Love Thee (Line 10 – 14)

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

In this line ‘I love thee to the depth and breadth and height’.

According to Oxford Dictionary, the word ‘depth’ means distance from the

top to the bottom or from the front to the back45, the word ‘breadth’ means

distance from size to size, and the word ‘height’ means measurement of how

tall a person or thing. But in this poem, Elizabeth wants to show how big her

love her sweetheart, her love cannot reach by anything. This line

Ambiguities, the meaning of Ambiguity is mempunyai makna yang lebih

dari satu (polyinterpretable), dapat ditapsirkan bermacam-macam menurut

konteksnya.46 The words Depth, Breadth, and Height are for distance and

thing. So, those words have many meanings, the reader feels confuse when

they read it.

45 Hornby. (2008). Oxford Learner’s Pocked Dictionary Fourth Edition. (Oxford

University Press). P. 120 46 Pradopo. (1999). Semiotika: Teori, Metode, Dan Penafsiran Dalam Pemaknaan Sastra.

Humaniorah N0. 10. P.79

b. A Thought for A Lonely Death-Bed (Line 11 – 14)

To die alone, with none beside thy bed

To ruffle round with sobs thy last word said

And mark with tears, the pulses ebb from thee

Pray then alone, ‘O Christ, come tenderly!

In this line ‘pray then alone, O Christ, come tenderly!’. According

to Oxford Dictionary, the word ‘alone’ means without other people47, and

the word ‘tender’ means gentle, kind and loving48. But in this context the

line ‘pray then alone’ means Elizabeth pray alone, no one accompanies her,

no families, no friends, and no one besides her. Line ‘O Christ, come

tenderly’ Metonymies, metonymy is penggantian nama49 it means that

metonymy is the replacement of a common phrase through an expression,

which refers to the actual relationship. The word Christ is changed of God.

Elizabeth Barrett browning asks God to come tenderly because she felt

scared to face a death alone.

c. Exaggeration (Line 14)

O brother, let us leave the shame and sin

Of taking vainly, in a plaintive mood

The holy name of GRIEF! --- holy herein

That by the grief of ONE came all our good

In this line, ‘that by the grief of ONE came all our good’. According

to Oxford Dictionary, the word ‘grief’ means thing that causes great

sadness50 and the word ‘good’ means behavior which is morally right of

acceptable51. But in this situation, the meaning of this line does not think

about the tears but you must focus on your future. Life is not about sadness

anymore, but there is happiness also.

47 Hornby, P. 12 48 Hornby, P. 457 49 Pradopo, P. 78 50 Hornby, P. 195 51 Hornby, P. 192

d. Irreparableness (Line 13 – 14)

Sweet counselors, dear friend? That I should go

Back straightway to the fields and gather more?

Another, south, may do it, but not I

My heart is very tired, my strength is low

My hands are full of blossoms plucked before

Held dead within them till myself shall die.

In this line, ‘my heart is very tired, my strength is low’. According to

Oxford Dictionary, the word tired means feeling that you need rest or

sleep52. The word low means weak or depressed; not very good53. ‘my heart

is very tired, my strength is low’ is personification. According to Keraf,

Personification adalah menggambarkan benda-benda mati atau barang-

barang yang tidak bernyawa seolah memiliki sifat-sifat manusia.54 So that

line explains that inanimate object can be like human, heart can feel tired

and also strength can feel low. In this poem, the meaning of this sentence is

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was give up with her life, she does not explain

her sadness, because of her death will come soon.

e. A Curse for A nation

Write a Nation’s curse for me

And send it over the Western Sea

I faltered, taking up the word:

‘Not so, my lord!

If curses must be, choose another

To send thy curse against my brother

For I am bound by gratitude,

By love and blood, To brothers of mine across the sea

In that line, the word ‘Love’ and ‘Blood’ is Ambiguity because the

meaning of love in this poem different with dictionary, the meaning of love

here about happiness or smile and the meaning of word Blood also different

with the meaning of dictionary, the meaning of blood here about sadness or

52 Hornby, P. 466 53 Hornby, P. 262 54 Gorys Keraf. (2009). Diksi Dan Gaya Bahasa. Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama

tears. So in this poem, the meaning of this sentence is Elizabeth Barrett

Browning felt confuse with this situation, because her heart and her brain is

not in one feeling. She wants to write a curse but she is afraid about the

effect when she does that. In this sentence he gave her thankful with the

tears and the smiles.

f. The Cry of The Children

Do you Question the young children in the sorrow,

Why their tears are falling so?---

The old man may weep for his to-morrow

Which is lost in Long Ago---

The old tree is leafless in the forest---

The old year is ending in the frost---

The old wound, if stricken, is the sorest---

The old hope is hardest to be lost:

But the young, young children, O my brothers,

Do you ask them why they stand

Weeping sore before the bosoms of their mothers,

In our happy Fatherland?

In this line, ‘the old tree is leafless in the forest, the old year is

ending in frost’. According to Oxford dictionary, the word ‘old’ means

having lived for a long time55, the word ‘tree’ means tall plant with a

wooden trunk and branches56, the word ‘year’ means period of 12 months;

measured from any particular time57, and the word ‘frost’ means weather

with the temperature below freezing point58. ‘the old year is ending in frost’

is ambiguity, the meaning of Ambiguity is mempunyai makna yang lebih

dari satu (polyinterpretable), dapat ditapsirkan bermacam-macam menurut

konteksnya.59 In line ‘the old year is ending in frost’, the word frost in that

line has different meaning from dictionary, in this poem, frost means

55 Hornby, P. 304 56 Hornby, P. 474 57 Hornby, P. 517 58 Hornby, P. 178 59 Pradopo, P.79

sadness and tears. So the meaning of this line is the years that full of sadness

and tears.

4.2 Elizabeth Browning’s Selected Poems That Reflect Her Life.

After the writer arranged the formulation by finding the problem and it

would be discussed and explained in this thesis. The writer explained briefly

about the theory of Expressive, Semiotic and Meaning, and then the analyzed

the formulation itself in the analysis. Several of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s

poems reflect of her life. Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote down the poems

and gave the information to the readers about her life experience into her

poems. She made the poem from all her life experiences. Elizabeth Barrett

Browning has complication illness and her life is not simples full of worry,

prejudice, and complicated. But her life is not all of about sadness, Elizabeth

Barrett Browning also made her poems with some expression, they are:

sadness, happiness, and sympathy.

A. Reflection of Happiness

Happiness is an emotion that is often associated with a state of mind

that reflects contentment, satisfaction, pleasure or joy. Happiness is one of

the most popular emotions. Happiness is characterized by a facial

expression that causes someone to raise the corners of their mouth upwards.

By Elizabeth Barrett Browning selected poems, the writer found a poem

that reflect her happiness in a poem, entitle: How do I love thee

How Do I Love Thee (Line 10 – 14)

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

This poem wrote in 1850 at Italy. “sonnet 43” begins with ‘How do I

love thee? Let me count the ways’ a line that itself would have sealed

Barrett Browning place in the literary canon if all else had somehow failed

to do so. This poem she wrote for her sweetheart. Their romance was

bitterly opposed by her father, who did not want any of his children to

marry. In 1846, the couple eloped and settled in Florence, Italy, where

Elizabeth health improved and she bore a son, Robert Wideman Browning.

Her father never spoke to her again. Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s sonnet

from the fortugies, dedicated to her husband (Robert Browning) and written

secret before their marriage, was published in 185060.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning describes about her life when she felt

happy after marry with someone who she loves. She felt grateful to have

been loved by a men like her husband. She loves her husband purely,

sincerely, and freely. He came when some of the special people who she

loved was go away, her mother and two her brothers. Her husband gives

new happiness for remove her tears. Elizabeth Barrett Browning loves her

husband with her breath, her smiles, and also her tears. But if she died with

all of this happiness, she will always love her husband with the same love,

and also with the more feeling of love. This poem is one of Elizabeth

Barrett Browning famous works, this poem was published by her husband

after her death.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

The line above shows that how deep Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s

love is for her sweetheart. She expresses the extent of her love using

measurements of places where her soul can reach. It makes a point that her

love cannot be measured. Even if the world ends, she will always still love

him. Her love for him will never change.

60 Alice Meynell. (2012). Elizabeth Barrett Browning Poems. (Poemhunter.com – The

World’s Poetry Archive). P.6

I love thee to the level of every day’s.

Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

These lines present us that Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s love always

increases every day. In addition, it is Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s

necessity to love her sweetheart. She needs her sweetheart every day and

every night.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

These lines show that Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s love is wonderful.

Everything she will stand for the sake of her love with her sweetheart. She

is willing to sacrifice and fight as a male fighter for her right. She also tells

that her love is pure, as it turns out her praise for the pure love itself. In

other word, her love is unconditional love.

In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints.

From this line, ‘in my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith’. It

figures out that there is a past experiences of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. It

is proven by the word ‘my childhood’s faith’. It means that when she was

child she felt something that she will tell in the next line. The next line is ‘I

love thee with a love I seemed to lose’. It imagines that she loves someone

but there is an obstacle in her love that makes her loves become a little bit

fade or lose. Then, Elizabeth Barrett Browning wants tell through her line

that her love seems to lose her out as she lost her saints. ‘Saints’ here can

be interpreted as spirit, soul or holy wish of Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life! – and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

The lines above express that Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s love is

powerful. She loves him with the life is in her well being, every happiness,

sadness, and her whole life. She believes that she has a feeling of wonderful

attraction that makes her really love him. She loves him even if after death.

Beyond the grave, she wishes God’s permission that she will always love

him eternally. It is evidence that Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s

commitments can be undoubted anymore. Although, she will be separated

by the death, she still wants to be with the other person.

B. Reflection of Sadness

Sadness is an emotion that is often associated with the feelings of

disadvantage, loss, and helplessness. Sadness is considered to be the direct

opposite of happiness, and can also be characterized as sorrow, grief,

misery, and melancholy. By Elizabeth Barrett Browning selected poems,

the writer found three poems that reflect her sadness. They are those

poems:

a. A Thought for A Lonely Death-Bed (Line 11 – 14)

To die alone, with none beside thy bed

To ruffle round with sobs thy last word said

And mark with tears, the pulses ebb from thee

Pray then alone, ‘O Christ, come tenderly!

No earthly friend being near me, interpose

No deathly angel ‘twixt my face and thin

But stoop thyself so gather my life’s rose

And smile away my mortal to divine!

This poem wrote in 1845 at England, when Elizabeth Barrett

Browning’s willingness to engage in public discourse about social issues

and about aesthetic issues in poetry, which had been so strong in her youth,

gradually diminished, as did her physical health. As an intellectual presence

and a physical being, she was becoming a shadow of herself. Her doctors

strongly encouraged her to go to the warmer climates of Italy to avoid

another English winter, but her father would not hear of it61.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s mother died two years later and her

father’s business foundered, forcing him to sell their estate. The family

eventually settled in London, but the interruption never gave Elizabeth

Barrett Browning pause. Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poor health forced

her to live with her brother Edward near the Sea of Torquay for a period,

but tragedy would strike again when he drowned, and she returned to

London, emotionally and physically shattered.

In this poem, Elizabeth Barrett Browning describes about her life

when she felt lonely overflowing sadness and scares when she has to face

death alone. No one besides who hold her hand cry of lost and she is in her

own, no families, no friends, no beloveds, no someone specials, and not

even an angels who want to accompany her in final sleep.

She felt scared when she has to face the death alone. No one

accompanies her, she was really sad because of her destiny. She only prays

alone before to face her death ‘O Christ, come tenderly!’.

b. Exaggeration (Line 14)

O brother, let us leave the shame and sin

Of taking vainly, in a plaintive mood

The holy name of GRIEF! --- holy herein

That by the grief of ONE came all our good

This poem wrote in 1845 at England. When Elizabeth Barrett

Browning’s mother died two years later and her father’s business

foundered, forcing him to sell their estate. The family eventually settled in

London, but the interruption never gave Elizabeth Barrett Browning pause.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poor health forced her to live with her brother

Edward near the Sea of Torquay for a period, but tragedy would strike

again when he drowned, and she returned to London, emotionally and

61 Alice Meynel, P.6

physically shattered. Because of that situation Elizabeth Barrett Browning

wrote this poem to give spirit for her family about what happen in their

family.62

In this poem Elizabeth Barrett Browning describes about her life,

when she wants to give spirits for her sisters and her brothers, because of

many problems that happen before. For example, her mother was died, and

also her brothers was died in the same year, her family’s economy declined,

with this poem, Elizabeth Barrett Browning gives a support for her sisters

and her brothers with a sentences “one sadness will change to many

happiness” its mean that this life not only about sadness, but also about

happiness, believe it !

c. Irreparableness (Line 13 – 14)

Sweet counselors, dear friend? That I should go

Back straightway to the fields and gather more?

Another, south, may do it, but not I

My heart is very tired, my strength is low

My hands are full of blossoms plucked before

Held dead within them till myself shall die

This poem wrote in 1845 at England, when Elizabeth Barrett

Browning’s willingness to engage in public discourse about social issues

and about aesthetic issues in poetry, which had been so strong in her youth,

gradually diminished, as did her physical health. As an intellectual presence

and a physical being, she was becoming a shadow of herself. Her doctors

strongly encouraged her to go to the warmer climates of Italy to avoid

another English winter, but her father would not hear of it63.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s mother died two years later and her

father’s business foundered, forcing him to sell their estate. The family

eventually settled in London, but the interruption never gave Elizabeth

Barrett Browning pause. Elizabeth Barrett Browning poor health forced her

62 Alice Meynell, P.6

63 Alice Meynell, P.6

to live with her brother Edward near the Sea of Torquay for a period, but

tragedy would strike again when he drowned, and she returned to London,

emotionally and physically shattered.

In this poem, Elizabeth Barrett Browning describes about her life

when her death will come soon. In this poem, Elizabeth Barrett Browning

describes her expressions of sadness. ‘my heart is very tired, my strength is

low’. From that sentences, explain that she was give up, tired, and weak.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning felt surrendered with the fate that was happen

in her life. She has gives up to fight with her illness. She needs to take a

rest before God came to take her away forever.

C. Reflection of Sympathy

Sympathy is the act of showing support for or approval of an idea,

cause, and many others. Sympathy expression is an expression or feeling of

pity and sorrow when we know and see someone or people are unlucky or

have trouble and in bad condition. By expression sympathy we want to

show our concern or carefulness on other people condition. By Elizabeth

Barrett Browning selected poems, the writer found two poems that reflect

her sympathy. They are:

a. A Curse for A nation

Write a Nation’s curse for me

And send it over the Western Sea

I faltered, taking up the word:

‘Not so, my lord!

If curses must be, choose another

To send thy curse against my brother

For I am bound by gratitude,

By love and blood,

To brothers of mine across the sea

This poem wrote in 1860 at Italian. When issue a small volume of

political poems titled poems before congress (1860).64 “Most of which

were written to express her sympathy with the Italian cause after the

outbreak of fighting in 1859”. They caused a furore in England and she

was labeled as a fanatic by conservative magazines Blackwood’s and

the Saturday review.

In this line, ‘For I am bound by gratitude by love and blood’,

According to Oxford Dictionary, the word ‘gratitude’ means feeling of

being grateful and wanting to express your thanks65. The word ‘love’

means strong feeling of deep affection66, and the word ‘blood’ means

red liquid that flows through your body67. The words ‘love and blood’

is Ambiguity, the meaning of Ambiguity is mempunyai makna yang

lebih dari satu (polyinterpretable), dapat ditapsirkan bermacam-

macam menurut konteksnya.68

In this poem, Elizabeth Barrett Browning avoids to send a curse for

a nation, because her sympathy for Italy broke out in the battle. If she

agrees to send a curse for a nation, she is afraid of what will happen

later, for the sins of this country, and does not want to see the tears of

the children anymore. God will repay everything, and also save this

earth. Although she actually wanted write the curses, but she was afraid

of the impact of that. In this poem, Elizabeth Barrett Browning initially

refused to write the curses, but with the angelic persuasion, she finally

wrote the curses. It means that, in the fact she does not want to interfere

in political affairs in this country, but her heart was opposed, she must

act in a way to write this poem.

64 Alice Meynell, P.7 65 Hornby, P. 194 66 Hornby, P.262 67 Hornby, P. 41 68 Pradopo, P.79

b. The Cry of The Children

Do you Question the young children in the sorrow,

Why their tears are falling so?---

The old man may weep for his to-morrow

Which is lost in Long Ago---

The old tree is leafless in the forest---

The old year is ending in the frost---

The old wound, if stricken, is the sorest---

The old hope is hardest to be lost:

But the young, young children, O my brothers,

Do you ask them why they stand

Weeping sore before the bosoms of their mothers,

In our happy Fatherland?

This poem wrote in 1842 at England. When she condemned child

labor and helped bring about child labor reforms by rousing support for

Lord Shaftesbury’s Ten Hours Bill (1844).69 She campaigned for the

abolition of slavery and her work helped influence reform in the child

labor legislation. She also made efforts to abolish slavery and child

labor.

In this poem, the meaning of that sentence means, when the

children old, they do not get something in their life, their life was broke

because of their youth. Without smiles, without laughs, without

happiness, only tears. They still think of their past. From that sentence

shows that the sadness of Elizabeth Barrett Browning of the children.

In this poem, Elizabeth Barrett Browning opposes child labor, in

this sentence “do you ask them why they stand. Weeping sore before

the bosoms of their mothers. In our happy fatherland”. Explained that

she felt sad when she saw the children was crying, which their youth

was taken, the youth is the time for them to play, not working as a old

man, in this poem, Elizabeth Barrett Browning wants to describe their

sadness, and to abolish slavery and child labor.

69 Alice Meynell, P.5

This poem tells about, she wants to describe about broken of the

future the children, when they are old, what will they get? There is

happiness anymore, only tears will accompany their old. Because what,

their childhood was gloomy, was broken, their youth all about tears and

sadness. With this poem, may the government of this homeland be

aware and abolish slavery and child labor.

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

A. Conclusions

After analyzing the reflection of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s life as

seen in her selected poems, they are:

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poems are varied, there are: happiness,

sadness, and sympathy. The first poem is about her love, the second poem is

about has feeling when she felt scared to face the death alone, the third poem

is about her sympathy with the Italian cause after the outbreak of fighting. The

fourth poem is about her condemned child labor and helped abolish child

labor, the fifth poem is about her life when she wants to give spirits for her

sisters and for her brothers, because of many problems that happen before, and

the last poem is about her sadness, in this poem she describing about her life

when her death come soon.

Six selected poems reflect Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s life in the first

poem “How Do I Love Thee” wrote in 1850 at Italy, this poem tells about her

life when she felt happy after marry with someone who she loves. This poem

her dedicated for her sweetheart (Robert Browning) and written secret before

her marriage. The second poem “A Thought for A Lonely Death-Bed” wrote

in 1845 at England, this poem tells about her feeling of scared when she has to

face the death alone. No one accompanies her, and she was really sad because

of her destiny. The third poem “A Curse for A Nation” wrote in 1860 at

Italian. This poem tells about her sympathy with the Italian cause after the

outbreak of fighting, in this poem she send a curse for a nation. The fourth

poem “The Cry of The Children” wrote in 1842 at England. This poem tells

about child labor, she want to abolish slavery and child labor in England. This

poem tell about the sadnesss of children. The fifth poem “Exaggeration”

wrote in 1845 at England. This poem tells about her life when she wants to

give spirits for her sisters and for her brothers, because of many problems that

happen before, like her mother died, her father business foundered, and also

her poor health. And the last poem “Irreparableness” wrote in 1845 at

England, this poem describes about her expression of her sadness, when her

death will come soon. She has given up to fights with her illness. She needs to

take a rest before God came to take her away forever.

The writer uses Semiotic of Riffaterre to interpret the poems, and also

the writer used lexical and contextual meaning. Based on the theory of

Semiotic Riffaterre, the writer found three ambiguities sentences, a metonymy

sentence, and a personification sentence. As we know, interpret the poems has

many way, as the writer does here, the writer used some of meaning to

interpret the poems.

B. Suggestions

At the end of this thesis, the writer would like to give some suggestion

based on the analysis in this research, there are some suggestion related to this

research. The writer hopes and suggests this research can give contribution

knowledge for junior of English Literature Department, especially about the

same poet, same object, and about the reflection with author’s life to the

reader.

The writer suggests that the other researchers can continue the research

about Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s life, because there are many other cases

which are good to be discussed and analyzed, for example about symbols of

the poems, and study of linguistic in the poems. Since this study only

discussed about the poem reflected Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s life, the

writer suggests the next researcher to conduct further research focus on one of

his life, like education, career, or struggle and so on. The researchers should

not be afraid to do a literary research because analyzing a literary work in

linguistic and literature, because analyzing a literary work is not hard and we

are never wrong in literature, there is only the different perception about

linguistic and literature related to many other field of science. Besides that,

this thesis is not far away from mistakes, therefore the writer needs some

critics and suggestions to make this thesis more better.

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APPENDIXES I

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Selected Poems

How Do I Love Thee

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of every day's

Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love with a passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With 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.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

A Thought for A Lonely Death-Bed

IF God compel thee to this destiny,

To die alone, with none beside thy bed

To ruffle round with sobs thy last word said

And mark with tears the pulses ebb from thee,--

Pray then alone, ' O Christ, come tenderly !

By thy forsaken Sonship in the red

Drear wine-press,--by the wilderness out-spread,--

And the lone garden where thine agony

Fell bloody from thy brow,--by all of those

Permitted desolations, comfort mine !

No earthly friend being near me, interpose

No deathly angel 'twixt my face aud thine,

But stoop Thyself to gather my life's rose,

And smile away my mortal to Divine ! '

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

A Curse for A Nation

I heard an angel speak last night,

And he said 'Write!

Write a Nation's curse for me,

And send it over the Western Sea.'

I faltered, taking up the word:

'Not so, my lord!

If curses must be, choose another

To send thy curse against my brother.

'For I am bound by gratitude,

By love and blood,

To brothers of mine across the sea,

Who stretch out kindly hands to me.'

'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write

My curse to-night.

From the summits of love a curse is driven,

As lightning is from the tops of heaven.'

'Not so,' I answered. 'Evermore

My heart is sore

For my own land's sins: for little feet

Of children bleeding along the street:

'For parked-up honors that gainsay

The right of way:

For almsgiving through a door that is

Not open enough for two friends to kiss:

'For love of freedom which abates

Beyond the Straits:

For patriot virtue starved to vice on

Self-praise, self-interest, and suspicion:

'For an oligarchic parliament,

And bribes well-meant.

What curse to another land assign,

When heavy-souled for the sins of mine?'

'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write

My curse to-night.

Because thou hast strength to see and hate

A foul thing done within thy gate.'

'Not so,' I answered once again.

'To curse, choose men.

For I, a woman, have only known

How the heart melts and the tears run down.'

'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write

My curse to-night.

Some women weep and curse, I say

(And no one marvels), night and day.

'And thou shalt take their part to-night,

Weep and write.

A curse from the depths of womanhood

Is very salt, and bitter, and good.'

So thus I wrote, and mourned indeed,

What all may read.

And thus, as was enjoined on me,

I send it over the Western Sea.

The Curse

Because ye have broken your own chain

With the strain

Of brave men climbing a Nation's height,

Yet thence bear down with brand and thong

On souls of others, -- for this wrong

This is the curse. Write.

Because yourselves are standing straight

In the state

Of Freedom's foremost acolyte,

Yet keep calm footing all the time

On writhing bond-slaves, -- for this crime

This is the curse. Write.

Because ye prosper in God's name,

With a claim

To honor in the old world's sight,

Yet do the fiend's work perfectly

In strangling martyrs, -- for this lie

This is the curse. Write.

Ye shall watch while kings conspire

Round the people's smouldering fire,

And, warm for your part,

Shall never dare -- O shame!

To utter the thought into flame

Which burns at your heart.

This is the curse. Write.

Ye shall watch while nations strive

With the bloodhounds, die or survive,

Drop faint from their jaws,

Or throttle them backward to death;

And only under your breath

Shall favor the cause.

This is the curse. Write.

Ye shall watch while strong men draw

The nets of feudal law

To strangle the weak;

And, counting the sin for a sin,

Your soul shall be sadder within

Than the word ye shall speak.

This is the curse. Write.

When good men are praying erect

That Christ may avenge His elect

And deliver the earth,

The prayer in your ears, said low,

Shall sound like the tramp of a foe

That's driving you forth.

This is the curse. Write.

When wise men give you their praise,

They shall praise in the heat of the phrase,

As if carried too far.

When ye boast your own charters kept true,

Ye shall blush; for the thing which ye do

Derides what ye are.

This is the curse. Write.

When fools cast taunts at your gate,

Your scorn ye shall somewhat abate

As ye look o'er the wall;

For your conscience, tradition, and name

Explode with a deadlier blame

Than the worst of them all.

This is the curse. Write.

Go, wherever ill deeds shall be done,

Go, plant your flag in the sun

Beside the ill-doers!

And recoil from clenching the curse

Of God's witnessing Universe

With a curse of yours.

This is the curse. Write.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

The Cry of The Children

Do ye hear the children weeping, O my brothers,

Ere the sorrow comes with years?

They are leaning their young heads against their mothers---

And that cannot stop their tears.

The young lambs are bleating in the meadows;

The young birds are chirping in the nest;

The young fawns are playing with the shadows;

The young flowers are blowing toward the west---

But the young, young children, O my brothers,

They are weeping bitterly!---

They are weeping in the playtime of the others

In the country of the free.

Do you question the young children in the sorrow,

Why their tears are falling so?---

The old man may weep for his to-morrow

Which is lost in Long Ago---

The old tree is leafless in the forest---

The old year is ending in the frost---

The old wound, if stricken, is the sorest---

The old hope is hardest to be lost:

But the young, young children, O my brothers,

Do you ask them why they stand

Weeping sore before the bosoms of their mothers,

In our happy Fatherland?

They look up with their pale and sunken faces,

And their looks are sad to see,

For the man's grief abhorrent, draws and presses

Down the cheeks of infancy---

'Your old earth,' they say, 'is very dreary;'

'Our young feet,' they say, 'are very weak!

Few paces have we taken, yet are wearyÑ

Our grave-rest is very far to seek.

Ask the old why they weep, and not the children,

For the outside earth is cold,---

And we young ones stand without, in our bewildering,

And the graves are for the old.

'True,' say the young children, 'it may happen

That we die before our time.

Little Alice died last year---the grave is shapen

Like a snowball, in the rime.

We looked into the pit prepared to take her---

Was no room for any work in the close clay:

From the sleep wherein she lieth none will wake her

Crying, 'Get up, little Alice! it is day.'

If you listen by that grave, in sun and shower,

With your ear down, little Alice never cries!---

Could we see her face, be sure we should not know her,

For the smile has time for growing in her eyes---

And merry go her moments, lulled and stilled in

The shroud, by the kirk-chime!

It is good when it happens,' say the children,

'That we die before our time.'

Alas, alas, the children! they are seeking

Death in life, as best to have!

They are binding up their hearts away from breaking,

With a cerement from the grave.

Go out, children, from the mine and from the city---

Sing out, children, as the little thrushes do---

Pluck your handfuls of the meadow-cowslips pretty---

Laugh aloud, to feel your fingers let them through!

But they answer, 'Are your cowslips of the meadows

Like our weeds anear the mine?

Leave us quiet in the dark of the coal-shadows,

From your pleasures fair and fine!

'For oh,' say the children, 'we are weary,

And we cannot run or leap---

If we cared for any meadows, it were merely

To drop down in them and sleep.

Our knees tremble sorely in the stooping---

We fall upon our faces, trying to go;

And, underneath our heavy eyelids drooping,

The reddest flower would look as pale as snow.

For, all day, we drag our burden tiring,

Through the coal-dark, underground---

Or, all day, we drive the wheels of iron

In the factories, round and round.

'For, all day, the wheels are droning, turning,---

Their wind comes in our faces,---

Till our hearts turn,---our head, with pulses burning,

And the walls turn in their places---

Turns the sky in the high window blank and reeling---

Turns the long light that droppeth down the wall---

Turn the black flies that crawl along the ceiling---

All are turning, all the day, and we with all.---

And, all day, the iron wheels are droning;

And sometimes we could pray,

'O ye wheels,' (breaking out in a mad moaning)

'Stop! be silent for to-day!' '

Ay! be silent! Let them hear each other breathing

For a moment, mouth to mouth---

Let them touch each other's hands, in a fresh wreathing

Of their tender human youth!

Let them feel that this cold metallic motion

Is not all the life God fashions or reveals---

Let them prove their inward souls against the notion

That they live in you, os under you, O wheels!---

Still, all day, the iron wheels go onward,

Grinding life down from its mark;

And the children's souls, which God is calling sunward,

Spin on blindly in the dark.

Now, tell the poor young children, O my brothers,

To look up to Him and pray---

So the blessed One, who blesseth all the others,

Will bless them another day.

They answer, 'Who is God that He should hear us,

White the rushing of the iron wheels is stirred?

When we sob aloud, the human creatures near us

Pass by, hearing not, or answer not a word!

And we hear not (for the wheels in their resounding)

Strangers speaking at the door:

Is it likely God, with angels singing round Him,

Hears our weeping any more?

'Two words, indeed, of praying we remember,

And at midnight's hour of harm,---

'Our Father,' looking upward in the chamber,

We say softly for a charm.

We know no other words except 'Our Father,'

And we think that, in some pause of angels' song,

God may pluck them with the silence sweet to gather,

And hold both within His right hand which is strong.

'Our Father!' If He heard us, He would surely

(For they call Him good and mild)

Answer, smiling down the steep world very purely,

'Come and rest with me, my child.'

'But no!' say the children, weeping faster,

'He is speechless as a stone;

And they tell us, of His image is the master

Who commands us to work on.

Go to!' say the children,---'Up in Heaven,

Dark, wheel-like, turning clouds are all we find.

Do not mock us; grief has made us unbelieving---

We look up for God, but tears have made us blind.'

Do you hear the children weeping and disproving,

O my brothers, what ye preach?

For God's possible is taught by His world's loving---

And the children doubt of each.

And well may the children weep before you;

They are weary ere they run;

They have never seen the sunshine, nor the glory

Which is brighter than the sun:

They know the grief of man, but not the wisdom;

They sink in man's despair, without its calm---

Are slaves, without the liberty in Christdom,---

Are martyrs, by the pang without the palm,---

Are worn, as if with age, yet unretrievingly

No dear remembrance keep,---

Are orphans of the earthly love and heavenly:

Let them weep! let them weep!

They look up, with their pale and sunken faces,

And their look is dread to see,

For they mind you of their angels in their places,

With eyes meant for Deity;---

'How long,' they say, 'how long, O cruel nation,

Will you stand, to move the world, on a child's heart,

Stifle down with a mailed heel its palpitation,

And tread onward to your throne amid the mart?

Our blood splashes upward, O our tyrants,

And your purple shows yo}r path;

But the child's sob curseth deeper in the silence

Than the strong man in his wrath!'

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Exaggeration

WE overstate the ills of life, and take

Imagination (given us to bring down

The choirs of singing angels overshone

By God's clear glory) down our earth to rake

The dismal snows instead, flake following flake,

To cover all the corn; we walk upon

The shadow of hills across a level thrown,

And pant like climbers: near the alder brake

We sigh so loud, the nightingale within

Refuses to sing loud, as else she would.

O brothers, let us leave the shame and sin

Of taking vainly, in a plaintive mood,

The holy name of GRIEF !--holy herein

That by the grief of ONE came all our good.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Irreparableness

I HAVE been in the meadows all the day

And gathered there the nosegay that you see

Singing within myself as bird or bee

When such do field-work on a morn of May.

But, now I look upon my flowers, decay

Has met them in my hands more fatally

Because more warmly clasped,--and sobs are free

To come instead of songs. What do you say,

Sweet counsellors, dear friends ? that I should go

Back straightway to the fields and gather more ?

Another, sooth, may do it, but not I !

My heart is very tired, my strength is low,

My hands are full of blossoms plucked before,

Held dead within them till myself shall die.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

APPENDIXES II

Biography Of Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning is perhaps best known for her

'Sonnets From the Portuguese' and 'Aurora Leigh' as well as the love story

between her and fellow poet Robert Browning.

Synopsis

Born in 1806, Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning published her

first major collection, The Seraphim and Other Poems, in 1838.

Her collection Poems (1844) caught the attention of fellow poet Robert Browning,

whose admiring letter to her led to a lifelong romance and marriage. The couple

moved to Italy, where Elizabeth became interested in Italian politics and released

her monumental work, Sonnets From the Portuguese in 1850.

Early Life

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was born on March 6, 1806, at Coxhoe Hall,

Durham, England. She was the oldest of 12 children, and her family made their

fortune from Jamaican sugar plantations. Educated at home, Barrett was a

precocious reader and writer. Having delved into classics such as the works of

John Milton and William Shakespeare before her teen years, she also wrote her

first book of poetry by age 12. Deeply religious, Barrett’s writing often explored

Christian themes, a trait that would remain throughout her life’s works.

Emerging Writer

At age 14, Barrett developed a lung illness that required her to take

morphine for the rest of her life, and the following year, she suffered a spinal

injury that would serve as another setback. Despite her health issues, Barrett lived

the literary life to the fullest, teaching herself Hebrew, studying Greek culture and

publishing her first book in 1820, The Battle of Marathon, which her father bound

and released privately.

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In 1826, she (anonymously) published the collection An Essay on Mind

and Other Poems, which became a touchstone in her writing career.

Unfortunately, fate would throw more obstacles her way soon after its release.

Barrett’s mother died two years later and her father’s business foundered, forcing

him to sell their estate. The family eventually settled in London, but the

interruption never gave Barrett pause. Soon after the estate was sold, she

published her translation of Aeschylus’s Prometheus Bound (1833), and in 1838,

she published The Seraphim and Other Poems.

Barrett’s poor health forced her to live with her brother Edward near the

Sea of Torquay for a period, but tragedy would strike again when he drowned, and

she returned to London, emotionally and physically shattered. Whether it was

despite or because of her continued struggles, Barrett continued writing, and in

1844 her collection titled Poems was published. Besides catching the eye of the

reading public, it also drew the attention of established English poet Robert

Browning. Browning wrote Barrett a letter, and the pair exchanged nearly 600

letters over the following 20 months, which culminated in their elopement in

1846. Barrett’s father was very much against the marriage, and he never spoke

with his daughter again.

Established Poet

In 1849, the Brownings' only child, Robert Wiedeman Barrett Browning,

was born in Florence, Italy, the couple’s newly adopted country. A year later,

Barrett Browning released Sonnets From the Portuguese, a collection of 44 love

sonnets that would become one of her seminal works and one of the greatest

sequences of sonnets in history. The collection was dedicated to Browning and

written in secret during their courtship. "Sonnet 43" begins with “How do I love

thee? Let me count the ways,” a line that itself would have sealed Barrett

Browning’s place in the literary canon if all else had somehow failed to do so.

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of being and ideal grace.

I love thee to the level of every day’s

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light." –

Elizabeth Barrett Browning / How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)

Life in Florence was good to the poet’s creative process, as was the roiling

political and social atmosphere in Italy. She published the politically charged

poem "Casa Guidi Windows" in 1851. Barrett Browning followed it up in 1856

with Aurora Leigh (a blank-verse novel/poem), which is her longest work, and

then Poems Before Congress in 1860. Included in the Poems Before

Congress collection is “A Curse for a Nation,” which criticized slavery in

America (although she doesn't specifically mention the country's name). The

Boston abolitionist publication, The Independent, first published the poem in

1856.

She could never overcome her generally weak constitution though, and

Barrett Browning died in Florence on June 29, 1861 at the age of 55 as one of the

most beloved poets of the Romantic Movement.