I need help writing an essay on Sonnet XLIII (how do I love thee?) by Elizabeth Barrett Browning! Any help on themes, formatting, sound, style, context, and paraphrasing on this poem would be a lot of help! ASAP!

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.


I don't think you'll get much help with the way you phrase the question. What have you got so far? And do you have any specific questions?

the context of the poem is, as far as I know, that she wrote it for her husband, the famous poet Robert Browning.

A nice way to start your essay is by looking up what the features of a sonnet are, find out what kind of sonnet this one is, and see how regularly it fits in the rules of that particular kind.

Have a look at:
[cs.alfred.edu] />
what exactly do you mean with formatting?

For paraphrasing, think-- how would you say this? First, you'd drop the 'thees,' of course, but what would you compare your love to?

pam