Starter quiz
- It is rumoured that Barrett Browning's poem 'Sonnet 29' is autobiographical. This means...
- it is influenced by her own relationship with her husband. ✓
- it is written about her best friend's relationship with her husband.
- it is entirely fictional and based on characters from the Bible.
- it is written about characters from a famous Greek myth.
- it was translated from a Portuguese folk tale.
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- In 'Sonnet 29', Barrett Browning presents a __________ view of love.
- bitter and resentful
- sad and heart-breaking
- joyous and uplifting ✓
- curious and conflicted
- anxious and fearful
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- In the final line of 'Sonnet 29', the speaker says "I do not think of thee - I am too near thee". Why does she say this?
- Her lover has died and will never return so she avoids thinking about him.
- She refuses to think about him as he has left her and broken her heart.
- When the couple are reunited and she no longer relies on her fantasy thoughts. ✓
- Her obsessive thoughts have driven her insane.
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- During which century did Elizabeth Barrett Browning live and write?
- 16th
- 17th
- 18th
- 19th ✓
- 20th
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- Sonnets were typically written about which topic?
- 'love' ✓
- Read this quotation from 'Sonnet 29': "my thoughts do twine and bud". Which word class are the words "twine' and "bud"?
- nouns
- adjectives
- adverbs
- verbs ✓
- prepositions
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Exit quiz
- In 'Sonnet 29', the extended metaphor of vines is used to symbolise...
- the speaker's lover.
- the sadness felt by the speaker when her lover is away from her.
- the speaker's thoughts of her love when he is absent. ✓
- the joy felt by the speaker when her lover returns.
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- In 'Sonnet 29', the speaker describes how her lover's return allows her to "breathe [...] a new air" which presents the lover as a ______ presence.
- mournful
- exciting
- overbearing
- rejuvenating ✓
- draining
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- Match these methods to the correct definition.
- euphemism⇔substituting a mild, indirect expression for something that is taboo ✓
- natural imagery⇔descriptions including elements from nature, like weather or animals ✓
- declarative⇔statements expressing facts or opinions ✓
- imperative⇔commands or requests that begin with a verb ✓
- exclamatory sentence⇔conveys strong emotion or excitement ✓
- Match each of these methods to the correct quotation from 'Sonnet 29'.
- euphemism⇔"set thy trunk all bare" ✓
- natural imagery⇔"my thoughts do twine and bud" ✓
- declarative⇔"I do not think of thee - I am too near thee" ✓
- imperative⇔"Renew thy presence" ✓
- exclamatory sentence⇔"I think of thee!" ✓
- Which of these quotations from 'Sonnet 29' best supports this topic sentence? 'The speaker’s thoughts of her love spread quickly, obscuring what he is really like.'
- "let these bands of greenery which insphere thee / Drop heavily down"
- "wild vines [...] Put out broad leaves, and soon there's nought to see" ✓
- "Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk bare"
- "breathe within thy shadow a new air"
- "I will not have my thoughts instead of thee / Who are dearer, better!"
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- Which of the topic sentences below best links to this quotation from 'Sonnet 29'? "Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should"
- The speaker views her lover as weak and wishes he'd stop avoiding her/
- The speaker feels that her thoughts of her lover are overwhelming.
- The speaker longs to be reunited with her lover and feel the power of his love. ✓
- The speaker prefers the thoughts of her lover to the real thing.
- When the speaker is with her lover, she does not need her fantasy thoughts.
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Barrett Browning uses an extended metaphor of vines to convey how separation in a relationship can be corruptive.
- She uses natural imagery to reveal how reunification can be rejuvenating in a relationship.
- She uses declaratives and imperatives to convey her urgency to be reunified with her lover.
- She uses exclamatory sentences to suggest the speaker finds the intensity of her thoughts emotionally overwhelming.
- She uses euphemistic language to convey her sexual and physical desire.
Common misconception
The extended metaphor of trees and vines represent her absent lover.
The extended metaphor of a tree symbolises her absent lover whereas the extended metaphor of the vines symbolises her fantastical thoughts of her lover while he is away from her.
Keywords
Declaratives - statements expressing facts or opinions
Imperatives - commands or requests that begin with a verb, giving direct instructions
Rejuvenating - restoring energy, vitality, or youthfulness; refreshing and invigorating
Natural imagery - descriptions that use elements from nature, like landscapes, weather, or living things
Euphemism - substituting a mild or indirect expression for something that is considered rude or taboo
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