Compare how love is presented in Sonnet 43 and Valentine

Both Sonnet 43 and Valentine present love in exceedingly contrasting ways: Browning articulates her
intense love for her husband Robert Browning in Sonnet 43, whereas Duffy makes an
unconventional exploration of love and relationships in Valentine.

Valentine contrasts with Sonnet 43 because Duffy uses free verse and short irregular verses to
represent the layers of an onion. The layers of the onion are also used to represents different sides
of love, where love can be shown in a positive light, like the initial excitement of love, and in a
negative light, the pain that love can cause and how one person can be more dominant towards the
other.

In distinct contrast, Browning uses the traditional form of a Petrarchan Sonnet to express her love.
Her use of the iambic pentameter mirrors a natural rhythm.

ADJECTIVES TO USE before the word contrast

 Definite
 Sharp
 Unmistakeable
 Apparent
 Striking Contrast
 Clear
 Explicit contrast

very direct and Straight to the point. SIMILAR

Short irregular verses VALENTINE

Represents the layers of onion. VALENTINE

Different sides of the love VALENTINE

but the rest of the poem explores how difficult by stating “not a red rose or a satin heart”

NEGATIVE, shows what it is not already and makes the readers viewpoint of the poem change.

Sonnet 43

She directly addresses her husband- an intimate conversation

Simple direct question but the poem is far from simple.

B presents her love as overwhelming; uses the

semantic field of measurement: depth, breadth

and height: sheer scale of her love Use of 'and' in between each measurement
creates a sense of breathless excitement-

enjambement-overflowing love: 'when feeling

out of sight/ For the ends of Being and Ideal Grace'- Explores the different ways she loves her
husband. Love is presented as healing 'old griefs'

Valentine

Duffy presents a very realistic, unconventional

view of love. (A03- context) Use of extended metaphor

comparing love to an onion suggests that

there are different aspects of love. which reflect a positive light and others in a negative light

In Stark contrast … Sonnet 43

Possessive

"Possessive and dangerous. Intensity shown through anaphora...

Dangerous... Lethal. Find-stopped

Juxtaposition, 2 things being see or placed close together with contrasting effect