Themes

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Tree and Vine Symbolism

Browning builds up an extended metaphor of her feelings being vines, while her lover is a steadfast tree:

Vines and a tree

Browning builds up an extended metaphor of her feelings being vines, while her lover is a steadfast tree.
Her thoughts are unconstrained and growing out of control, obscuring the reality of her lover.
For example: "My thoughts do twine and bud / About thee, as wild vines, about a tree".

Symbolism - shaking off the bondage

In the final sestet (last six lines) of the poem, the tree shakes off the bondage of the vines.
This symbolises her allowing her lover to reassert himself in her life as a physical presence, rather than simply a thought.

Excited Language

As the narrator reaches a state of breaking free from her thoughts, the language of the poem becomes excited.

Exclamations and explosive verbs

Exclamations and explosive verbs, such as "burst" and "shattered", show the narrator’s reinvigorated (reenergised) desire for her lover.

"Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should"

The imperative verb "renew" shows the decisiveness of the narrator now that she has realised she wants her lover to reassert his physical presence in her life.

1When We Two Parted - Lord Byron (1788-1824)

1.1When We Two Parted Analysis

1.1.1Summary & Structure

1.1.2Themes: Death & Loss

1.1.3Themes: Time & Anger

1.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons

1.1.5End of Topic Test - When We Two Parted

2Love’s Philosophy - Percy Bysshe Shelley

2.1Love's Philosophy Analysis

2.1.1Summary & Structure

2.1.2Themes

2.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

2.1.4End of Topic Test - Love's Philosophy

2.1.5Exam-Style Questions - Love's Philosophy

3Porphyria’s Lover - Robert Browning (1812-1889)

3.1Porphyria’s Lover Analysis

3.1.1Summary & Structure

3.1.2Themes: Porphyria & Violence

3.1.3Themes: Sin & Pathetic Fallacy

3.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons

3.1.5End of Topic Test - Porphyria's Lover

4Sonnet 29 - Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)

4.1Sonnet 29 – ‘I think of thee!’ Analysis

4.1.1Summary & Structure

4.1.2Themes

4.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

5Neutral Tones - Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)

5.1Neutral Tones Analysis

5.1.1Summary & Structure

5.1.2Themes

5.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

5.1.4End of Topic Test - Sonnet 29 & Neutral Tones

6Letters from Yorkshire - Maura Dooley (Born 1957)

6.1Letters from Yorkshire Analysis

6.1.1Summary & Structure

6.1.2Themes

6.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

7The Farmer’s Bride - Charlotte Mew (1869-1928)

7.1The Farmer's Bride Analaysis

7.1.1Summary, Structure & Form

7.1.2Themes

7.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

7.1.4End of Topic Test - Dooley & Mew

7.1.5Exam-Style Questions - The Farmer's Bride

8Walking Away - Cecil Day Lewis (1904-1972)

8.1Walking Away Analysis

8.1.1Summary, Structure & Form

8.1.2Themes

8.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

9Eden Rock - Charles Causley (1917-2003)

9.1Eden Rock Analysis

9.1.1Summary, Structure & Form

9.1.2Themes

9.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

9.1.4End of Topic Test - Walking Away & Eden Rock

10Follower - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)

10.1Follower Analysis

10.1.1Summary, Structure & Form

10.1.2Themes

10.1.3Quotes and Comparisons

11‘Mother, Any Distance’ - Simon Armitage (Born1963

11.1'Mother, Any Distance' Analysis

11.1.1Summary, Structure & Form

11.1.2Themes

11.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

11.1.4End of Topic Test - Follower& Mother, Any Distance

12Before You Were Mine - Carol Ann Duffy (Born 1955)

12.1Before You Were Mine Analysis

12.1.1Summary, Structure & Form

12.1.2Themes

12.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

13Winter Swans - Owen Sheers (Born 1974)

13.1Winter Swans Analysis

13.1.1Summary, Structure & Form

13.1.2Themes

13.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

13.1.4End of Topic Test - Duffy & Sheers

14Singh Song! - Daljit Nagra (Born 1966)

14.1Singh Song! Analysis

14.1.1Summary, Structure & Form

14.1.2Themes

14.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

15Climbing My Grandfather - Andrew Waterhouse

15.1Climbing My Grandfather Analysis

15.1.1Summary, Structure & Form

15.1.2Themes

15.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

15.1.4End of Topic Test - Nagra & Waterhouse

16Grade 9 - Comparisons

16.1Grade 9 - Comparisons

16.1.1Grade 9 - Comparisons

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