Question

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.
i love thee freely, as men strive for right.
i love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
i love thee with the 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.
sonnet 43 by elizabeth barrett browning is in the public domain.
unless otherwise noted, this content is licensed under the cc by-nc-sa 4.0 license

1. part a: which of the following statements best describes a central theme of the poem?

a. love is unconditional and eternal.
b. coming of age is when one is willing to give up everything for another person.
c. true freedom comes from freedom of the soul.
d. love requires sacrifice and is not always constant.

Explanation:

The poem "How do I love thee?" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning expresses love in various aspects such as depth, breadth, freely, purely, etc. throughout the verses. It emphasizes that love is not limited by conditions and is eternal. For example, lines like "I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise" show the unconditional nature. The overall sentiment across the poem's stanzas supports the idea that love is unconditional and eternal.

Answer:

A. Love is unconditional and eternal.