Love's Transformative Power: A Study in Victorian Era Sonnets

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Transformative power of love can cause a relationship to deepen and develop. Through the manipulation of her sonnets, EBB channels the contextual perspective of love being spiritually transformative. Within the Victorian era, women prior to marriage were considered ‘property’ of their fathers. Social expectation saw women obey their father’s rules and obligation. However, the introduction of her “lover” Robert Browning saw a decrease in the relationship with her father to the point he disowned her. Whilst a decay in her family relationships were present, a growth and development was seen through her love based relationship. The progression of EBB’s sonnets exemplifies her transforming perspective on love, further allowing her to understand and accept her emerging emotions. In sonnet I, the repetition “Spring” signifies her rebirth from a “melancholy past”. The symbolism season further represents the transformative nature of love as their relationships deepens. Within Sonnet XXXII, EBB utilizes an extended metaphor comparing herself to a debased musical instrument which can still play a beautiful tune if the musician is skillful “More like an out of tune worn viol… for perfect strains may float ‘neath master hands.” The changing tone is evident within the Volta, where EBB has progressed from …show more content…

During the Roaring 20s, consumerism culture monopolized those attempting to achieve social glory through their wealth and monetary status. The second industrial Revolution during the Roaring 20s, saw every American home as a ‘market’ for electrical appliances. Washing machines, vacuums and refrigerators were all advertised towards consumerist as a ‘must have’ convenience appliances. Unfortunately, the acclaimed ‘possession obsession’ leaked into the featured relationships of Fitzgerald’s

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