REVIEW: HOW DO I LOVE THEE ~ NANCY MOSER

Elizabeth Barrett Browning is the author of my favourite poem, How Do I Love Thee.  This is a poem she wrote while in love with fellow poet Robert Browning, and was for her own eyes only – never intended to be published!  How lovely that Robert was ultimately the one who insisted that Elizabeth’s love sonnets be published, as these are what she is best remembered for today.

How do I love thee by Nancy Moser is a biographical novel, written from Elizabeth Barret's perspective and based on facts. It chronicles a large timespan of her life, and includes most of the major events, as well as the actual wording of letters between Elizabeth and Robert. The one thing I do love about this book, is that it felt like I was reading a classic novel.The writing is that dated.Most current historical novels are indeed set in history, but the writing is very modern; How do I love thee does not have that problem.

One of twelve children, having lost her mother at an early age, Elizabeth and her siblings were raised under the iron fist of their father, who locked them away in seclusion.  To ensure his children didn’t stumble on the sins of the flesh (as he deemed it), he forbade his children to marry – what a hypocrite, right?  Elizabeth, being the victim of weak lungs, was locked up most of all.  Having been convinced by her family and doctors that she was an invalid, Elizabeth never ventured out of her room!  Confining herself to only her bedroom, and mostly only to her bed, Elizabeth’s frail body soon grew too weak to even walk easily, and her life was a ritual of resting and taking medicine. Her only solace was her writing.  In her thirties Elizabeth therefore still lived with her father, happy to be with her family and unmarried.  One day, only to ensure her latest published works would be of equal length, she hastily wrote a 19 page poem in one day, in which she made mention of Robert Browning.  After reading the poem, Robert wrote Elizabeth a letter, and the two soon became pen pals.  And so began one of history's greatest love stories.

Over the years the recluse Elizabeth grew too uncomfortable with the idea of meeting new people, and she refused invitation after invitation from fellow authors who wanted to meet her; but for some reason, when Robert requested a meeting Elizabeth hastily agreed – a fact which didn’t fail to unsettle her.  As their friendship grew, so did their love.  Robert and Elizabeth soon couldn’t deny their love for each other, but her father’s strict rules against marriage stood in their way – could they find a way to be true to her father’s wishes as well as their own hearts?

Throughout all the years and all their travels, both Elizabeth and Robert held on to their respective love letters, and the 573 letters which capture their courtship, their blossoming love and their forbidden marriage are on display at the Wellesley College!  The entire collection is also available to view online.

In this Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 photo, a hand-written original manuscript by Elizabeth Barrett Browning of the epic poem "Aurora Leigh," is held by Mariana Oller, Wellesley College associate curator of special collections at the Margaret Clapp Library, on the campus of Wellesley College, in Wellesley, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

One major problem that the book does have: I don’t particularly like the heroine.  Initially I found Elizabeth to be very selfish, self-centred and self-indulgent; which is a problem since I am sure she was meant to be portrayed as selfless.  The fact that a 36 year old woman needs a maid who is able to disregard her wants and requests because she herself knows that she is being unreasonable, is just ridiculous.  Show some willpower, woman!  I got very annoyed with Elizabeth’s self-pitying woe-is-me-attitude.  I literally only kept reading in the hopes that her romance with Robert Browning would better her.  Thankfully, it did.  Robert brought Elizabeth to life – in every sense.  He encouraged her to move around, to venture outside, and ultimately to travel abroad!  Without his love and God’s grace, Elizabeth would have died a recluse. 

Another problem: We only meet Robert through his letters a third through the book, and he only becomes a central character halfway through the book.  I understand that this story is biographical and that Elizabeth had a life (of sorts) before she met him, but since this story is about how her love for him changed her, I would have wanted him introduced much sooner – way too much backstory.  It would have suited me just fine if Moser were to fast forward the plot at the point where her brother Bro died, to a few weeks before she met Robert; not years.  I found many of the first chapters completely unnecessary.

I have to say I did very much enjoy the way time stood still when Elizabeth received her first letter from Robert; the way she just knew that her life had changed, though she did not realise how.  The depiction of their friendship, courtship and romance growing steadily over a period of months was very realistically done, and if Moser’s aim was to show how Robert’s love made Elizabeth become the best version of herself, and how God brought them together against all odds, intervened on their behalf and blessed their relationship, she certainly succeeded.

In the historical sense How do I love thee is a lovely portrayal of the life and love of Elizabeth Barret Browning.

Product information:
Title: How Do I Love Thee

Author: Nancy Moser

Number of pages: 368

Publisher: Bethany House

Year: 2009

ISBN-10: 0764205013 

NOW READING: HOW DO I LOVE THEE ~ NANCY MOSER

Generally I am not a huge fan of poetry.  Mostly I find it annoying; circling a subject, being way too subtle, and I find myself thinking just say what you're trying to say, already!

One exception to my general dislike of poetry is the poem How Do I Love Thee by Elizabeth Barrett Browning:

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.

I am now reading the novel How Do I Love Thee by Nancy Moser, a biographical novel of Elizabeth Barrett's romance with fellow poet Robert Browning. The year is 1845. After her brother dies in a sailing accident, the grief-stricken, sickly Elizabeth Barrett becomes a recluse. She is a published poet - but a virtual prisoner in her own home. Blind family loyalty ties her to a tyrannical father who forbids any of his children to marry. She resigns herself to simply existing. That is, until the letter arrives... "I love your verses with all my heart," writes Robert Browning, a fellow poet. As friendly correspondence gives way to something more, Elizabeth discovers that Robert's love is not for her words alone. Could it be that God might grant her more than mere existence? And can she risk defying her father in pursuit of happiness? BEHIND THE STORY: The love story of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning seems impossible—and it would have been, if God hadn't been involved. Over and over I was moved by evidence of Divine intervention. These two people needed each other so much that God went to great lengths to bring them together. They saved each other. It's truly an inspiring story. Also inspiring are the love sonnets Elizabeth wrote - for her eyes only.  As a bonus in this book, we have included the "Sonnets from the Portuguese" in the back of the book. Read them for yourself! How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...