HUE UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

BRITISH LITERATURE 1
MID- TERM TEST

Hue, November 5th, 2023

 HUE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

BRITISH LITERATURE 1
MID- TERM TEST

Student’s name:
Student’s ID:
Instructor: Nguyen Thi Ha Uyen

Hue, November 5th, 2023

Question 1: If you were the addressee of “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”, how would you respond to
his promises? Write a short letter as a response to the shepherd.

Dear Shepherd,
I’m really interested in the offers of passionate love of yours. With a young girl as me, I initially impressed
by sincerely from the bottom of your’s heart. However, to come with you and be your love are difficult to
make it come true for many reasons.
Currently, I am a final-year student, so your promises help me overcome my stress and think about my life in
the future with a partner. Not only me but also many girls always desire a full of amenties, comfort and
peace. You drew a perfect picture about our love in the future with a lot of breathtaking scenery such as:
valleys, groves, hills,… I imangine that I am getting lost in the fairy tale world with the most wonderful
things.
However, I am a realistic person. With my perspective, all of things you promised are difficult to do and very
far-fetched. What did you do to get those things? Moreover, just sitting on the rocks watching the sheep all
day, listening to the melodious birds singing without having to do anything, it sounds meaningless to me. If
you don't work, then get something to spare and rest.
I am also very surprised and moved by your romance about the flower beds, flower hat and short dress. It's
even more surprising when it's all made of myrtle leaves. As far as I know, the myrtle leaf is a symbol of love
associated with Venus. And understanding that you worship their love like that is very touching but it seems
like it could only happen in a dream.
There are other promises beyond my imagination such as: pure gold buckles, Coral clasps,... You can
sacrifice so much just to live with me until the end of your life without asking. anything from me?
I am truly moved and surprised by your perfect invitation and promise, but those promises only mention
spring and summer, so what do we do in fall and winter? I realize that the things you promise me are
associated with luxurious, sophisticated material things. If I come to you, am I a greedy materialist? I need a
love that is sincere and comes from true love. Because only true love can help us overcome difficulties when
we have nothing and still be able to live together.
As a girl, I like to dream and be pampered. The love I aim for is to promote the value of true love and shared
suffering. I cannot come to you for material things and without love. But for now, let's meet and talk more
about the promise you make, because then we might have a way to narrow the gap between your poetic
promises and real life. This is harsh. And help me have a more certain answer and later I will not regret
making that decision.
With warm regards,
Question 2: F. Scott Fitzgerald once said: “That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your
longings are universal longings, that you're not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.” In relation to
at least two of the texts in the course book, please provide an essay (at least 2500 words) to elaborate on this
idea.

The profound statement by F. Scott Fitzgerald about expressing human desires through literature
emphasizes the enduring power of literary works, which indicates how literature acts as a bridge, bringing
people together via their general experiences and giving voice to their deepest feelings, lessening loneliness.
This essay will delve into the relevance of Fitzgerald's quote in the context of two classic sonnets: The 43rd
sonnet of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, "How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways," describes a longing
for intense love and William Shakespeare's Sonnet 29, "When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes." By
examining these sonnets, we may see how they capture the ideas of yearning for intense love and the desire
to alter one's fate.
The deep insight of F. Scott Fitzgerald into the beauty of literature is a testament to the timeless and
universal themes discovered in literary works throughout history such as love, nature, etc. His quote
emphasizes the idea that through literature, characters can find a sense of connection and belonging by
recognizing shared experiences and desires of humanity.
F. Scott Fitzgerald believes that literature has the ability to uncover the desires of humanity, relieving
feelings of aloneness and despair, and capturing the truth about the long-lasting impact of literary works.
This point of view is clearly reflected in William Shakespeare's Sonnet 29, in which the poem focuses on
delving into themes of self-doubt, incompetence, jealousy, and the power of love. The next part of this essay
will examine the themes and poetic techniques of Sonnet 29 to indicate how F. Scott Fitzgerald's concept that
human longings are universally shared is integrated in the poem Sonnet 29.
The poem begins with a reflection on the sense of the speaker's despair and inadequacy. The speaker,
perhaps a young man, commences by expressing feelings of isolation and worthlessness before the
arrangement of fate.
"When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes
I all alone beweep my outcast state."
These two initial sentence expresses the sense of isolation when life's misfortunes make the young man
feel disconnected from society. Then, he was lonely and lamented with heaven, but the blue sky could not be
heard. He cursed his miserable and careless life. These are the emotions of a human being, therefore whether
in any background, culture, or context, it instantly makes readers across different eras empathize with this
feeling. This is the first point of the poem that demonstrates the universality of literature.
The second stanza is continuously the lament of the young man as he contrasts his state of disgrace with
the blessings and qualities he lacks:
"Wishing me like to one more rich in hope
Featured like him, like him with friend possessed
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope
With what I most enjoy contented least."
In these sentences, Shakespeare explores the common human tendency to envy others' talents,
possessions, or circumstances while undervaluing themselves. It is a theme that continues to have a common
voice with readers since the desire for self-improvement and self-worth in the 16th century remains
appropriate today.
From the speaker's perspective, Sonnet 29's climactic moment occurs when the young man's mood shifts.
He goes from complaining about his loneliness and lack to finding comfort in remembering his loves.
"Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
(Like the lark at the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth) sings hymns at Heaven's gate;"
His thoughts of the one he loves have allowed him to break free from loneliness, deprivation, and
hopelessness and have strengthened his will to face his destiny. Love is a constant source of solace and
inspiration for people going through difficult times or feeling alone, as evidenced by the boy's evident shift in
attitude in this stanza.
The beauty of Sonnet 29 is that it captures the contradictory nature of love, which is that love can make
people feel self-conscious and underestimate themselves. On the other hand, love can make people love
themselves more. The concept of the desire for intensive love and acceptance of yourself has been
popularized over the years. This is also the reason why literary works could exist for centuries since they
highlight human longing, making the readers empathize with the fate of the characters.
To deepen the understanding of the poem's universal appeal, we must also consider the poetic devices that
Shakespeare employs. Shakespeare employs vivid imagery to paint a picture of the speaker's inner emotion
changing. The use of words like "disgrace," "outcast," and "beweep" effectively conveys a sense of isolation.
Meanwhile, contrasting phrases such as "thy sweet love" and "wealth bring" imply a powerful sense of
belonging and emotional enrichment. This vivid imagery enhances the reader's emotional connection to the
poem. In addition, Shakespeare also uses metaphor in the poem to speak about the universal longing for
emotional riches and a sense of self-worth. The speaker's comparison of his beloved's love for wealth and the
king's status is a metaphor for the idea that love can make the emotion of one abundant.
Shakespeare's Sonnet 29 makes clear F. Scott Fitzgerald's insight that literature highlights shared desires
and dispels the emotions of loneliness. Through vivid imagery, metaphor, and diverse words, Shakespeare
illustrates the speaker's transformation from isolation to belonging. The poem's themes of solitude,
uncertainty, about oneself, and the strength of love have left an impact on readers from generations and
diverse backgrounds. Sonnet 29 reminds us that, despite the differences in time and location, the human
experience is a common journey with all feelings and desires. Through this journey, we find consolation and
empathy, as living beings all have longing for love, acceptance, and connection. Shakespeare's Sonnet 29
endures as a testament to the long-lasting power of literature in connecting us to the collective human
experience.

Literature is a picture that reflects the real values and burning desires of life in the clearest and deepest
way. The topic of love is always a topic that many writers and poets choose to exploit and create works that
truly reflect its diversity. Although each of us has a unique love unlike anyone else, we find one big thing in
common: we all have strong desires in love. When reading Sonnet 43 or “How do I love thee?” by Elizabeth
Barett Browning, a desire for intense love and freedom to express our feelings and emotions in matters of the
heart seems burned inside every reader. The explanation for this is the reader's sense of kinship with the
character's emotions in this poem.

The poem succeeded in stirring up sensations in the reader, evoking empathy and compassion for the
female protagonist's experiences as she revealed her passionate love. During the poem's first words:

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways".

The girl says, "Let me count the ways to see how much I love you," demonstrating to the reader how
incredibly large her love is and that she can still accomplish it even if it takes time to count. The reader can
sense the girl's unending love for the person she loves. As a result, we may partly feel our own synchronicity
with the characters in literary works. People who are in love are constantly very affectionate toward each
other.

How big is the love we all have? Does it go beyond measurement as in Elizabeth's second verse:
 "I love thee to the depth and breadth and height".

In the second line of Sonnet 43, the author portrays a love that is deep, wide, and high, which implies that
she loves him to the fullest extent that is humanly possible. Browning includes this line in the poem to
explain that there is no direction in which she does not fall head over heels in love with her man. Even
though the guy cannot see or hold that love, he will feel it with his heart. Since love is utterly unseen and
cannot be measured by a certain number, it is possible that the majority of readers of literature will concur.
Similar to mathematics, this discipline has the infinity sign ‘∞’, which is not a number, even though it deals
with computations, measurements, and numbers. It represents an endlessly huge number rather than a
particular integer. Thus, it is possible to relate the boundless nature of human love to the mathematical
infinity symbol.

Furthermore, Browning adds that the girl's soul would still reach him even if she was unable to contact
him with her hands or any other part of her body. A lady can feel her lover's love without having to touch
them because it is so powerful. These points are drawn when we read the sentence:

"My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight."

"Out of sight, out of mind" is a common expression used to describe how quickly people forget people or
things that are no longer visible or present. It also refers to how fast people forget someone who leaves.
Nevertheless, nothing is impossible when love is so great that there is no numerical value to match it with.
When a person catches their eye, the human spirit becomes quite emotional. They cherish every moment they
have together, and they still appreciate one another even when their sweetheart is not there. Just in the first
three lines of the poem, the reader seems to be given more motivation to make our desire stronger like the
ambition of the girl in Elizabeth's literature. Each sentence from the lines of poetry strikes the exact mood of
each reader while enjoying literature. The reader and Browning's poetry are two but one. The reason is, they
are two different entities but the poem says exactly what people are thinking and wishing for their love in the
present and the future; therefore, they are in sync.

Apart from the longing for an intense love, Elizabeth Browning’s Sonnet 43 also shares with the readers
the desire for freedom to express our feelings and emotions in matters of the heart. Throughout the poem, the
writer constantly states her profound feeling of love by the repeated phrasing “I love thee…” to emphasizes
her emotional expression

“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”

 Different from traditional Sonnets, where women are passive and submissive objects, Elizabeth Browning
is the subject of the poem herself. She openly confesses her love with everything that has made up her life
“breath”, “smile”, and “tears”. She loves him with all her beings, and in the afterlife, she writes, she will love
him even more than she does at the present “I shall but love thee better after death”. What’s more, Browning
frequently describes love as a free choice that comes from her own agency. She states: “I love thee freely, as
men strive for right”. The word “freely” highlights her own decision in choosing the one she devotes love
for. The word suggests that Browning has chosen to love Robert voluntarily. She also freely made the
conscious decision to defy her father who has put her under a restrictive control, and elope to Florence, Italy
with her beloved. Furthermore, by comparing her love to an effort to “fight for what is right,” she also
connects her romantic love with the moral values that people always pursue. That beautiful love is something
that empowers her and gives her the agency to make her own decisions about her life.

In addition, the poem is written in the first-person, which gives the speaker authority and underscores the
theme of freedom and agency. Browning frequently employs the “I” and “me” pronouns, which adds to the
impression that the speaker is exerting her own voice and emotions in the poem. “Let me count the ways”.
This is a strong, declarative sentence that places the speaker in charge of the poem's narrative. As a result, it
is not surprising that the poem places a great weight on individual choice and freedom to express romantic
emotions. This is an especially brave remark for a woman of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's time, when
women often lacked the opportunity to show their own agency over their lives. Browning's Sonnet challenges
the stereotypes that women are inferior to men, particularly in matters of the heart. She strongly states that
she is not passive and submissive in her romantic relationship but actively expresses her love in a passionate
manner. It can be said that Sonnet 43 establishes a profound contact between readers and the author in the
“longing” for freedom to express our feelings, and our emotional desire for love. The poem provokes the
reader's sentiments about one’s power and agency in making their own romantic choice. That is part of the
beauty of literature when we feel a commonality to all of humanity through universal emotions. Readers can
realize that there are people who share the same feelings and longings as they do. That universal connection
is something that fosters a sense of solidarity in society.

Literature includes humane and profound messages. Through the two masterpieces Sonnet 29 by William
Shakespeare and Sonnet 43 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, readers deeply understand the synchronicities
between poetry and life as each verse reflects human aspirations in an specially genuinely way.
***WORK CONTRIBUTION***

No Student Name ID Contribution

1 Nguyen Thi 20F7010035 Question 1.

Hong Nhung She contributed ideas, worked well with other group members and
completed her job on time.
She reminded other group members to meet the deadline of this
Mid-term test.
She also adjusted the test according to the format requested by the
instructor.

2 Nguyen Thi 20F7510244 Question 1.

Man Nghi She worked well with the group and completed her job on time.
She also contributed ideas and rearranged them into a complete
answer.

3 Le Thi Mi No 20F7511008 Question 1.

She contributed ideas, worked well with the group and completed
her job on time.

4 Nguyen Thi 20F7510098 Question 2.

Thuy Hien She contributed ideas, worked well with the group and completed her job
on time.
She also reminded other group members to meet the deadline of
this Mid-term test.

5 Mai Thi Anh 20F7510559 Question 2.

She contributed ideas, worked well with the group and completed her job
on time.

6 Phan Thi Thu 20F7510756 Question 2.

Huyen She contributed ideas, worked well with the group and completed her job
on time.

7 Hoang Thi Le 20F510682 Question 2.

Hang She contributed ideas, worked well with the group and completed her job
on time.

8 Duong Thi Ai 20F510114 Question 2.

Hoa She contributed ideas, worked well with the group and completed her job
on time.
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