Introduction to "The Best Thing in the World"

Welcome to your study guide for Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem, "The Best Thing in the World." This poem is part of your Unit 4 Section B: Pre-1900 Poetry studies, specifically focused on The Victorians. At first glance, this poem might seem like a simple list of things in nature, but it is actually a clever, debating poem that tries to define what is truly valuable in life.

As you study this for your Pearson Edexcel International A Level, remember that the exam will ask you to look at the poem’s language and structure (AO2), its Victorian context (AO3), and different ways it can be interpreted (AO5). Let’s dive in!

Context: The Victorian World of Elizabeth Barrett Browning (AO3)

To understand this poem, we need to look at the world Elizabeth Barrett Browning (EBB) lived in. She was one of the most famous poets of the Victorian era (the reign of Queen Victoria, 1837–1901).

1. The Role of Women and the "Domestic Sphere": In Victorian times, women were often seen as the moral compass of the home. EBB, however, was an intellectual who wrote about politics, social justice, and deep philosophy. This poem reflects that intellectual side—she isn't just looking at a pretty flower; she is analyzing the concept of beauty.

2. Romanticism vs. Victorianism: While the earlier "Romantics" (like Wordsworth) loved nature for its own sake, Victorian poets often looked at nature to find a moral or spiritual lesson. You will see EBB doing exactly this—testing natural objects to see if they "measure up" to a higher truth.

3. Personal Life: EBB famously eloped with fellow poet Robert Browning (who also has poems in this collection, such as "My Last Duchess"). Her life was defined by a shift from a restricted, sickly life in London to a liberated, love-filled life in Italy. Many critics believe her focus on "Love" and "Truth" as the "best things" stems from this personal transformation.

Poem Analysis: Form and Structure (AO2)

The poem is structured like a rhetorical debate. EBB asks a question and then tests out different answers, rejecting them one by one until she finds the "winner."

  • The Question-and-Answer Pattern: Each stanza begins by suggesting something beautiful (a rose, an apple, a lily) but then immediately finds a flaw in it. This creates a "Yes, but..." structure.
  • Repetition: The use of the word "No" at the start of the rebuttals emphasizes that material things are never perfect.
  • Rhyme and Rhythm: The poem has a steady, almost song-like quality. However, the short, punchy lines ("No, for a thorn", "No, for a worm") break the flow, mimicking the way a real-life disappointment breaks a beautiful dream.

Key Imagery and Themes (AO1 & AO2)

EBB uses several natural images to represent "The Best Thing," only to show why they fail.

1. The Flawed Natural World

The first four stanzas look at nature’s "best" offerings:
• The Rose: Rejected because of the "thorn." Beauty can hurt.
• The Apple-blossom: Rejected because of the "worm." Even the promise of fruit can be corrupted from within.
• The Lily: Rejected because it grows from "mud." Even purity has "lowly" origins.
• The Light/Clouds: Rejected because of "rain." Even the most sublime weather is temporary.

2. The Shift to the Spiritual/Emotional

In the final stanzas, the poem stops looking at objects and starts looking at ideas.
• "Something out of it... out of the world or above it": This is a key phrase. EBB is saying that the "best thing" isn't a physical object you can touch; it is something transcendental (beyond the physical world).

3. The Conclusion: Truth and Love

The poem concludes that "Truth" and "Love" are the ultimate winners.
• "Truth" is the best thing in the "moral" world.
• "Love" is the best thing in the "inner" world.
• Finally, the combination of both is presented as the absolute peak of human existence.

Quick Review: The poem moves from the physical (roses) to the abstract (love) to show that the heart and soul are more important than the eyes.

Different Interpretations (AO5)

In your exam, you need to show that the poem can be read in different ways. Here are three common interpretations:

Interpretation A: The Romantic/Biographical View
Many readers see this as a tribute to her husband, Robert Browning. In this view, the "Love" she discovers at the end is the romantic love that "saved" her from her restrictive life. The poem is a journey from being a lonely observer of nature to a participant in a great love.

Interpretation B: The Religious/Spiritual View
Victorian readers were very religious. Some critics argue that the "Something... above it" refers to God or Divine Truth. In this reading, the "flaws" in nature (thorns, worms) represent the "fallen" state of the world, and only God’s love is perfect and "best."

Interpretation C: The Philosophical/Intellectual View
This view suggests the poem is about the search for perfection. EBB is acting like a scientist or philosopher, testing hypotheses. The "best thing" is the integrity of the soul. It’s not about a person or a god, but about the human capacity to hold onto "Truth" in a world that is constantly decaying.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't just list the flowers: It’s easy to spend the whole essay talking about roses and lilies. Remember, these are symbols for the transience (temporary nature) of the physical world.
  • Don't ignore the tone: The tone is quite playful but also firm. She is "weighing" these items in her mind.
  • Don't forget the AO3: Mention that EBB was a woman writing in a time when women were expected to be "the angel in the house," yet she is here tackling complex philosophical questions about the nature of the world.

Key Takeaways Summary

• Theme: The superiority of internal, spiritual values (Love and Truth) over external, physical beauty.

• Structure: A series of rejected suggestions followed by a final, double-layered answer.

• Imagery: Nature is presented as beautiful but fundamentally flawed (thorns, worms, mud).

• Context: Reflects Victorian interests in morality and the transition from material observation to spiritual meaning.

Note: For a comparison of how EBB handles difficult emotions, see her other prescribed poem in this unit, "Grief".