Final answer:
In "How Do I Love Thee?" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the speaker compares her love to the ideals of freedom and purity, signifying that her love is unconditional and selfless, akin to striving for justice and virtue without seeking praise.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "How Do I Love Thee?", the speaker declares, "I love thee freely, as men strive for right. / I love thee purely, as they turn from praise." These lines suggest that the speaker's love is both unconditional and selfless, akin to the pursuit of justice and moral integrity. The comparison to "men striving for right" implies that the love is as natural and essential as the human desire for justice and virtue.
Similarly, loving as they "turn from praise" indicates that the love is genuine and not influenced by external validation or reward, embodying a purity and sincerity free from selfish motives. Also, these expressions may imply that just as one would fight for justice without self-interest, the speaker loves in a manner transcending the ordinary—marked by a deep, inherent commitment that is both noble and altruistic.