The God of Love: Eros

In Greek mythology, Eros is the god of love and beauty. When one falls in love, fate falls into the hands of this saintly figure. Many people fail to notice the presence of Eros, and both Robert Bridges’ poem “ΕΡΩΣ” and Anne Stevenson’s poem “Eros” focus on this forgotten god. Despite the focus of each poem being centered on Eros, Bridges uses literary techniques such as metaphor, elated language, and poem structure to enforce the idea that Eros is a dictator over human emotions, while Stevenson creates the notion that Eros is a slave to humans’ desire for love by using metaphor, poem structure, diction, and dialogue.

The visual images of Eros described in each poem convey a drastically different type of god. Robert Bridges depicts Eros as a perfect, unearthly being using metaphor, elated language, and formation of the poem. Bridges relates Eros to an “idol of the human race” (2), suggesting that he reins above the earthly beings of the planet in a god-like nature. The metaphor he uses to call Eros a “flower of lovely youth” (4) delivers the images of beauty and perfection to the god. Bridges continues using euphoric language by describing Eros with “exuberant flesh so fair” (7) as well as an “unchristen’d smile” (15) which emphasizes the impeccable and supernatural qualities of the deity. Bridges describes Eros “With thy exuberant flesh so fair / that only Pheidias might compare,” (7 -8). Bridges uses Pheidias, the Greek sculptor, to compare Eros to a statue, which is the ultimate form of everlasting flawlessness. The uniform rhyme scheme, as well as the shape of the poem, stanzas similar in length, provides a smooth rhythm that stresses the total flawlessness of Eros.

While Bridges uses metaphor and structure to create a fl...

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...16), which provides the idea that Eros has more qualities of a flawed and imperfect being than a god.

Overall, the different depictions of Eros in these two poems prove that there are many misguided conceptions towards the idea of Eros and the relationship between love and humankind. The drastically different poems connect Eros to a tyrant who controls the human heart as well as a slave who submits to the beatings of the human heart. The images portrayed in each poem clearly describe opposite individuals, Bridges shows a heavenly, strong figure, while Stevenson features Eros as an abused and distorted humanly character. Eros’ relationship to humans differs between each piece. Bridges imagines Eros manipulating the emotions of an individual, and Stevenson envisions the scenario where Eros is mistreated by humans who search for his help in the desire for love.