Love in Poetry

Love in Poetry

There are endless ways in which love can be portrayed and occur. There

are numerous types of love, whether it's physical, emotional or romantic

love. I intend to expand upon and highlight the various ways in which

love an loss is portrayed in 5 selected poems: John Clare's 'First

Love', John Keats' 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci', Robert Browning 'My Last

Duchess' and Christina Rossetti's two poems 'Birthday' and

'Remember'. All of the poets portray love the concept of love or loss

or both in relation to some; they all attempt to capture and express

the presence of love and loss in the closest way possible.

In ?First Love?, the poet (John Clare) situates his poem as if telling

a story. The story of a young boy who sees a beautiful young girl and

falls in love with her the first time he sets eyes on her.

The poet sets the scene and mood for his poem in the first few lines;

an over whelming emotion of love which has overcome the young boy

(John Clare as a child) as his eyes wander over to the beautiful young

farmers daughter; whose complexion is like nothing he has seen before.

?I ne?er was struck before that hour

With love so sudden and so sweet.?

The poet continues to complement this princess like figure whom he

adores and loves compassionately;

?Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower

And stole my heart away complete.?

It is made clear to the reader that the poet has fallen deeply in love

with this young girl with out even getting to know her; totally

dumbfound by her beauty. The young girl whom the poet falls

instantaneously in love with is probably unaware of how compassionate

this young boy feels towards her; thoughtlessly she waves away his

physical state and walks awa...

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...at the time their poem is set. In ?First Love? the young boy whom is

known to be a younger John Clare; fells the incredible sensation of

love for the first time in his life, in reference to the poems title

?First Love?. Whereas in John Keats? ?La Belle Dame Sans Merci? the

role character a knight who was left love struck by woman whom could

be in relation to the lady of the lake as the bank of a lake and the

final male poet Robert Browning whose poem ?My last duchess?

emphasises on the love for control, wealth, arts and pride. The final

two poems both penned by Christina Rossetti ?A Birthday? and

?Remember?, each poem apposes the other, ?A Birthday? resembling the

joy of love and ?Remember? signifying the loss of not just love but

life as well.

All five poems begin with a joyous atmosphere of love, but eventually

all end bitterness one way or another.