Choose two or more poems on the theme of love, written by men. Write about how each poet approaches the theme.

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English Coursework: Poetry

Choose two or more poems on the theme of love, written by men.  Write about how each poet approaches the theme.

Poetry has been used as a means of conveying thoughts, feelings and stories since humans began writing.  There are many genres and styles; love being one of the more popular themes in the pre-1900 period.  I will be looking at a selection of poems on this theme from the pre- 19th century selection in “Best Words”.  The writers of the chosen poems are male because women were not widely accepted as writers at that time so a woman who chose writing as a profession often used a male pseudonym.  The poems I have chosen to discuss are Shakespeare’s “Shall I Compare Thee…” and “Porphyria’s Lover".

Although both poems are on the theme of love, “Shall I Compare Thee…” is more romantic.  It is a sonnet in praise of a woman who is “more lovely” than a “summer’s day”.  In the first quatrain the poet suggests that the woman is superior to a summer’s day, then begins to state summer’s imperfections.  In the second quatrain there is a continuation of this idea:

“Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,”

A change in the theme is introduced in the third quatrain with the word “But”.  He then begins to talk about the woman herself and how she is lacking summer’s faults.  He tells us that the woman will elude time and death.

“But thy eternal Sommer shall not fade,

Nor loose possession of that faire thou ow’st,

Nor shall death brag thou wandr’st in his shade,

When in eternall lines to time thou grow’st,”

These claims pose a question in the reader’s mind: “How can she live forever?” The final rhyming couplet explains these claims, which appear to be highly exaggerated, and answers the question.  It says:

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“So long as men can breath or eyes can see,

 So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”

This means that she will continue to live through the poem and will come to life whenever it is read. Other art forms such as photography and paintings can be used to immortalise people.

Imagery has been used in numerous places throughout the poem.  In the description of summer the sun is personified:

“His gold complexion dim’d,”

A metaphor is used to describe it as the “eye of heaven”.  This metaphor is original and shows the writer’s skill; ...

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