Compare the differing views on love from the poems 'A Woman To Her Lover', by Christina Walsh, and 'When We Two Parted', by Lord Byron

The first 200 words of this essay...

The poems 'A Woman To Her Lover', by Christina Walsh, and 'When We Two Parted', by Lord Byron, both deal with the subject of love. However each poem portrays a completely different view of love, confronting and challenging the issues raised. Both poets endeavour to leave a lasting impression on the reader and a particular person who is, or was, close to their heart. Therefore, the construction of the poem is vital.

The meaning of AWTL is powerfully conveyed through the poem's structure. Walsh has assembled a potent argument, trying to persuade her lover to see her in a certain light. The first three stansas use negative imagery to of a slave, an angel around the house and an object of sexual desire, all of which are unpleasant stereotypes of women. The final stansa reveals her terms for a happy future. This construction allows the argument to be built up until the climax after the turning point of the poem. Giving the bad news first means that in contrast the good news seems even better.

WWTP is similarly four stansas long, although it was originally five because the stansa removed was seen as inappropriate