John Clare’s “First Love,” is about a man’s feelings as he is seeing someone for the first time and falling in love with them, the manner in which he talks of his desired one is similar to Shakespeare’s description in “Shall I Compare Thee” The language expresses the emotions he experiences and the effects they are having on him, “blood rushed to my face and took my sight away,” and the personification of his legs refusing to walk, show how these feeling are uncontrollable. The writing style is intense this is shown by the hyperbole of his emotions “stole my heart away completely…my heart has left its dwelling-place, and can return no more.” There is a standard (a,b,a,b) rhyming scheme, making the poem sound almost like a song, and poetic devices are used frequently. Alliteration of “so sudden and so sweet,”, “saw so sweet a face” and “blood burnt about my heart” make the description stand out. Also simile’s are used often; “her face bloomed like a flower,”, “my face turned pale as deadly pale” and “they spoke as chords do from string,” this is to compare the real subject to something wonderful or terrible, emphasizing the point he is making. There is assonance with “my heart did start” making the poem easy to read and entertaining. This piece shows the intensity and overwhelming feeling experienced during your first realisation of love for another person, the author uses extreme examples of emotion to convey the power of his feelings.
John Donne’s, “The Flea,” greatly contrasts both “Shall I Compare Thee…?” and “First Love,” as there is no mention of love or admiration, the theme of this piece is purely seduction and lust. The narrator of this piece is a man who is trying to persuade a woman to have sexual intercourse with him. The poem is made up of three stanzas, each of which contains a different plea for the woman to do as he wishes. In the first stanza the man is trying to say that losing your virginity is not a major occurrence saying “how little that which thou deny’st me is,” and as it has already happened, by the flea biting them both-allowing their bloods to mingle-they may as well do it properly (it was commonly thought in the 16th century that when you had sex your bloods mixed). In the second stanza the man changes tactics, talking of religion and marriage, using arguments such as “this flea is you and I, and this our marriage bed, and marriage temple is.” In the third stanza the woman has killed the flea and the man is trying to make her feel guilty about killing the innocent flea and saying if they had sex it would make it alright “cruel and sudden….purpled thy nail in blood of innocence.” The language used in this poem is pleading, although there is an element of humour and also seduction. In stanza one words such as; “suck’d, sucks, maidenhead(virginity) and mingled,” which are used to make the woman believe that since their bloods have already mingled and done these illicit things it would be no harm to give in. In stanza two words of religious significance are used like; “married, marriage, temple, sins and sacrilege,” these are meant to appeal to her morality making her think they will be taking part in a pure act. There is a rhyming scheme of (a,a,b,b). This piece is a good representation of lust because there is no mention of eternal or undying love, the man does not mention the woman’s beauty and he does not compliment her, he only wants to have sexual relations with this woman and no emotional ties thereafter.
“Porphyria’s Lover” by Robert Browning, is dissimilar to all the previously mentioned poems, there is ill manner and emotional turmoil in this piece, love is discussed, not in the sense of awe or admiration but in the sense of resentment and bitterness. “Porphyria’s Lover” is a dramatic monologue telling the story of an obsessive and jealous lover killing the woman he loves. The language used in the text is sinister and dark “sullen, spite, vex” are the words used to describe the setting, showing the gloom of the occasion. The lover describes himself waiting “with heart fit to break” showing he is unstable and on the verge of unpleasant emotion. As Porphyria enters the tone of the poem alters, she brings warmth with her presence and the fire she rekindles. Although a feeling of resentment is clear from the lover, when she calls his name “no voice replied” he is subjecting her to an icy reception. He talks of “vainer ties” suggesting he is below her in class or status, he says she is “too weak, for all her heart’s endeavour,” showing he is bitter at the fact she will not give herself fully to him. As the lover realises Porphyria does love him he becomes “happy and proud” the repetition of “mine,” clearly portrays possessiveness. As he decides to kill her and actual does so the tone of the poem does not change, he states the event of murder without regret of feeling “…and strangled her,” the lover is in control of his emotions, although he thinking irrationally; “no pain felt she, I am quite sure she felt no pain.” This indicates a strong possibility that the lover is insane. Browning uses fallacy for the weather, “the wind… tore the elm-tops…and did its worst to vex the lake.” This piece is an excellent representation of obsessive love, the lovers mind is occupied purely with the thought of making her his own and no one else’s he believes Porphyria is an object rather than a person so he has no problem killing her to eternalize their love.
The four pieces show very different aspects of love and despite having major differences two have some similarities, with “First Love,” and “Shall I Compare Thee…?” both clearly express admiration and wonder. “Porphyria’s Lover” and “The Flea,” are not similar to the other poems or each other they do not speak of love kindly if at all.
