Eros Poem Comparison

522 Words2 Pages

Two different poems regarding to Eros open with a call out to the god of Eros and long for an answer. Both poems begin with a description of Eros’s face that defines who is Eros in two different perspectives. Although the subject matter and the structure of the poem are similar between the two, the use of figurative speech, such as apostrophe and imagery, and rhyme completely changes the meaning. Bridges sets Eros as a distant god placed above humans, while Stevenson identifies a god as a slave bruised by human desires.
Stevenson and Bridges both begin Eros with a question, indicating the speakers’ desires to reach the god of love. But, the speaker in Bridges’s poem uses an apostrophe in his question, “Why hast thou nothing in thy face?” The question creates a distance between the god and the speaker, and reveals the mysterious nature of Eros. Bridges’ Eros is expressionless and inscrutable. In contrast, Stevenson’s speaker asks “for love” and is surprised by who shows up. She asks, “But help me, who arrives?” This question expresses her surprise and disappointment that Eros is ugly...

Open Document