The Presentation of Love in Poetry

The Presentation of Love in Poetry

Compare in detail the presentation of love (and loss) in How Do I Love

Thee by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, First Love by John Clare and

Remember by Christina Rossetti with further reference to My Last

Duchess by Robert Browning, When We Two Parted by Lord Byron and A

Woman To Her Lover by Christina Walsh

The three poems, First Love by John Clare, Remember by Christina

Rossetti and How Do I Love Thee by Elizabeth Barrett Browning were all

written in the 19th century. They all share the similar theme of love,

however they are all very different in numerous ways, such as in their

structure, their tone, their ideas of love, the time of their

relationship and their descriptions about their lovers. Throughout

life, many people fall instantly in love when they see someone for the

first time. First Love focuses on the impact this can have on a person

and the feelings they receive from experiencing such a wonderful

moment. Alternatively, Remember not only reflects upon the importance

and struggles of grieving after a lover has passed away, but also how

the lover wishes them to continue in life without them. On the other

hand, the ideas of love reaching its peak and a love being so deep

that nothing can break the bond both lovers share is expressed in the

poem, How Do I Love Thee.

First Love explores the complexities of love at first sight. Unlike

both the other poems, it is separated into three stanzas, in which the

poem shows gradual, yet perceptible progression. The trochaic rhythm

used by John Clare represents the heartbeat he felt when he first

gazed upon his love. The rhyme scheme ABAB reflects u...

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...stanzas in First Love tend to be of similar length. In How Do I Love

Thee, being a petrarchan sonnet has the octave discussing the current

situation of her love and how far her “soul can reach”, whereas the

sestet focuses on the possibilities of her love in the future and how

“if God choose, she shall love thee better after death”. The main

change between the octave and the sestet is the time she is

discussing, but also the context of the romance.

First Love, How Do I Love Thee & Remember are completely different in

countless ways. On the surface while read without much analysis or

thought, they are viewed as different, mainly in the message they try

and carry across and it is because the aims of the poems are so

different that features such as tone, structure, rhyme, rhythm and

language are so varied in these poems.