Love Poems

When we two parted -Lord Byron

-explores how separation from a loved one causes endless suffering

-rhyme scheme

-death related imagery= the end of a relationship feels like the end of love itself

-"knell in mine ear” = funeral bell= semantic field of death

-”dew of the morning” the natural fresh imagery of the morning is subverted here to reveal the speaker’s sadness

-“thy vows are all broken" accusative connotations and links to broken wedding promises

-“how should I greet thee?- with silence and tears.” ends with a full stop to show how he is left with only silence and tears. he answers his rhetorical question which is unusual and could be argued to reflect on their unconventional, controversial relationship

-cyclical structure= inescapable nature of the speaker’s grief for his ex lover

-context: Byron had a controversial love life. the poem is thought to be about one of his ex lovers

Sonnet 29- Elizabeth Browning

-the poem explores how absence from a loved one can be overwhelming, but that relationship can still bring joy and fulfilment.

-form: written in a Petrarchan sonnet- the speaker’s thoughts about love tie closely to Petrarch. this form also closely links to unattainable and distant love, reflecting the theme of absence.

-the volta comes early and straddles line 7 and 8, revealing her urgency for his presence.

-“o my palm tree” pronoun “my” reflects on their dependency on each other. exotic connotations.

“I think of thee!” the speaker directly addresses the lover, demonstrating personal intimacy and connection, despite the distance between the pair. exclamative heightens these feelings

“wild vines about a tree” adjective wild demonstrates her thoughts and love are uncontrollable and growing intensely

“my thoughts twine” represents the physical intimacy the speaker desired, but cannot have due to the theme of separation

-context: the courtship with Robert Browning was constrained by society and by her Father

Love’s philosophy

-the poem explores romantic love and passionately likens these feelings to the natural world

-summary of language: natural imagery= physical intimacy, rhetorical questions= persuasive poem

-context: Shelley is a key romantic poet, youthful and passionate- link to the Romantics

Porphyria’s lover

a poem that explores how love can be a powerful or destructive force that can cause possessive or obsessive thoughts. it is a dramatic monologue where a man is unable to cope with his emotions towards his lover and so kills her (jealousy, fear, obsession).

structure- one stanza + dramatic monologue= no hesitation for murder

language- pathetic fallacy sets the scene and forebodes the violence. caesura= violence

context- written in the Victorian era when female sexuality was still a taboo subject. Porphyria is dominant and challenges gender norms, hence why she is named.

Winter Swans

Winter swans is a poem about a couple who are near separation due to an argument, but the sight of two swans together helps them overcome their differences. the poem teaches us that relationships are fragile and can be challenging. the natural world impacts human emotions.

structure- no regular rhyme scheme and irregular meter reflects on the disorder in their relationship.

language- swans symbolise love and unity, sibilance= atmosphere becomes easier by the end

context- most of his work focusses on love

neutral tones

a poem where the speaker recounts meeting a past lover around a pond and parting. the imagery used by Hardy reflects the despair felt by the couple. the poem explores how separation from a relationship can be impactful.

-structure- regular rhyme scheme suggests he somewhat longs for them to be together and provides comfort

-language- death imagery, metaphors are hyperbolic, colour symbolism

-context- Hardy was unlucky in relationships which reflects on the depressing tone of his writing.

The farmer’s bride

the poem explores ideas of despair, possession and loneliness. the farmer has chosen a wife and has entered a loveless marriage where the bride is unable to show any affection.

context- the poem was written at a time where issues about men possessing women began to rise

structure- the varying and playful rhyme allows the reader a sense of unease and links back to the poets idea that there is conflict in relationships

language- similes= vulnerability+ coldness, objectification, possessive apostrophe

Singh Song

the poem celebrates romantic love but also explores the conflict between parents and their adult children when relationships change in adulthood. Phonetic spelling and comedy are used to enhance and lighten the relationship with the wife and the secondary relationship with his parents.

language- colloquialisms, euphemistic language

structure- dramatic monologue. previously, browning and Mew use this to mimic the controlling nature of men, however Nagra uses it to celebrate the love for his wife

context- his parents were immigrants and opened a shop in the 1950s