Love’s Philosophy Flashcards
Context for the poem?
Written by Percy Byshee Shelley who was an atheist who got banned from Oxford University for writing an atheist pamphlet
He married Mary Wollstonecraft(Shelley) who later wrote Frankenstein
Percy left his pregnant wife to be with Mary
As a romantic poet, he was interested with nature and applied it in his poems
How is love presented in the poem?
Lustful yet slighlty playful love, romantic
What are some themes in the poem?
Sex, nature, religion, seduction, longing
Title - “Love’s Philosophy”
Personification- there is scientific reason for why they should love each other
Philosophy means “love of wisdom”
Impotance of starting with “The fountains ____ with the river”
“The fountains mingle with the river”
Theme of nature + euphemism for sex
This is also repeated to emphasise he wants a physical relationship
“The winds of ____ mix forever”
“The winds of heaven mix forever”
Natural imagery - power and beauty of nature that should be the same in their relationship
Love should be eternal
“All things by a law ____”
“All things by a law”
Religious imagery - God’s law for a man and woman to be together, Adam and Eve, pressure from God
“The rivers with the oceans”
“Winds of heaven”
“Mountains”
Elemental symbolism - references water, earth and wind but no fire, meaning there is no passion in their relationship
Shows everything in nature is conected except them
“sunlight, moonbeams”
Juxtaposition- he will love her all the time, no matter what the conditions, reference to marital vows
Also shows how everything is linked, like how they should be
Importance of ending with “If thou ____ not me?”
“If thou kiss not me?”
Rhetorical question - emphasises his desperation and desire for her love
Could also mean we don’t hear her view on the matter, contextual
Structure of the poem
Persuasive strucuture as he is longing for the listener
Rhetorical question at end sticks out like they do in nature
What is the significance of the rhyming scheme?
It’s alternating and regular - pair and togetherness like nature
However, there is also a half rhyme per stanza which sticks out, similar to how the writer and listener do in nature as they are not together
Line 14 caesura
Pause for reflection before the final rhetorical question that ends the poem
