Love's Philosophy Flashcards
What is the poem about?
Speaker putting forward an argument to a prospective lover, trying to persuade them to kiss him.
What is the form of the poem?
Rhyming pattern is the same throughout showing his consistency of his intense love for his lover will be unchanging. Two stanzas represents idea of couples.
What is the structure of the poem?
Builds up evidence as if giving philosophical argument, ending with a rhetorical question.
What is the context of the poem?
Shelley is a Romantic poet. Youthful passion was associated with the Romantics.
Who was the poem written by?
Percy Bysshe Shelley
What can be said about the lexis used from the field of embrace in the poem?
“mingle”
“kiss”
“clasp”
Emphasies speaker’s desperation for intimacy and being close to his lover.
Finish and analyse the quote: “The fountains___________________” LINE 1
“The fountains mingle with the river”
Theme of nature- Romantic poetry. Imagery of flowing water shows everything is connected just as the two should be. Personification to parallel nature with what their relationship should be like. Passive imagery shows it is only natural for them to be together.
Finish and analyse the quote: “______ emotion” LINE 4
“Sweet emotion”
Implies that speaker experiences tender affection. Suggests that nature enjoys and benefits from their union.
What quote sums up the narrators argument? LINE 5
“Nothing in the world is single”
It is the natural order of the world and so should it be that way for their relationship
What can be said about the title of the poem?
Speaker questions the nature of love.
What can be said about philosophical imagery in the poem?
“No sister flower would be forgiven” LINE 11
Claims that lack of love is a sin and unforgivable by God’s standards.
“All things by a law divine” LINE 6
Paradoxically reduces large concept of love to step by step plea as he compares his lovers lack of love to philosophy. Believe it is God’s law that everything in nature mingles together.
What can be said about the use of “sunlight” and “moonbeams” in lines 13 and 14?
Shows that everything is connected not just on earth but also beyond what we can see.
What are the last two lines of the poem?
“What is all this sweet work worth//
If thou kiss not me?”
What can be said about the last two lines of the poem?
Suggests that love gives life meaning as speaker questions the point of the world without his lovers love.
Hyperbolic to try and persuade his lover.
Reader receives no catharsis as poem is ended with a persuasive question.
Last line is monosyllabic making the words stand out. Separated from the poem just as speaker is with his lover. “kiss” repeated to emphasis speakers desire.
