Poem summaries Flashcards
Summary of “Who so list to haunt”
the poem concentrates on the theme of love as a despiring and vicious pursuit. It is the failed hunt of a woman who is loved by another man
Summary of “Sonnet 116”
the poem describes love being the greatest power, whether that is romantic or familial love
Summary of “The Flea”
a metaphysical poem / seductive, the speaker tries to convince a woman to sleep with him using the image of a flea
Summary of “To his Coy Mistress”
the speaker tries of persuade his mistress to partake in sexual acts as their time together is short
Summary of “The Scrutiny”
the speaker says he values sexual pleasures over a committed relationship
Summary of “A song (absent from thee)”
the poem is satirical in the way it subverts the conventions of traditional love poetry by speaking of serial unfaithfulness
Summary of “Garden of Love”
the poem is about religion and love, a critisism of organised religion. The speaker argues that religion should have a focus on love, freedom and joy, not rules and restirctions
Summary of “Song (Ae fond kiss)”
poem is about two lovers parting and the feelings (emotional attatchment) to one another
Summary of “She Walks in Beauty”
poem describes an unnamed woman’s beauty, conveying his wonder at her, ethereal, innocent aura and appearance
Summary of “Remember”
poem is about the speaker bidding farewell to their lover, imploring them to remember then after they are gone, urging them to not fall into despair
Summary of “The Ruined Maid”
the reunion of two former neighbours (a mistress and a farm lady), and the reminiscent ideas of who they used to be
Summary of “At an Inn”
poem describes the inconsistent love experienced by the speaker and the woman he addresses - love doesn’t exist then it suddenly does later on
Summary of “La Belle Dame sans Merci”
about a knight encountering a beautiful elfin woman who abandones him, leaving him distraught and void to life and love
Summary of “Non sum Quails Eram Bonae sub Regno Cynarae”
the poem is about a speaker musing over his inability to forget his former lover Cynara as he attempts to drown out the ever-present Cynara
