The first poem I will analyze is "My Ugly Love." What caught my attention was the odd strucutre of the poem. Unlike many other Love poems, this one is awkwardly phrased. Of course this could be intentional considering the poet is trying to compare ugliness with beauty and relate them both to love. The brevity of the poem also contributes to the poet's intention to make the poem feel different. The purpose of this poem was to stick out and an unordinary Love poem, and that it did. The other poem I read is "She Walks in Beauty." The poem describes the phyisical and spiritual characteristics of a woman that I assume the author is in love with. The speaker, drawn in by this woman's beauty, compares her appearance to that of several different natural events. "She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies" for example.
The major difference between the two poems is the tone or overall feel that the poet provides. "My Ugly Love" deals with mostly negative aspects of love, and uses negative, sometimes grotesque words to convey this tone. "She Walks in Beauty" utilizes positive words and phrases to demonstate a more light-hearted, spirited type of love that we most often associate with literature about love, especially within poetry.
Yes, but wouldn't you say that "She Walks in Beauty" is an idealized love whereas "My Ugly Love" is about a realistic love based on more than surfaces?
ReplyDelete