Exploring 'Love's Philosophy'
Structure
Title
A ‘philosophy’ is a way
of thinking, set of beliefs
or a creed held as a
guiding principle.
Think about:
What is the speaker’s
philosophy regarding
love? How do we
know?
There are two stanzas,
each ending with a
question. The rhyme
scheme is ababcdcd and
the poem has a regular
structure with clear
patterns.
Think about:
What different punctuation
marks are used? What
does the punctuation
signify? How does the
structure of the poem link
with the message of the
poem?
L♥ve’s
Philosophy
Themes
Nature is in union: it
‘mixes’ it ‘mingles’,
‘clasps’ and ‘kisses’.
Likewise, reciprocated
love needs to be
expressed physically –
the beloved has to love
him back and express
that love openly.
However, the social
conventions don’t
allow that, hence the
beloved’s resistance.
© www.teachit.co.uk 2015
Imagery
Think about:
Is the speaker’s argument
really logical and
convincing? Arguing from
the general (nature) to the
specific (his relationship) is
considered a fallacy. What
might make it convincing to
someone?
Shelley personifies
elements of nature to
suggest that love pervades
nature, and that elements of
nature actually feel love.
The natural imagery
suggests that the beloved
should also do what comes
naturally. He uses
rhetorical questions to
make his argument seem
unequivocal.
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Context
Like Byron, Shelley is a Romantic poet because he
favours nature and purity of emotions over intellect
and reason.
The Romantic poets were admired by and influenced
future poets, amongst them Thomas Hardy.
Think about:
Which words and phrases suggest this is a pastoral
(natural) poem?
Shelley was 24 and already married when he eloped
with 16-year-old Mary, who became his wife and
later wrote Frankenstein. How might this poem be
autobiographical?
Think about:
Where is the natural imagery in the poem? Find
examples of the natural world and personification.
Some modern readers find the use of language in
the poem too clichéd and sickening! How do you
feel about the word choices?
Why might the speaker need to persuade the
beloved to kiss him or ‘mingle’?
(Remember, this poem was written in 1820 – think
about the way unmarried men and women were
expected to behave to remain socially accepted.)
The speaker and his beloved have conflicting
interests: he wants a physical relationship. What
might be her priority?
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