Like a coin, the abstract feeling of love has two sides. Love can either be sensitive and caring, or brutal and abrasive. Robert Bridges and Anne Stevenson convey these two stark concepts about love by analyzing the Eros, the god of love. By analyzing Bridges and Stevenson’s poetry, one can see they portray the thoughts and outwardly looks of Eros very differently. Bridges adores and admires Eros as the “idol of the human race,” painting the rosy picture of love. While Stevenson despises and disregards Eros as a ” thug,” bringing the dark side of love to the light. When analyzed, the poets use an abundance of imagery and diction to describe the two sides of love that are so often seen in the surroundings.  

Though these two poets wrote their poems a century apart, they have not differed from the views held about love today. Love is erotic, sensitive and caring. Eros is the accurate representation of love desired by all the generations throughout the centuries. This rosy side of love, or rather Eros, can be seen through the imagery Bridges’ provides. Eros is the “tyrant of the human heart,” “flower of lovely youth,” “exuberant flesh so fair” and the “starry sheen of nakedness.” These images give a very blissful and pleasurable side of love. Eros’s nakedness is depicted as the eroticist view of love, the “warm” feeling everyone desires. Diction such as “sensuous innocence,” “soft,” “joy,” and “proud dress” contribute towards Bridges portrayal of the god of love. These words entice a person to love and to be loved because love is simply beautiful. Overall Bridges has given the glowing side of love, but there is still another side…

Anne Stevenson reveals the dark side of love that is very abrasive and harsh. Once the lovers end their passion for each other and lust for others, the destructive power of love is seen. Through her diction, Stevenson portrays Eros as a brutal beast that represents the terrible side of love. Descriptive diction such as “squinty,” “bully,” “boxer,” “brute,” “offends,” “patchy,” “slaves” and “cries” give the appalling side of Eros, or rather love. The squinty eyes of Eros means he is looking down with scorn on mortal lovers. When Eros is scoffing, it is apt to say love is scoffing because he is the god of love. Stevenson further shows the unkind side of love by using dialogue between her character and Eros. This dialogue reveals that he has “patchy” wings and “boxer” lips because of the lust of the character. Eros goes on to say that he is a slave to mortals and he lets them revel in their lust because it their choice to be lustful. The imagery about Eros provided by Stevenson brings the dark side of love to light. Eros is “battered” because of the repeated “blows” of lust. Lust by lovers brings that dark side of love to fruition, not Eros. Thus Eros, though he is the god of love, he leaves the choice of true or lustful and rosy and destructive love up to the lovers because he nothing but a immortal slave. 

Just like the heads and tails of a coin, love also has two sides. But instead of depending on luck to receive the head, one can choose to be a faithful lover and enjoy the rosy portrayal by Bridges. These two concepts are very present all the time and unfortunately, many cannot avoid the dark side of love. Eros though he is a god, says he in no position to force all the lovers in the world to choose the enjoyable side of love. He is a slave to human beings because he gives them the volition to do as they please, taking the consequences of their choice in to account.