Introduction to Eros in Poetry
Eros is a timeless poetic figure – an amorous subject with considerable depth, character and energy. Rising from the shadows of mythology, eros is a powerful force of passion and temptation, making it the subject of great creative works throughout the centuries. Whether expressing love and longing, physical attraction or spiritual growth, eros has inspired poets, authors and artists to bring eros to life through their work.
Eros is a term used to refer to love and desire, and is most often used to describe romantic and sexual relationships. In classical antiquity, love was referred to as erôs, a term derived from the name of the Greek god of love, Eros. In poetry, however, the term is used more broadly to encompass all forms of love, whether platonic, parental or romantic.
Within the works of poets, eros is typically depicted as a force of chaos, often disrupting the lives of those it consumes. It is a driving force of chaos, passionate and relentless, and it can lead to both great joy and great sorrow. Love, in all its forms, is a consuming emotion, and this makes it a tempting subject for poets. It also makes it difficult to write about; how do you portray love and longing in a way that captures the chaotic and unpredictable nature of eros?
For centuries, poets have endeavored to do just that. Beginning with the ancient Greeks and continuing through the current era of poetics, love has been a focal point of poetic expression. In this article, we will explore how contemporary poets have sought to capture the essence of eros, and how they have used their craft to convey its complexity and power.
Love as Passion
Love is often portrayed in poetry as a passionate and consuming force. It is a force which can both bring great joy and great pain. In particular, Greek and Latin poets often depicted eros in terms of its passionate potential. For instance, in Ovid’s ‘The Amores’, the poet discusses the effect of love on the human soul:
“Wherever love shoots his eyes, his fire increases. He takes possession of the breast and consumes it more and more as it burns itself out.”
Ovid is not alone in his description of love as a passionate and consuming force; many poets throughout history have sought to capture this aspect of eros. For example, in William Carlos Williams’ poem ‘To Elsie’, the poet describes an aching desire to be near the beloved:
“I have been eating on my emotions, sustaining myself on my tears and the fire that stands between us?”
The theme of passionate love is particularly prominent in Arabic literature; the term ‘ishq’, which roughly translates to ‘passion’, is often used to describe a spiritual or romantic yearning for another. For example, in the works of Persian poet Rumi, we find vivid descriptions of love as a force of passion and longing:
“Your love for me has reached a place of pain, until being in the world has become unbearable.”
Love as Rebellion
In some poems, eros is cast as an act of rebellion. Here, the poets seek to challenge or subvert social conventions and norms, or to confront the hypocrisy of their restrictive societies. For example, in the poem ‘Ganga’ by Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, eros is described as an act of defiance against oppressive structures:
“The Ganga of my heart is neither ashamed of its poverty, nor of its rebellion.”
This theme is re-emphasised in the work of contemporary poet Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, who writes:
“Sometimes the truth runs away from us and hides, unrideable. How to catch it? With the unforgiving heart of a rebel.”
Love and passion, for these poets, are acts of rebellion, and a means of asserting collective identity and humanity in the face of oppressive systems. This theme is further explored in the works of Latin American poets such as Pablo Neruda and Cesar Vallejo, who wrote of their desire for freedom and autonomy in their passionate love.
Love as Transgression
Other poets have depicted eros as a form of transgression or forbidden desire. Commonly found in Brecht, Yeats and other modernist poets, this theme was often used to explore issues of morality and guilt. In T.S. Eliot’s ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’, the poem’s protagonist speaks of a desperate longing for love, but also of a fear of judgement and damnation:
“Let us go then, you and I, when the evening is spread out against the sky, like a patient etherised upon a table. Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets, the muttering retreats, of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels.”
The poem suggests that the character is seeking love in a way that he believes to be socially unacceptable and that he will be punished for, and can never be redeemed from. Here, eros is depicted as a force of transgression and forbidden temptation. This theme is also explored in the work of Mahmoud Darwish, who spoke of a love that could never be expressed, and of a passion which existed beyond the bounds of morality:
“Slaves of unconsciousness, we drink the undrinkable potion. We raise to our lips which have never tasted of love, cups that never rimmed.”
Love as Catharsis
Some poets have sought to portray eros as a form of healing and release. This often overlaps with the theme of rebellion; to attain catharsis, one must first break free from the conventions of society and its moral codes. In the works of Pablo Neruda and other poets of the twentieth century, we find an embrace of love as a creative and liberating force. Neruda, for example, describes love as a form of shelter and renewal:
“Like when night falls, love comes and carries me away, to exchange its pace for the destroyed lyric”
Here, love is an escape from the pain and suffering of everyday life, a place of shelter and solace in a chaotic world. This theme is also explored in the works of Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral, who speaks of love as a healing force:
“The caress of your love was the only way to recover my lost memories. It was love that saved me, like a lost ship saved by a lighthouse.”
Love as Constraint
In some poems, eros is portrayed as a form of control or repression. This theme is often employed to explore the loss of autonomy that comes with love, or to discuss the power imbalances between lovers. For example, in the works of Walt Whitman and Charles Baudelaire, eros is depicted as a force of control and subjugation:
“I see enslaved in all the forms of love I know; And they draw me with the force of a falling star”
In this poem, Baudelaire speaks of his enslavement to eros. The poem conveys a sense of powerlessness, and suggests that love can be oppressive and controlling. This theme is further explored in the works of modern poets such as Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton, who often wrote about the restrictive and oppressive aspects of love and relationships.
Love as Experimentation
Finally, some poets have used eros as a means of experimentation. In these works, eros is not necessarily seen as an emotion, but rather as an opportunity for exploration. In the works of contemporary writer Adrienne Rich, for example, love is depicted as an act of experimentation and play:
“My heart opens, like the sea of little licked tongues. A game which I will play: sensuous, curious, becoming”
By blurring the lines between what is considered ‘normal’ and what is not, Rich challenges traditional conceptions of relationships and sexuality. This theme is further discussed in the works of twentieth century poet W.H. Auden, who wrote of the importance of experimentation and exploration in eros:
“Only the true risk of love can help us ever find it, but only the love of risk can make us ever keep it.”
Love as Transformation
Generally speaking, poets have sought to capture the transformative power of eros in their work. This transformation occurs on a variety of levels: it can be a physical and emotional transformation, a spiritual transformation, or a profound change in one’s sense of identity and purpose. For example, in the works of poet D.H. Lawrence, we find vivid descriptions of this transformative power of love:
“Love is the strongest force the world possesses, and yet it is the humblest imaginable”
This transformation is further explored in the works of contemporary poets such as Maya Angelou, who speaks of the profound change that comes with love:
“Love is a burning desire that makes your heart light on fire. Love is being with you, somebody saying I love you too.”
For many poets, eros is not simply a force of passion and longing, but is also a transformative experience. It is an emotion which can profoundly alter our lives and our sense of self, and one which must be experienced in order to be fully understood.
Love as Redemption
Lastly, some poets have used eros as a form of redemption and healing. This is often portrayed as a way to cope with or overcome adversity, or to bring a sense of peace and understanding in difficult times. In the works of contemporary poet Billy Collins, we find eros depicted as a redemptive force:
“Your love has held me up like the branch of a tree in the midst of a storm, Against the wind, against the night, it has offered nothing less than shelter to my soul.”
The idea of love as a force of redemption has been explored by many poets throughout history. In the works of Emily Dickinson, for example, we find vivid descriptions of love as an agent of healing and hope:
“Love is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all.”
Love as Sublimation
Lastly, some poets have used eros as a form of sublimation, or the transformation of energy from one form to another. This often overlaps with the theme of redemption; love is seen as a means of channeling negative energy into positive forces, such as healing and growth. In the works of Argentinian poet Alfonsina Storni, we find eros depicted in this way:
“Love is a fever that consumes both the beloved and the lover; it seizes my being and unease and dusts away the dust of desire.”
Through this poem, Storni speaks of love as an avenue for renewal and growth. She suggests that our passionate desires can be channeled into a higher purpose, and used to create something beautiful and meaningful. This theme is further explored in the works of twentieth century poet Federico García Lorca, who speaks of love as a force which brings clarity and understanding:
“Only in love
