Eros

Denisse Galindo

Eros

Throughout the two poems, Eros the god of love of Greek mythology, is presented in different perspectives. Robert Bridges’ “EPÙÓ” and Anne Stevenson’s “Eros” portrayed the idea in two separate ways using diction and imagery. Bridges describes Eros as beautiful while Ann describes Eros as a victim from how lust destroyed love; both poems show Eros suffering from what humankind have done to the idea of love.

“Idol of the human race”, “ Image of eternal truth” those are the images that Bridges uses to describe the Godly beauty of Eros. He compares is to the beauty of a Greek sculpture. However he has no expression in his face, no smile, no joy. In the last stanza, even though he has the gift of bringing people together, none of his victims actually care for him, humans are portrayed as selfish focused on themselves witch leaves Eros in solitude.

Ann Stevenson portrays the wrongs of Eros; She describes him as a thug with boxer lips and squinty eyes. There is a dialogue where Eros talks with a woman who cries for love, Eros tells her that the evil she sees is the result of how lust has destroyed love. “ We slaves who are immortal, Gloss your fate” means that humans have a vision for love that is beautiful and warm while the truth is that lust has destroyed love and Eros is a victim of humankind.

The diction in both poems is very contrasting. Bridges uses words like “soft”, “smile”, “joy”, and “warm”, words that convey a warm feeling of love, like the one that every human desires. While Anne chooses to use words more like “broken”,”patchy”,”brute”, and “bruised” to show the dark side of love. Trough diction both poets expressed their different perspectives.

It is trough imagery and diction that Bridges and Anne manage to express their different views of Eros. Bridges describes the godly looks of Eros while Anne describes his imperfect and brute. However both poets do show that Eros suffers from what humankind has done