Against Love by Katherine Philips

Against Love

Hence Cupid! with your cheating toys,
Your real griefs, and painted joys,
Your pleasure which itself destroys.
Lovers like men in fevers burn and rave,
And only what will injure them do crave.
Men's weakness makes love so severe,
They give him power by their fear,
And make the shackles which they wear.
Who to another does his heart submit,
Makes his own idol, and then worships it.
Him whose heart is all his own,
Peace and liberty does crown,
He apprehends no killing frown.
He feels no raptures which are joys diseased,
And is not much transported, but still pleased.


*

Katherine Philips

Commentary:

Before  reading the poem, I looked at the title of the poem. I figured that the poem would be about someone that does not want to fall in love or is disappointed by someone. I estimated that the tone would be melancholy. 

While reading the poem, I noticed that the poem was directed to Cupid because it said "Hence Cupid!" A line that really interested me was when she said," And only what will injure them do crave." This means that people "crave" or desire love, which is the thing that destroys them or tears them apart. Some people want somebody to love, even though they know that in the past love was not by their side. So, they crave love, even though it hurts them. Some people give their life that other special person, which is expressed in lines 8-10. Lines 11-15, express that people that are single are in peace and happy with themselves. And that they are not sad. At last, she says that even that single person may be lonely, he/she is still feeling good because he/she does not have to deal with that other person.

After reading the poem, I felt that everything she expressed was true. Love can be a pain sometimes. Love may come to some people, and others may never find love. This poem expresses the negative aspects of love and Katherine Philips expresses this effectively with the use of figurative language.

Katherine Philips: Against Love - YouTube Video.





Some figurative language used were simile. Katherine says, " Lovers like men in fevers burn and rave," Here, she is simply saying that lovers are like sick people. When one is sick, you are not in your 5 senses and tend to not be yourself. And that is exactly what love does to you. For love, you do some crazy things that you normally would not do. Also, Katherine uses personification. She personifies love and gives it human qualities. She gives love the ability to be severe ( line 6 ).