Question

Instead of ‘A Lecture Upon Love’ the poet calls the poem ‘A Lecture Upon the Shadow’. What is the effect that this has on our reading of the poem?

Answer 1

In the poem, the poet highlights the concept of love which lasts an eternity for most couples. Therefore, the poet has attempted to explain the fragrance of love by defining shadows to compare the bond between two souls who are in love. When it comes to shadows, their length depends on time and the Sun's position during the day. The same philosophy applies to the relationship of love between two people, which reflects the complex factors and circumstances such as emotional outbursts, misunderstandings, etc.