Enslaving Nature of Love Exposed in Lucretius Essay -- Lucretius Essay

Enslaving Nature of Love Exposed in Lucretius    In Drydens Lucretius, the verbalizer argues that (1) Love is a sickness, (2) Loves sickness enslaves, and (3) all attempts to indemnity Loves sickness are vain and will only frustrate the lover. Just as Miltons Adam and Eve become enslaved to sin by disobeying God, so human race becomes enslaved to Love when pierced with Cupids winged arrow. In Milton, there is redemption and freedom through Christ, just in Dryden, no salvation from love is possible. This poem leaves mankind in a hopeless, frustrated state, unable to break free from loves yoke.  This essay will center on the in the end heroic couplet every wayes they try, successeless all they prove,/To cure the secret sore of lingering love.             In order to prove the first premise, this essay will begin by examining the stand firm line of the couplet which argues that the lovers are trying to cure the secret sore. This line prompts the idea that love is a sore that needs a cure, but it also raises two questions (1) why does the loudspeaker system call love a secret sore? And (2) how does the speaker use this imagery in the rest of the poem? In the poems mythology, love is a sore left by Loves arrow (which probably alludes to Cupids handy-work) as described in the first line of the poem he who feels the Fiery dart/ Of strong desire transfix his amorous heart. The secret sore can also refer to the idea that Loves wound is obscure (as an internal injury), and thus cannot be helped by external/physical remedies.  The speaker argues that even sex proves unprofitable in trying to cure love Our give pull nothing from the parts they strain,/But wande... ...ess appetite.  It seems as though the speaker is trying to frustrate the lover by offering impossible remedies. The speaker amplifies frustration by using an eye rhyme to finish the poem. This doesnt show Drydens lack of skill, but rather a way to frustrate a readers rhyme.    The last heroic couplet provides no hope and leaves only frustrating thoughts for the lover All wayes they try, successeless all they prove,/To cure the secret sore of lingering love.  The speaker even argues that though Nature provides satisfaction for physical urges (e.g. hunger and thirst), Nature does not give Love the same satisfaction. The speaker describes a lover as a type of Sisyphus, enslaved in a vicious cycle of trying to accomplish the task (of fulfilling loves desires), only to have the problem roll back work through and having to start over again.