Shelley uses natural imagery to create an idyllic and idealised natural landscape.
Shelley uses religious imagery to suggest that natural symmetry is divine.
Shelley uses sensual verbs to convey his desire for physical intimacy with his partner.
Shelley uses rhetorical questions to suggest his frustration in his failure to woo his lover.
Shelley uses form and structure to subtly reinforce the importance of coupling.

Common misconception

This poem is only about a Romantic view of love (from an abstract, philosophical perspective).

This poem appears to have an ulterior motive. Shelley uses language, form and structure to subtly persuade the listener to enter into a romantic relationship with him.

Keywords

Divine - supremely excellent, like God (or the work of God)
Rhetorical questions - asked for effect or to provoke thought, not requiring an answer
Sensual - relating to the senses, especially pleasure derived from physical gratification or aesthetic experiences
Religious imagery - symbols or representations evoking spiritual themes
Trochaic meter - poetic rhythm with stressed syllables followed by unstressed syllables, like ‘footsteps’ or ‘poetry'

As you're annotating the poem, use two different colours to annotate the speaker's two alternate 'motives' (to describe love as an abstract concept vs persuading the listener to return his feelings).

Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to the poem 'Love's Philosophy' by Percy Bysshe Shelley. This can be found in the AQA Love and Relationships Poetry Anthology.

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of sexual content

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

What is religious imagery?

when a story or poem is a reworking of a story from the Bible

Correct answer: symbols or representations evoking spiritual themes

when a poem has the same rhyming structure as a prayer

when the speaker in a text speaks directly to God

Q2.

Which of the words below is a 'verb'?

songs

silently

Correct answer: clasp

golden

under

Q3.

Which of the following do we not associate with Romantic poetry?

subtle commentary or criticisms of societal beliefs

Correct answer: objective and detached description devoid of emotional expression

focus on abstract concepts and emotional experiences

dramatic language

common themes include love, nature and the supernatural

Q4.

Which of these sentences best sums up the key message of 'Love's Philosophy' by Percy Shelley?

Correct answer: Nature's elements unite in love, as should souls.

Fantasies of absent lovers often obscure reality.

Heartbreak is like grieving after the death of a loved one.

It is your fault if love is unrequited.

An illicit affair must also be mourned in secret.

Q5.

What does the word 'disdain' mean?

related to or proceeding directly from God

a strong feeling of wanting to have or do something

Correct answer: a feeling of contempt or scorn for someone or something regarded as unworthy

to put off or delay an action to a later time

to diminish the worth or value of something; reduce or take away from

Q6.

Which of these words means 'an idea or notion that is conceptual or theoretical rather than concrete or tangible'?

apathetic

ambiguous

Correct answer: abstract

abnormal

antithesis

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

What does the word 'divine' mean?

an intense longing or yearning for someone or something

something that attracts your attention away from something important

someone who is love deeply by another

kind, generous and morally good

Correct answer: supremely excellent, like God (or the work of God)

Q2.

It has been said that ‘Love’s Philosophy’ is not simply a love poem, or a poem about love, but rather it is also a text.

Correct Answer: persuasive, persuasive.

Q3.

In ‘Love’s Philosophy’, Shelley uses persuasive language in three important ways: semantic field of pairs/couples, religious and natural imagery, and...

dynamic verbs

expanded noun phrases

Correct answer: sensual verbs

staccato sounds

alliterative phrases

Q4.

In ‘Love’s Philosophy’ the speaker has two emotional reactions to the listener: passionate desire and...

jealousy that the listener has another lover.

Correct answer: frustration that their feelings are not returned.

sadness that they will never see their lover again.

longing for their absent lover to return to them.

shame because they know they shouldn't be pursuing this particular person.

Q5.

In ‘Love’s Philosophy’, Shelley uses form and structure in three important ways: organisation of stanzas, an ABABCDCD rhyme scheme, and...

alliteration, accompanied by anaphora in the last stanza

an extended metaphor, contrasted with the upbeat rhythm

Correct answer: rhetorical questions, emphasised by the trochaic meter

symbolism, accompanied by sibilant sounds

exclaatory sentences, contrasted with subtle references to timidity

Q6.

Effective supporting detail should be accurate, precise and...

lengthy

Correct answer: judiciously chosen

ambiguous

led by identification of writer's methods