Poetry · Chapter
A Lover's Complaint explained
A young woman, abandoned by a charming but deceitful lover, pours out her grief to an elderly shepherd.
What happens
A young woman, abandoned by a charming but deceitful lover, pours out her grief to an elderly shepherd. She recounts how she was seduced by a beautiful and eloquent youth, despite knowing his untrustworthy nature, and how she now regrets giving in to his advances.
Themes in this chapter
Truth and Deception
The youth's false vows and the speaker's awareness of his deceit highlight the theme of deception in love.
Beauty and Transience
The speaker's fading beauty and the youth's physical perfection underscore the fleeting nature of youth and attractiveness.
Lust and Morality
The conflict between the speaker's desire and her moral judgment, as she yields to the youth despite knowing his untrustworthiness.
Characters to notice
- Youth
The beautiful and eloquent young man who seduced the speaker, described as having 'browny locks' and a 'maiden-tongued' manner.
- Love
Personified as a powerful force that overcomes vows, reason, and shame, making the youth irresistible.
- Time
Referenced as having 'not scythed all that youth begun,' indicating the passage of time and its effect on beauty.
- Death
Implied through the imagery of 'sepulchres in mud' and the destruction of tokens of love.
Key passages
“Time had not scythed all that youth begun, Nor youth all quit; but, spite of heaven's fell rage, Some beauty peep'd through lattice of sear'd age.”
Time had not completely destroyed her youthful beauty, and some remnants of it still showed through her aged appearance.
Describes the speaker's lingering beauty despite her sorrow and age.
“O false blood, thou register of lies, What unapproved witness dost thou bear! Ink would have seem'd more black and damned here!”
She curses the blood used to write love letters, calling it a liar, and says ink would have been more honest and damning.
The speaker's anger at the deceitful tokens of love she is destroying.
“Love lack'd a dwelling, and made him her place; And when in his fair parts she did abide, She was new lodged and newly deified.”
Love itself found a home in the youth's beautiful body, and when it resided there, it was elevated and worshipped.
Describes the youth as the embodiment of love, making him almost divine.