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Garden of Love
- This poem starts off with innocence playing a major role with the idealistic view of the garden, which is also reminiscent of 'The Echoing Green' ("where i used to play on the green.")
- The fact that the gates of the church were shut indicates the inadequate approach on society by the church. Also "thou shalt not" indicates restrictions, once again in society by the church members.
- When the narrator turns back to the garden he is expecting to find an innocent pastoral view ("so many sweet flowers bore"), but instead he is presented with the progression into experience ("filled with graces/and tombstones where flowers should be"). Experience has caused the narrator to learn of death and other life struggles that are held within the future.
- "priests in black gowns were walking their rounds/and binding with briars my joys and desires" - shows the restrictions on society once more. The briars are used as a way to bind the happiness and freedom of people, but also indicate towards Jesus being crucified (briars can be the crown of thorns).
Comments
These notes are aimed at A Level English Literature students at A2 level.
Originally written by Bennyboy65 on TSR Forums.
