Robert Bridges and Ann Stevenson paint unique and contrasting pictures of Eros in their

respective poems. Bridges describes an Eros who is mysteriously powerful and yet ignored by
those who seek him while Stevenson paints Eros as a battered slave to the lustful.
Bridges and Stevenson use contrasting diction and syntax to communicate their
individual concepts of Eros. Bridges calls Eros and idol and a king as well as a tyrant
while Stevenson calls him a thug and a slave. These contrasting words highlight the two
authors contrasting ideas. Bridges uses powerful words to highlight his idea of a transcendental
Eros while Stevenson uses diction to communicate her theme that love is helpless to abuse.
Bridges chooses to write long eight syllable lines with punctuation at the end to create an even
meter and end rhymes to create a ballad verse. These traditional devices create an archaic
atmosphere to the poem that further enhance Bridges image of Eros as an ancient and pitiful god.
Stevenson writes much shorter lines that contain dialogue and punctuation to break them up as
well as inconsistence end rhymes to communicate the harsh abuse of Eros. Bridges noble word
choice and long flourished lines help to communicate his idea of the great mysterious Eros while
Stevensons simpler word choice and syntax help her communicate the concept of Eros as an ill-
treated victim. However both of the authors use their unique techniques to invoke pity for Eros.
Bridges presents Eros as pitiful because he is ignored, and Stevenson because he is abused.
Bridges and Stevenson also paint Eros uniquely using imagery. Bridges describes Eros in
line ten and eleven Time had decayed the colours warm; / Like to his gods in thy proud dress,
and his mysterious smile That shadows neither love nor guile. The image he presents paints
Eros, and consequently love, as enigmatic and lonely. Contrarily Stevenson describes him as a
thug with broken nose / and squinty eyes. She uses imagery to describe a beaten Eros who is a
slave to ones lusts. These two images communicate the authors pathetic image of Eros in
different ways. While Bridges makes Eros pitiful because he is beautiful and lonely, Stevenson
makes him pitiful because he is wounded.
These authors communicate similar ideas of a pathetic Eros using different figurative
devices. Bridges uses traditional diction and syntax to create an archaic tone and communicate
his image of an obsolete Eros. Stevenson uses choppy syntax and violent words to convey the
abuse of Eros the lustful. Bridges uses proud but lonely imagery, while Stevenson clearly
displays Eros as reviled.