Love thinking.

Area of Science:

• Literary Criticism
• Victorian Literature
• Poetry Analysis

Background:

• Victorian era literature frequently explored themes of love, domesticity, and the inner lives of individuals.
• Coventry Patmore's "The Angel in the House" (1854-1863) is a significant work examining idealized Victorian womanhood and marital love.
• George Meredith's "Modern Love" (1862) offers a more complex and less idealized portrayal of marital relationships.

Observation:

• This essay analyzes two short "Preludes" from Patmore's "The Angel in the House": "The Kiss" and "Love Thinking."
• These preludes question the intricate connection between romantic love and the acquisition of knowledge about the beloved.
• The analysis positions "The Kiss" as a foundational text influencing Meredith's "Modern Love."

Findings:

• Patmore's "The Kiss" serves as a critical precursor to Meredith's "Modern Love," particularly in its exploration of thinking, intimacy, and physical connection.
• The essay examines "The Kiss" in relation to other literary works and Patmore's theories on poetic meter.
• "The Kiss" raises profound questions about whether contemplation of a loved one enhances or erodes intimate bonds.

Implications:

• Understanding the intertextual relationship between Patmore and Meredith deepens our comprehension of Victorian poetic explorations of love and intimacy.
• The study highlights the philosophical underpinnings of poetic representations of love, knowledge, and the nature of intimacy.
• This analysis contributes to scholarly discourse on the evolution of love poetry and the representation of complex emotional states in Victorian literature.