Narrator, “Pamphilia To Amphilanthus: Sonnet-1”
The narrator of this brief poem shares with her readers her belief that, during sleep, her consciousness transcends reality and travels to other realms, where mythical deities reside. The narrator welcomes these travels into her subconscious and views them as an opportunity to contact mythical beings with more power and influence than her.
Venus, “Pamphilia To Amphilanthus: Sonnet-1”
In this poem, Venus is the embodiment of desire, as the narrator perceives it. Venus is portrayed as a lustful and powerful deity, who visits the narrator in her sleep and attempts to influence her romantic desires. Venus represents the desires of the heart and, as the heart is most vulnerable during sleep, it is during the night that Venus visits the narrator and toys with her emotions.
Cupid, “Pamphilia To Amphilanthus: Sonnet-1”
Cupid is the son of Venus. In the narrator’s imaginings, Cupid aids his mother, Venus, in her endeavors to toy with the narrator’s heart and emotions. Cupid is depicted as being the messenger of his mother’s efforts. He does not appear to have much agency and, instead, simply follows his mother’s orders and directions.
Narrator, “Song: Love, a child, is ever crying”
The narrator of this poem has clearly experienced a very traumatic and serious betrayal at the hands of a lover. She views this betrayal as an act portrayed by Love and, therefore, blames Love for her sorrows and heartache. She feels that Love has purposefully toyed with her heart and mind and, as such, she has been turned against the entire institution.
Love, “Song: Love, a child, is ever crying”
Love is depicted as its own character in this poem, because the narrator views Love as a living and intentional being. Per the narrator’s descriptions, Love is depicted as an intentionally cruel being, one whose entire purpose is to meddle in the affairs of innocent and naïve women. Love is likely representative of a man or a string of men who have slighted the narrator and subsequently broken her heart.
