First Love, by John Clare

Story
This is a first person account of falling in ‘love’ for the first time having only seen someone from afar. It is addressed to an imaginary reader, and explores the pains and turmoil, and the confusion involved in this experience. The speaker is changed forever by this.

Tone

Melancholy, questioning – particularly self-questioning. There is a feeling of dark bewilderment. Rhapsodic – the parts addressed to the woman are lyrical and admiring. By the end, there is a reluctant sense of acceptance of the situation.

Deeper Meaning

The confusing, paradoxical nature of feelings – how can you love something which causes you so much pain? The poet is hinting at how words are inadequate, yet it is a poem about trying to articulate and explain what cannot be explained or articulated. We are also being shown how this kind of love is not based on reality so much as on the speakers own thoughts and feelings.

Structure and Form

No punctuation – gives a sense of things going out of control, being hard to make sense of. Regular meter and form (length of stanzas and lines stays the same) – this is ironic given the speaker’s confusion, but perhaps reflects a longing for coherence and regularity on the part of the speaker.

Prominent Words

blood’ – this suggests both the depth of his feeling (it is inside his body) and the pain of it (blood associated with wounds) ‘stole’ – he doesn’t feel in control of what happens to him; he almost blames the woman

‘sweet’ – the word repeated three times about his love/ her. It conflicts with the pain elsewhere, but is oddly quite a mild word, almost suggesting his feelings weren’t based on much.

Imagery & Symbolism

Physical pain – deadly pale etc – suggests love affects his body, and makes him ill it is so strong. Seeing/ sight – being able to see represents being able to understand, yet love blinds him and puts him in the dark

Dwelling place – symbolising safety and calm, a home which the speaker no longer feels he has

Sound

The meter/ rhythm are very regular and establish quite a persistent atmosphere in the poem, almost mirroring the way the poet got swept along by his feelings. There is lots of sibilance, creating a rather sinister undertone. The alliteration around ‘blood burnt’ adds a harshness to their sound, underlining the pain he experiences.