In literature, love has always been a concept of great debate, although, what exactly is love? Pamela C. Regan, from Los Angeles University, explains that “…A person who experiences sexual desire for another individual, along with other emotional or psychological events, may characterize his or her state as one of ‘being in love…’” (Regan 139). However, does this sexual desire always breed emotion? When one thinks of love, thoughts of tenderness, kindness, and romance often arise with it. Nevertheless, these feelings can be confused with worship and passion, which creates an absence of love and the birth of lust. In fact, hundreds of authors have been known to play with the idea of love versus lust. Whether through poems, plays, or prose, the
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Leander aims to make Hero love him in any way possible, however, the central conflict of the story is Hero 's resistance. While even though Leander believes himself to love Hero, his ideas of love are incredibly skewed and more adequately represent lust. He did not want to romance Hero; he did not want to value her as a person, instead, "…in plain terms, yet cunningly, he craved [her]” (Marlowe 1120). Leander does not even give Hero a chance to speak in most cases. Rather, he spends most of the poem convinces her of his desires. These desires frighten and excite Hero, as "…Leander is taking sexual possession of her, and that she feels, as she seemingly has not until now, like a trapped victim” (Braden 217). However, Leander himself does not understand the difference between love and lust. All he knows his that he wants Hero and she deserves to be his. The entirety “Hero and Leander” is Leander’s attempt to conquer Hero, a great conquest to show her what lust is and what love is not. Time and time again, he forces his hand on a naïve and excitable Hero, who knew not the consequences of her actions. Even when the "lovers" complete the deed, Leander feels no closeness to Hero, only pride in himself and his domination of …show more content…
In Chaucer 's "Miller 's Prologue and Tale" and Marlowe 's "Hero and Leander," both authors build their stories around the misrepresentation of love. Nicholas and Alisoun use each other for sex and other favors, pretending it is love for their benefit. Furthermore, Leander’s love for Hero comes from conquering her, which Hero comes to deeply resents. Neither couple represents the standard idea of romance, as they all lack affection, spiritual fulfillment, and mutual respect. Without all three of these things, love will never grow, with relationships breeding lust instead. Love with never a part of these characters lives, and it will always fail to
Leander aims to make Hero love him in any way possible, however, the central conflict of the story is Hero 's resistance. While even though Leander believes himself to love Hero, his ideas of love are incredibly skewed and more adequately represent lust. He did not want to romance Hero; he did not want to value her as a person, instead, "…in plain terms, yet cunningly, he craved [her]” (Marlowe 1120). Leander does not even give Hero a chance to speak in most cases. Rather, he spends most of the poem convinces her of his desires. These desires frighten and excite Hero, as "…Leander is taking sexual possession of her, and that she feels, as she seemingly has not until now, like a trapped victim” (Braden 217). However, Leander himself does not understand the difference between love and lust. All he knows his that he wants Hero and she deserves to be his. The entirety “Hero and Leander” is Leander’s attempt to conquer Hero, a great conquest to show her what lust is and what love is not. Time and time again, he forces his hand on a naïve and excitable Hero, who knew not the consequences of her actions. Even when the "lovers" complete the deed, Leander feels no closeness to Hero, only pride in himself and his domination of …show more content…
In Chaucer 's "Miller 's Prologue and Tale" and Marlowe 's "Hero and Leander," both authors build their stories around the misrepresentation of love. Nicholas and Alisoun use each other for sex and other favors, pretending it is love for their benefit. Furthermore, Leander’s love for Hero comes from conquering her, which Hero comes to deeply resents. Neither couple represents the standard idea of romance, as they all lack affection, spiritual fulfillment, and mutual respect. Without all three of these things, love will never grow, with relationships breeding lust instead. Love with never a part of these characters lives, and it will always fail to