Love is Not All Sonnet XXX
By Edna St. Vincent Millay
Love is not all; it is not meat nor drink
Nor slumber nor a roof against the rain;
Nor yet a floating spar to men that sink
And rise and sink and rise and sink again;
Love cannot fill the thickened lung with breath,
Nor clean the blood, nor set the fractured bone;
Yet many a man is making friends with death
Even as I speak, for lack of love alone.
It may well be that in a difficult hour,
Pinned down by pain and moaning for release,
Or nagged by want past resolution’s power,
I might be driven to sell your love for peace,
Or trade the memory of this night for food.
It may well be; I do not think I would.
Summary of Love is Not All Sonnet XXX
- Popularity of “Love is Not All Sonnet XXX”: Written during the Great Depression, this sonnet by Edna St. Vincent Millay gained considerable recognition, appearing in multiple collections of her work between 1931 and 1958. Its enduring appeal stems from its skillful blend of Shakespearean and Petrarchan sonnet forms, combined with a profoundly honest exploration of love’s limitations. It is considered a key piece within her “Fatal Interview” sequence.
- “Love is Not All Sonnet XXX” as a Representative of Love: The poem begins with a stark declaration: love is not essential for survival. Millay meticulously lists the basic necessities—food, shelter, even breath—things love cannot provide. She contrasts this with love’s potent, yet ultimately insufficient, power, observing that its absence can be as devastating as physical need. The speaker contemplates a scenario of extreme hardship, admitting she might sacrifice love for basic survival, yet ultimately asserting a deep resistance to doing so.
- Major Themes in Love is Not All Sonnet XXX: The central theme revolves around the limitations of love, juxtaposed against the fundamental requirements for human existence. The poem explores the tension between passionate desire and practical necessity, examining how love, while powerful, cannot sustain life on its own. It touches upon the themes of desperation, sacrifice, and the enduring strength of the human spirit, highlighting the complex relationship between love, need, and survival.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Love is Not All Sonnet XXX
Millay employs a variety of literary devices to enhance the poem’s meaning and impact. These devices add layers of complexity and emotional resonance.
- Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds within close proximity creates a musical effect and emphasizes certain words. For example, the repeated short “i” sound in “And rise and sink and rise and sink again” draws attention to the cyclical nature of struggle.
- Consonance: The recurrence of consonant sounds, like the repetition of “s” and “r” in “And rise and sink and rise and sink again,” contributes to the poem’s rhythmic quality and reinforces the imagery of waves or fluctuations.
- Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next without punctuation creates a sense of fluidity and momentum. Notice how the lines “Nor yet a floating spar to men that sink
And rise and sink and rise and sink again” flow seamlessly, mimicking the unstable movement described. - Imagery: Millay utilizes vivid imagery to appeal to the reader’s senses, creating a powerful emotional response. Phrases like “thickened lung with breath” and “fractured bone” evoke a visceral understanding of physical suffering, contrasting sharply with the abstract concept of love.
- Metaphor: The poem relies heavily on metaphor to convey complex ideas. Love is not these things: meat, drink, shelter; but the listing of these essentials defines love by what it is not, highlighting its limitations.
- Personification: By attributing human qualities to abstract concepts, Millay creates a more relatable and engaging experience. “Nagged by want” personifies the feeling of desire, presenting it as an active force.
- Symbolism: Objects and concepts within the poem carry symbolic weight. The “floating spar” represents a temporary, unreliable hope in a desperate situation, while “meat” and “drink” symbolize basic survival.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Love is Not All Sonnet XXX
Beyond general literary devices, Millay skillfully utilizes poetic techniques to craft a nuanced and evocative sonnet.
- Diction: The poem’s language is deliberately formal and refined, contributing to its overall tone of contemplation and seriousness. The choice of words like “spar” and “resolution” lends a certain gravitas to the subject matter.
- End Rhyme: The poem follows a traditional rhyme scheme, creating a sense of order and musicality. The consistent rhyme scheme helps to unify the poem and emphasize key ideas.
- Quatrain: The poem is structured in quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a concluding couplet, a common form for sonnets. This structure contributes to the poem’s rhythmic flow and logical development of thought.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem adheres to a modified Shakespearean (or English) sonnet rhyme scheme of ABABCDCD EFEF GG. This pattern, while providing structure, also allows for a degree of flexibility and variation.
- Sonnet Form: As a sonnet, the poem adheres to a strict 14-line structure and often explores a single, complex idea.
- Tone: The poem’s tone is one of thoughtful introspection and resigned acceptance. While acknowledging the power of love, the speaker maintains a pragmatic and realistic perspective.
Quotes to be Used
The following lines are particularly useful for discussing the internal conflict and the limitations of love.
It may well be that in a difficult hour,
Pinned down by pain and moaning for release,
Or nagged by want past resolution’s power,
I might be driven to sell your love for peace,
Or trade the memory of this night for food.
It may well be; I do not think I would.
These lines capture the speaker’s honest contemplation of sacrifice, while also revealing her ultimate resistance to abandoning love, even in the face of dire circumstances. It is a powerful statement about the enduring strength of human connection and the complexities of desire.