If love is the language that transcends race, geography, and ideology, then it probably is the greatest form of plot and theme to every literary tongue. Truth be told, love is the lifeblood of most classical pieces: from Romeo and Juliet's unsurpassable tale of "love begets tragedy" to Marlowe's depiction of the splendor of the shepherd's growing love for the nymph. Ironically, poems of distress and melancholy also have their own fair share of love. Amidst the painful texts of sadness and bitter undertakings, love is presented in a different angle through this type of literature. Surprisingly, the concept of such a strong emotion becomes even far greater than how it is illustrated in predominantly love-themed and triumphant happiness-centered pieces. There are comparable similarities amongst poems of distress and melancholy on their different approach on love.
[...] However, the best similarity clearly seen in both characters is their decision to isolate themselves from the world and from humans. In comparing the select classical poems to Kafka's The Metamorphosis, there are key distinctions that make them similar in their approach on love. These include hesitancy, alienation, repression, and self-inflicted pain of the main character or the persona. Moreover, it can be said that in one way or the other, gloomy love is seen to be the moving force behind these distinctions. [...]
[...] Dove Beach somehow presents the same elements and sentiments as with The Metamorphosis. This is evidently seen in the comparable concept of depression and melancholy the two characters have gone through. Nevertheless, an obvious difference can be seen on how the two characters look at love. While Arnold opines that love is enough reason for living, Gregor looks at it as his main reason for dying. That said both are seen to have gone to the extremes of viewing love. [...]
[...] To show this unique approach on love, select classical poems are examined for similarities to Franz Kafka's masterpiece: The Metamorphosis. The said poems include: Marvell's To His Coy Mistress, Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, Frost's Home Burial, Arnold's Dover Beach, Wordsworth's To a Butterfly, and Poe's Alone. However, it is not possible for one to draw the parallels of the said pieces without analyzing how Kafka intended his piece to shed light on a unique brand of problematic love. [...]
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