Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Benvenuto's Valentine" by Elinor Wylie, the speaker reflects on love, devotion, and the artistic creation of beauty. Through a series of contrasts, the speaker distinguishes between various types of figures—historical, mythical, and literary—and the one person who truly captures their affection. The poem explores the nature of love, suggesting that it is not directed toward any heroic or legendary figure, but instead is reserved for the one who has inspired intricate, "crystal things" in the speaker's heart. Through Wylie’s careful construction of contrasts and the gradual revelation of the subject of affection, the poem celebrates the quiet, personal, and intimate act of love and admiration.

The opening stanza begins with the speaker explicitly stating that their love is not for "the child that wanders home," who has been "wasted by barbaric kings" or "wearied by imperial Rome." This child, worn out by the ravages of time and history, represents the figure who is affected by external, grand forces but does not evoke the speaker's love. The child’s exhaustion is a metaphor for individuals or ideals shaped by history’s overwhelming and destructive forces, and the speaker rejects this type of affection, preferring something less laden with struggle and hardship. The speaker continues to deny affection for figures weighed down by larger, impersonal forces—be they historical (like imperial Rome) or mythical (like the ghosts or legends they describe in the next stanzas).

The speaker moves on to "the ghost that never is / And never will be known by me," which represents an unattainable or unrealized ideal. The ghost stands at the precipice, but its presence is not marked in the world, as "its print has left the sea." This ghost is another way of rejecting a love based on an intangible or unattainable figure. Similarly, the speaker rejects "darling Harlequin," an ephemeral figure "spinning in stars of diamond shape," and "Hamlet, exquisite and thin / As moonbeams in an inky cape." Both Harlequin, a character from the commedia dell’arte tradition, and Hamlet, the tragic Shakespearean hero, represent idealized figures whose beauty and mystery may be appealing, but ultimately fail to earn the speaker’s affection. These characters are idealized and elusive, and their mystery, while alluring, does not inspire the speaker's love.

The poem continues with a rejection of "the legend latest-born / Of Chivalry and Virgin," figures like Roland and Richard the Lionheart, who embody traditional notions of heroism and chivalry. The speaker dismisses them as well, suggesting that these grand ideals, represented through legends, are not the focus of their affections. The use of "knighted with a horn" and "knighted with a sprig of broom" refers to symbolic rituals of honor, but again, the speaker suggests that such grand gestures are not where true love lies.

In contrast to these historical, mythical, and legendary figures, the speaker finally reveals the true recipient of their love: "But for the thought, that wrought and planned / Such intricate and crystal things." The "thought" here symbolizes the creative force that brings beauty into being, crafting "intricate and crystal things." This thought—likely representing an artist or a creator of beauty—captures the speaker’s admiration. The kiss they offer is described as "softly as a silver ring's," emphasizing the tenderness and intimacy of this affection, which is directed toward the person whose creation and intellect have moved the speaker.

In the final analysis, "Benvenuto's Valentine" is a celebration of the quieter, more personal forms of affection, as opposed to the grand gestures and idealized figures from myth, history, and legend. The speaker’s love is not reserved for warriors or kings, but for the one who has brought beauty into the world through thought and creativity. The kiss, symbolized by the silver ring, is tender, understated, and intimate—fitting for someone who has crafted something lasting, intricate, and pure. Through this contrast, Wylie elevates the quiet, intellectual, and artistic sources of inspiration, suggesting that true beauty and love are often found in the delicate, thoughtful things that one creates with care and intention.