Love is a word that has numerous definitions. The dictionary version states that love is a deep and intense feeling towards someone or something or a profound sexual attachment to another person. The word has many synonyms such as fondness, intimacy or endearment among others. It is a word that various professions seek to explain in depth. Poets have written poems about love while artists have painted and created sculptures that give a visual definition. Psychologists, on the other hand, have conducted research to place a definite meaning to the word love (Bell 20). Scientist, on the contrary, explains it as a biological consequence that facilitates reproduction. Additionally, the Bible and ancient religions have different explanations. All these aspects, demonstrate love from a different point of view. This paper explains why I chose this theme for my paper. It also explores the various expressions of love the have been displayed over time.
Love is an emotion that has led people to behave in different ways. From a personal, perspective, the power love has influenced my life both internally and externally. Love has changed how I act around family and friends. Besides, being kind to a stranger such as smiling or helping without gaining is a power of love. Also, I have seen my parents go over and beyond to ensure that I have a comfortable life (Popova 82). When asked why they do all the things they do, they give a simple explanation, ‘because we love you.’ Apart from a personal perspective, history has documented what people have done in the past in the name of love. People have acted honorably due to the love of their country and loved ones. Artists have created visual images to show the form of love and its meaning to humanity. I chose to explore this theme due to its infiniteness as it cannot be contained in one spectrum.
In explaining love, people have come up with simplest definitions to put the word in a clear perspective. Other people have described it regarding actions and by imaging it. Three expressions of the word ‘love’ stand out today, poems, paintings, and the Bible’s version. Poems are a good expression of what love is. For instance, “Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, only with what you are expecting to give, which is everything,” by Katharine Hepburn, ‘Stories of My Life.’ According to this poetic description, the writer explains love as an action that constitutes the total surrender to another person and consistent attempts to please that person (Hepburn 44). She also states when in love, a person does not expect anything from the other individual yet they are willing to give everything. This definition shows that love influences people to give their all and look forward to making others happy and comfortable (Popova 80). Additionally, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ by Shakespeare states that “love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind.” He defines love as not materialistic (Halio 60).
Another expression of love is by artists. Famous sculptors and painters have expressed the meaning of love in a visual manner. A sculpture by Antonio Canova is displayed in the Louvre in France. “Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss” was first commissioned in 1789. The statue of a cupid restoring a psyche by a kiss. It is a masterpiece that displays not only love as a high and intense emotion but also one that is associated with internal awakening. In this expression, love is a secret passion that brightens even the dimmest situations. Love has the power to influence people towards what is seen as impossible. This description shows love as a romantic
attachment (Chipault 23).
A painter, Jean-Antoine Watteau in his work “the surprise” (c1718) defines love with a painting of two lovers in a passionate clinch. There is also a spectator, a musician, who the lovers barely notice. The portrait expresses love as an emotion that involves two people and that those without it are left to spectate. In this display, love is an emotion that brings a sense of belonging and that
every human seeks it (Cumming 44).
The third expression of love is given in the Bible. “In the NIV version, 1st Corinthians 13: 4-8 states that, “ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy; it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others; it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hope, always perseveres. Love never fails”. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away,” (Holy Bible NIV 1200). This is the most elaborate definition of love. It describes love as a series of actions towards others. It also shows the power that love has over those that it possesses. Love leads people towards doing the right thing to other people. It eliminates the ill feelings towards other people and motivates individuals to behave in a proper manner. Love, according to this meaning, has enabled people to coexist over the years. Progress over the years is attributed to Love.
In defining a word, a proper explanation gives the nature, scope, and boundaries. The above expressions attempt to outline the term love. The poets give the kind of love by describing the power it has to people. Katharine defines love as an emotion that consequents to total surrender to another. She also describes the scope of love as an emotion that motivates an individual towards selfless giving. The artists, on the other hand, draw the boundaries of love to a sexual attachment. The Bible, however, gives the nature, scope, and limit of love. It describes love as an emotion visible by actions of kindness and patience. It also shows love is broad and lacks boundaries. Besides, its results in good deeds. The three representations show the diversities in explaining love. It is an emotion that does not have a definite meaning, and people strive to tell it in the best way possible.
Love is a word with diverse meanings all seeking to explain it in the simplest way possible. Three representations stand out in their definitions of love. The poetic version describes love as selfless giving and total surrender. The artists describe love as a romantic attachment while the Bible defines loves as a limitless emotion. These representations are not contradicting but rather explain the different aspect of love. They give a variety of views on what love is and the power it holds. All in all, love is defined best by a personal point of view as it is more elaborate.
Reference:
Bell, Rob. Love wins. Books on Tape, 2011.
Chipault, Raphaël. “Psyche Revived By Cupid’S Kiss | Musée Du Louvre”. Musee.Louvre.Fr,
2010, https://musee.louvre.fr/oal/psyche/psyche_acc_en.html.
Cumming, Laura. “The 10 Best Love Paintings”. The Guardian, 2016,
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/feb/14/the-10-best-love-paintings-valentines-rembrandt-watteau-renoir-chagall-magritte.
Halio, Jay L. A midsummer night’s dream. Manchester University Press, 2003.
Hepburn, Katharine. Me: stories of my life. Ballantine Books, 2011.
Holy Bible, New International Version. Biblica Inc. 2011.
“Jean-Antoine Watteau (Valenciennes 1684-1721) , <I>La Surprise</I>: A Couple Embracing
While A Figure Dressed As Mezzetin Tunes A Guitar”. Christies.Com, 2017,
https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/jean-antoine-watteau-valenciennes-1684-1721-la-
surprise-5101828-details.aspx.
Popova, Maria. “What Is Love? Famous Definitions From 400 Years Of Literary History”. Brain
Pickings, 2013, https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/01/01/what-is-love/.
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