Point of View

The poem is written from the first-person perspective of an unnamed speaker. She argues to a specific addressee (also unnamed) that love is a fickle force that cannot be trusted, and in fact does not actually exist at all. This perspective aligns well with the Petrarchan tradition, with which the poem shares many qualities. Traditionally, first-person speakers (usually male) lament their unrequited or lost love, asserting that love is changeable and full of cruelty. The speaker of "Dead Love" makes a similar argument, but instead of simply sharing her own pain, she directs her comments toward a particular addressee, likely a daughter. In this way, the poem's perspective is both private and public, showing how the speaker hopes that her own experience with lost love will make an impression on future generations.

Language and Meaning

The language of "Dead Love" is generally accessible, spoken plainly...