The Horse

The horse symbolizes natural sexual desire. As it pursues the mare, men are expected to pursue women in order to procreate. This presents the argument that sexual desire is natural and normal.

Lips

In the poem, lips often symbolize sexual intimacy. A kiss can be just a kiss, but it can also be much more, as when Venus directs Adonis to the "pleasant fountains" below her lips (234). She is therefore begging Adonis for a kiss, but also for everything that can follow, throughout the poem.

Birds

Birds symbolize freedom. They often appear in the poem as symbols at moments of change. Adonis is frequently compared to a "wild bird" whom Venus is attempting to ensnare (560). At the end of the poem, when she flies away alone, she is carried on a chariot of birds.

The Boar

The boar symbolizes mortality. It leads to Adonis's death...