"Strange fits of passion" is a love poem. It's a strange love poem that ends with a hysterical fear of death, but it's a love poem nonetheless. It's an undeniable fact that experiencing feelings of love also means that you will suffer feelings of anxiety over losing that same love. Our poor speaker is a prime example of this paradox. He's really into Lucy and seems super-excited to be headed over to pay her a visit. But when he's struck at the poem's end by a fear of her death, we don't see that as paranoia. It's more a reflection of his concern for the girl who has captured his heart. All together now: aww.
Questions About Love
- What elements of the poem reflect the speaker's love for Lucy?
- Why don't we get to see or hear from Lucy in this poem?
- Does anxiety over a loved one outweigh the benefits of loving them? How might the speaker answer this question?
Chew on This
The speaker seems totally willing to pay the price of loving Lucy: fear, and plenty of it.
The poem shows us that everything comes at a price, even love.