We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Literature

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Are Different Metaphors for Love?

By R. Stamm
Updated: May 23, 2024
Views: 12,789
References
Share

Different metaphors for love are written with the purpose of describing love in terms which are easy to relate to or understand. Some metaphors are designed to evoke positive feelings about the emotion by comparing it to common elements in nature such as love is a gentle breeze. Metaphors using objects, as in love is a key which unlocks the heart, can further describe the circumstances surrounding these feelings. The metaphor love is a fire that burns everyone may describe feelings of resentment or despair. Whatever their purpose, metaphors for love appear in literature, poetry and music from ancient civilizations to modern times.

The most common metaphors for love compare the feeling with natural elements or phenomenons. "Love is a rose with thorns" shows that while love is beautiful to behold, it often contains some thorns or difficulty. "Love is a flower or a garden" attempts to explain the need to care for and cultivate love. Forces of nature, such as in "love is a lightening bolt," illustrate the power of the feelings a person falling in love may experience. Metaphors about flames and fire explain the sparks between lovers and show how long the love lasts.

The metaphor "love is a journey" compares love to a journey in which the person learns a profound lesson along the way. These metaphors for love attempt to describe whether or not the trip was worth the effort in obtaining love. Certain writers deem the journey as worth the effort while others see the result as futile. The journey may be longer or shorter depending on the length of the actual relationship described.

Another way to compare the feelings of love is to show the emotion as people who are familiar to the reader. Love does not adhere to any set rules or laws. For this reason, it may be compared to a criminal, thief, or an outlaw. Common metaphors for love may employ a person such as a hunter to convey the impression that love finds the unsuspecting character and brings him down.

Writers may use a variety of everyday objects to describe the magnitude of the feelings involved with the emotion of love. For instance, keys reveal the unlocking of deep feelings of uncertainty or rapture associated with love. Walls portray persons who are closed off to the idea of love, and another person must tear down the walls to gain the heart’s desire. As long as the object portrays the feelings of the person afflicted with love, almost any object will work for a metaphor.

Share
Language & Humanities is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-are-different-metaphors-for-love.htm
Copy this link
Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.