Always use the old sense of the word

In the poem Ghost, Huntington is portraying a shy lover who is infatuated with another. This love grows gradually, allowing readers to see the stages of her lust and how her fondness grows for him over time. This evokes a one-sided romance as Huntington describes her as a ‘shape moving rapidly, nervous’ around the lover, as she is too afraid to express her true feelings. This imagery helps readers develop an understanding of her reserved nature as she is reluctant and ‘nervous’ to confront the lover. By doing this, Huntington infers a type of unrequited love as he is not yet to acknowledge her, allowing readers to develop empathy for her lonesome position.

Likewise, in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, flattery and lust is projected as he questions ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer day?’. This flattery is extended as he compares his lover to an enlightening, natural force – the sun. This comparison magnify's the love as Shakespeare refers to ‘thee’ as the ‘summer’, informing readers he is immersed in her gleaming ‘summer’ - like nature. Also, by involving a rhetorical question that is directed straight to ‘thee’, Shakespeare is presented as courageous as he presents his unconditional charm straight to her. Although, as the display of love was a poem, it is arguable that he may have also been too afraid to tell her. This is similar to Ghost, as both lovers seem to apprehensive to verbally confront their lover, inferring love as something not to be openly forced, but for it to be something to progress naturally over time.

Furthermore, Huntington expresses how the lover grows to become more at ease as time progresses as she makes herself ‘present, though never distinct’. By doing this, Huntington is highlighting how loves forces are drawing her closer despite her shy nature. This infers how powerful love can be, as she is keen to be acknowledged by him. However, the lovers confidence is short-lived as she fails to make herself ‘distinct’ enough for him to realise. This urges readers to feel sympathetic for her, as shes shown as powerless to overcome her timid nature. This could be a reflection of the modernist era, in which women were granted the ‘worthy’ status of a housewife. The inequality of power and authority between men and women may have influenced Huntington’s presentation of the lover being captivated in a  ‘nervous’ persona.

In contrast, Shakespeare's portrayal of his admiration for his love may have been due to the 1500’s era of courtly love. The strong nature of his sonnet would have been to merely impress and allure his lover. Shakespeare communicates this through his irregular rhyme scheme, as the ‘eye of heaven shines’ when ‘every fair from fair sometime declines’. This educates readers of his lovers superiority, as he infers even though everything beautiful will ‘decline’ she will not in his ‘eyes’. By describing her in this way, Shakespeare educates readers of her superiority and how eternal his love is for her. Moreover,  the rhyme scheme throughout the sonnet forms a sense of rhythm and progression in his lust. This shows how at ease Shakespeare feels when describing her, making the sonnet appear more poetic and sincere when its received. 

Similarly, Huntington expresses a positive progression in love as it concludes with ‘of a dream where I finally tell you my name’. This makes readers feel relieved as she has reached her ‘dream’. By using the term ‘dream’, Shakespeare involves connotations of her finally reaching her fantasy. This also infers that the poem is a reflection of how she used to be, as she now she has achieved something she once only ‘dreamed’ of, informing readers she is content. This produces a more hopeful ending, as she is able to be fulfilled by love and solidify it with her ‘name’.

In addition, the use of inclusive language, as she reveals her ‘name’ in the final couplet makes the poem seem more personal and her relationship is something secretive to reveal to readers. This may be a comment on love shouldn't be something to boast about, but purely between two people. Also, by giving him her ‘name’, this implies that the lovers are possibly united and married, which makes love seem as something worth to wait for and not to be forced.Equally, Shakespeare's love seems to be something to be endured as he expresses that as ‘long as men can breathe or eyes can see, so long lives this, and this gives life to thee’. This clever connection depicts that as his ‘life’ ‘long’ love will remain, as ‘men’ are still able to ‘breathe’. This puts forth the idea that his love is boundless, as his poetry will never transpire. This is supported by the conclusion of a rhyming couplet, describing that as far as his ‘eyes can see’, they will ‘give life to thee’. The flow in the conclusion develops an endless, ever-lasting love, re-affirming his first lustful thoughts. From this, readers can feel confident that Shakespeare is revealing his true feelings as they are consistent throughout, helping end the poem with a sincere message.

Overall, both the poems evoke similar underlying messages. Huntington is keen to portray how time is a vital factor when finding genuine love. As in Ghost, the lover discovers that through time, true love will conquer all falsity and superficial love. Comparably, Shakespeare's persistent sonnet is one to not ignore. The passionate, flattering comparisons educate readers of the extent of his love. This could in fact be a contrast, as in stead of waiting or a natural progression, Shakespeare sees love as something to accomplish and strive upon.

- Alsy! :)