In this module, we read several poems about love by Chinese poet Du Fu (“Spring Prospect,” “Moonlight Night,” and “Qiang Village I”) and Italian poet Petrarch (poems 1, 3, 34, and 333). However, these poets treat romantic love differently in their poems. In this essay, explore the romantic relationships represented in Du Fu’s poetry and the work of Petrarch. What kind of relationship is described in the poem? What is in the way of the lovers being together? How is desire for the beloved represented in the poem? What evocative images does the poet use to represent this bond?
