Structurally
Before the Mirror is broken up into 3 major parts, while Greater Love does not have huge separation between lines. Greater love is broken into four parts how ever they flow more consistently than in Before the Mirror. Before the Mirror reflects the three paintings on exhibit while Greater Love is straight from his war experiences. Before the Mirror also has some other changes such as the beginning and the last sections beings narration almost while the center portion is being spoken. This suggests that the painting that the poem is being displayed with is the wife because the wife is the second and middle portion and refers to the woman in the mirror, namely herself.
Rhyme
While both use rhyme they are not the same. Before the mirror uses ababcccd pattern relatively consistently. Greater Love uses a aabbba pattern, which is interesting because this is a pattern developed by Swinburne.
Focus
Both focus on the differences between different types of love, while using different methods and discussing different types of love. Before the Mirror talks about the relationship with love of a mistress, wife, and prostitute. Greater Love talks about the difference between love that is required or part of an institution and love between brothers at war. Both display the differences between the different loves while both commenting that required or institutional love is not happy while other love is better.
I understand that the structure of Before the mirror is important to understanding its meaning. Does the 3 part structure of Greater love also have a large impact on its meaning?
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