Love or Friendship

Love is like the wild rose-briar,                                                                      
Friendship like the holly-tree --                                          
The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms
But which will bloom most constantly?

The wild-rose briar is sweet in the spring,
Its summer blossoms scent the air;
Yet wait till winter comes again
And who will call the wild-briar fair

Then scorn the silly rose-wreath now
And deck thee with the holly's sheen,
That when December blights thy brow
He may still leave thy garland green.



Love is like the wild rose-briar,                                                                      
Friendship like the holly-tree --                                          
The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms
But which will bloom most constantly?
The first stanza of Emily Bronte’s number 128 poem labeled “Love and Friendship” by Charlotte Bronte captures the irreconcilable differences that Emily is having between a friendship and love. The whole poem is a conceit in which the wild rose briar is “like love” and the “holly tree” resembles a “friendship.” It appears that the speaker is contemplating which is better. The speaker may be in love but the potential lover could usurp the friendship. The speaker appears to making arguments or a list of pros and cons as to what she must do and if she should proceed in developing a more personal relationship with the person she loves or keep the friendship which has a stronger bond.
A rose has thorns and if it represents love for the speaker, it means that love can cause pain. It is also “wild” which implies that “love” to the speaker is unmanageable and uncontrollable at times. In the second line, “friendship” is compared to a “holly tree.” The holly tree has a good foundation and is a slow growing tree. This is perhaps what the speaker is suggesting about friendship. Friendship has a good foundation and grows stronger over...