The Antagonist Versus the Protagonist in Contemporary Love Poetry

Profound contemporary love poetry in every era, demonstrates some degree of interaction between the antagonist who continually attempts to thwart the cause of a protagonist. This unique phenomenon reveals an ongoing struggle between the forces of good and evil and is often revealed in contemporary love poetry. The protagonist stands on the side of good, while the antagonist is on the side of evil.

Even in the 'voice' of the contemporary love poet, there may be an ongoing, internal struggle that may be interpreted or comprehended as being that of the protagonist versus the antagonist. In other words, he or she may have, or demonstrate two distinct 'voices' in his or her contemporary love poetry.

The nature of mankind is such that the light of the protagonist is in conflict with, and thus, causes struggles or  battles against the darkness of the antagonist in every human being, throughout the course of history. This continues to be true at the present time, as contemporary love poets around the globe continue to struggle for good, as opposed to evil, with that reality evident in their poetic works.

Each contemporary love poet has his or own unique battle of the protagonist versus the antagonist, regardless of his or her era. At the same time, no two contemporary love poets ever write identically, or state the same thing in their contemporary love poetry. The fact that there are two distinct 'voices' evident in contemporary love poetry suggests that one is rooted and grounded in love, while the other is not.

It is as if there is a constant divine-human conflict, and its struggle revealed in contemporary love poetry. It is more evident in one contemporary love poet's writings than in those of another, at times. It may also reveal man struggling internally with his or her own conscience.

This battle can reveal the contemporary love poet's own personal conflict, as he or she struggles with the realities of his or her external world. Each contemporary love poet has some degree of  internal conflict, as well as external conflict with others. The contemporary love poet of every era, including the present, tries to fathom, comprehend and write poetically about the ongoing struggle, at times wondering if those of the future learn from those of the past.

His or her poetic writings often reveal the quest to introduce a higher ideal, a better set of values, establish new mores or guidelines for mankind and stronger, more positive principles for future generations, in spite of the persistent opposition from the antagonist who continually attempts to refute, mock, or ridicule the best efforts of the protagonist.

In many ways, the constant interplay between the protagonist and his or her antagonist in contemporary love poetry, whether the battle is internal or external, and evidenced as such in his or her writings, is indicative of an eternal spark of life triggering fires of fury and passion throughout the eras. The critics and other readers of their eras, or different eras, merely serve to add more fuel to the existing fires of contemporary love poets and their contemporary love poetry.

Old age questions continue to resurface with different poetic 'voices' and new faces of poets appearing throughout the course of history, and will likely continue to do so in the future. There is no doubt that the bones of contention,  controversy and conflict between love and non-love will persist in future writings by new contemporary love poets. So will this phenomenon of antagonist versus protagonist in relation to the light and dark aspects of humankind and the world.