Question

as you read, identify examples of juxtaposition in the poem.
i do not love you as if you were salt - rose, or topaz, or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off. i love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul.
i love you as the plant that never blooms but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers; thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance, risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.
i love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
i love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride; so i love you because i know no other way than this: where i does not exist, nor you, so close that your hand on my chest is my hand, so close that your eyes close as i fall asleep.
from 100 love sonnets: cien sonetos de amor by pablo neruda, translated by stephen tapscott. copyright © pablo neruda 1959 and fundación pablo neruda, copyright © 1986 by the university of texas press. by permission of the publisher.

1. the speaker juxtaposes the ways they do and do not love their subject in this poem. how does this emphasize the theme of sonnet xvii?

Explanation:

Juxtaposition of "not loving as if the subject were a salt - rose, topaz" with "loving as certain dark things are to be loved" creates a contrast. It emphasizes that the speaker's love is not a superficial, showy love like that for precious objects. Instead, it's a deep, secretive love. By contrasting the ways of not - loving and loving, the speaker highlights the uniqueness and depth of their love, which is a central theme of the sonnet. The love is straightforward and without complexities, and the juxtaposition emphasizes this pure and intense nature of the love.

Answer:

The juxtaposition emphasizes the uniqueness, depth, and purity of the speaker's love for the subject. It shows that the love is not a surface - level, materialistic love but a deep, secretive, and straightforward one, which is the central theme of Sonnet XVII.