The Sick Rose Themes

Although the poem is called "The Sick Rose" a better title might be "the terminally ill rose" because it is really about the rose's death. But the poem isn't just about any old death; it's about a...

The poem concludes by telling us that the worm "destroys" the rose's "life." The worm's weapon of choice is his "dark secret love," a phrase that implies some kind of violent sexual act, especially...

In "The Sick Rose," love isn't what we expect it to be; it's not that timeless, cohesive force that other poets, movies, and books always talk about. It's "dark" and "secret" and doesn't really do...

While "The Sick Rose" doesn't come right out and say it, it's pretty obvious that it's a poem about sex, at least on some level. A worm penetrating a "bed of crimson joy" sure sounds a lot like sex...