Law is one of the oldest concepts in the world. Everybody seems to have an idea of what law is, but Auden ventures out to say nobody really knows what law is. In the poem "Law Like Love," Auden uses his literary techniques differently in the two sections of his poem to show the confusion people have about law. In lines 2-34 the reader sees a variety of views explaining the law, and a single voice in lines 35-60 telling what he really believes law to be. The use of syntax in the poem help show how complex the idea of law can be. Auden's rhyme scheme in this piece help set up the feeling of disarray in the poem.
The point of views in this poem play an important role in showing the reader why law is such a confusing concept. In lines 1-34 the reader sees a variety of views explaining what "Law is" to them. The first three "the gardeners" and "the impotent grandfathers" and "the priest", have a very simple ideas if what "Law is" to them. When "the judge" is explaining what "Law is," he gives a vague explanation, saying, "Law is The Law." The next three stanzas give about the same vague theories as to what "Law is ," but they never do really tell what it is. This gives the reader the impression that they really have no idea how to explain the concept of law. In the second section Auden uses one point uses one point of view to explain. He makes the reader feel included by first saying, "If we, dear" to start off his opinion of the law. He says that it is "absurd to identify Law with some other word." If no one is certain if what the law is then why do people insist on finding other words to describe it with? Law is "a timid similarity" to love. No one can really explain how or why, it is a different concept to everyone.
Audens use of syntax brought out the complexity of the conceptions of law. In the first section, most of the lines are end stopped. Closer to the end of the first section, around 24, the lines are end stopped in the middle as well as at the end.
