17 pages • 34 minutes read
Love at First Sight
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Themes
Questioning Easy Concepts
The central conceit of the poem is in its title: It zeroes in on the lovers’ belief that their romance was “Love at First Sight.” Throughout the poem, Szymborska disassembles the lovers’ notion that they connected at first glance—that is, that the first moment they were cognizant of each other kickstarted their relationship. In reality, Chance and Destiny had long before both arranged (and prevented) their coming together.
Emphasizing the power of Chance and Destiny over human life, “Love at First Sight” underlines mankind’s helplessness to assert absolute control and knowledge in the universe. It suggests that easy and popular ideas around human relationships might be misguided. Modern media often touts the concept of “love at first sight” as a beautiful way for two people to meet; many claim their own romance began this way. he speaker believes this notion to be beautiful, but unrealistic, as there were many possibilities for the lovers to meet before in “the streets, staircases, hallways” of life (Line 7). The lovers are incapable of remembering these past meetings, the speaker assumes. They would be “amazed” (Line 17) to learn that there were earlier opportunities for their love to blossom—if Chance had allowed it. Pithy phrases like “love at first sight,” therefore oversimplify the complex realities of the universe.
But while the speaker discredits the lovers’ superficial understanding, the criticism is not negative or cruel. “Uncertainty,” they encourage, “is more beautiful” than surety (Line 4). The lovers are not to blame; Chance plays a large role in love, and it “toy[ed]” (Line 18) with them, “pushed them close, drove them apart, / it barred their path” (Lines 22-23).
Even as the speaker undermines one superficial concept, they use a similar image—the book of life—to encourage the lovers going forward. “Every beginning,” the speaker says, “is only a sequel” (Lines 41-42); “the book of events / is always open halfway through” (Lines 43-44). The chaotic potential that delayed the lover’s romance also promises much to look anticipate in the future.
The Dangers of Certainty
The lovers in “Love at First Sight” are certain that they met and fell in love in an instant. The speaker deconstructs this sense of conviction throughout the poem, arguing that “such certainty is beautiful / but uncertainty is more beautiful still” (Lines 3-4).
Szymborska’s lengthy catalogue of various places the lovers could have met before emphasizes the naivety of their certainty. They could have unknowingly encountered each other in countless everyday situations; in a “revolving door” (Line 12) or “a crowd” (Line 13). The lovers’ lack of attention to the little moments in life should make them even less certain about their relationship’s origins. Because they cannot remember every little detail of their past, they cannot know for certain if they have met before. And if love at first sight were real, they would have fallen in love in the hypothetical “streets, staircases, [and] hallways” (Line 7) of their lives.
But even as Szymborska yanks the rug out from under the lovers, she urges comfort in chaos. Above all, “Love at First Sight” reveals the beauty to be found in the unknown. Paradoxically, for Szymborska, admitting uncertainty about something allows for truer clarity and understanding.
Bad Timing
Timing is an important mode for Chance in “Love at First Sight.” Even if the lovers had met before in some stairwell, foyer, or alley, the timing was never right because Chance did not permit their love to take root. The lovers always lacked the agency to jumpstart their romance on their own. They must conform to Chance’s schedule, not their own.
Poor timing is a common excuse for failed romantic relationships. “The timing wasn’t right” is a phrase as culturally ubiquitous as “love at first sight.” Here, Szymborska turns another familiar concept on its head. The timing was wrong not for the lovers, but for Chance. It refused to mature on the expected timeline, delaying its own development to toy with the lovers for years (Lines 17-19). Szymborska is being playful here. Sometimes relationships devolve because of one partner’s immaturity; in “Love at First Sight,” it is Chance itself who is not ready for a serious relationship.
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By Wisława Szymborska
