The poem is about a soldier going off to war; the soldier addresses the poem to his sweetheart. In the first Stanza the author introduces a man pleading with his lover not to reprimand him for going of to war. The woman is virtuous and peaceful. In the second stanza the man admits that going off to war and that being noble is more important than their love. He assures her that his new “mistress” (war) is not just a boredom that drives him, but his call of nobility and duty.
TPC
Title:
The literal meaning of the title is addressing a woman named Lucasta. Richard Lovelace is telling her how he feels on going to war.
Paraphrase:
Do not tell me that I am mean because I am leaving you along with peace to go and fight in war. Instead of chasing you, I will be chasing the first enemy I see on the battlefield. Instead of embracing you, I will be embracing the sword and shield of the enemy. You should like this change of mind that I have made because I cannot love you as much, because I love honor more.
Connotation:
Lovelace mentions how he must leave "from the nunnery/ Of thy chaste breast and quiet mind" (Lovelace 2-3). In this line, he shows how he must leave from the peace that he felt when near her and her purity. Lovelace also says "I could not loved thee, Dear, so much,/ Loved I not honour more"(11). Here Lovelace acknowledges the fact that he would not be able to completely love her because he finds his honor much more important. He realizes that he would not be able to completely give himself to Lucasta due to his love of honor.
ASTT
A - The attitude of the poem is both regretful and proud.
S - The shift occurs between the second and third stanza. Richard Lovelace goes from talking about how he will regret leaving her and miss his love, but then says that he does love her but he loves honour more, therefore, he must go off to fight.