Lucile

"Lucile" by Edward Robert Bulwer Lytton Lytton, written under the pen name Owen Meredith, is a story told through verse, exploring the lives of Lord Alfred Vargrave and Lucile de Nevers, who were once in love. Themes of forgotten affections, remorse, and time passing are present. The story starts with Alfred getting a letter from Lucile, which makes him think about their past. Alfred talks about his feelings for Lucile and his upcoming marriage to Miss Darcy with his cousin John. The reader sees Alfred's inner struggles as he thinks about going back to see Lucile, showing how he misses the past but also has to face difficult past emotions. The poem carefully prepares the reader for a confrontation between past love and present promises, setting up emotional drama to come.