Kaden Kinney’s Reviews > The Four Loves > Status Update

Eros cannot become the god of our lives, love makes promises unfulfillable. If we choose to live under the Laws of Love rather than the Laws of God we promise perfection to the beloved that is not achievable. Marriages that last are a knot of affection, friendship, and Eros, the ones that failed have idolized and lied themselves down on the alters of Eros and Venus.

Lewis warns against allowing the secular,Pagan ritual of sex to become too important. In saying the Pagan ritual,Lewis is referring to the dominating part of sexual love where a man in a moment becomes a conqueror,fulfilling carnal desires by playing a “part”.Lewis claims that he finds this completely harmless so long as the pagan crown of paper for man doesn’t replace his divine crown of thorns,responsibility.

Something else I found beautiful was the portrayal of Eros as a love that doesn’t require a promise of love and happiness and instead refutes it, saying: “better to be miserable with her than happy without.”

The Eros chapter has been incredible so far. Lewis separated Venus-the carnal attraction of Sex- and Eros - the deep desire of sexual love. Lewis highlights the distinction between loving the action and loving the beloved.

Lewis wonderfully uses this chapter to disect the wonderful nature of true friendship, primarily doing so through exploring the negative implications of tight knit circles. I don’t I have fully grasped what his full view of friendship is, but what I did get was gorgeous. Friendship is beautifully unnecessary,friends belong side by side pursuing a certain goal, and common interest keeps friends more than companions.

This books was the absolute best thing to start the year off with, discovering and dissecting love in this way has been amazing. I specifically love Lewis’ thoughts on the positive and negative impacts of Affection, and the beautiful unnecessariness of friendship. Overall it isn’t one of Lewis’ best by any means, but it is nonetheless very interesting and always a gift to climb inside this man’s brain!