The poem that I admired the most was “Song” by Edmund Waller. The poem’s main concern is the subject of love and beauty, and this, I suppose, is exactly what poems should be devoted to. “The Rose” is thought to be one a classic example of comparing flowers to women’s beauty. The language used is perfectly suiting the romantic atmosphere of the piece and actually helps the reader to penetrate the feelings and intensity of the man’s desire.

• The Historical approach helps us to see into the common traditions and customs at the time when the author was writing the poem. Waller lived in England in the 17^th century, which, consequently effects the interactions between men and women in the poem. We are able to realize that there were strict laws and rules, which did not allow to people of certain class to act openly in their feelings.
• From the Moral point of view, one may criticize the man who is sending the rose to a woman, to be focused on the physical desire only, asking the woman to be desired and stop hiding herself from everyone’s eyes. One may doubt the man to be truly in love with the woman, but emphasize his physical passion for the woman.
• Mimetic approach proves the situation illustrated in the poem to be true, as far as this is probably how the people acted those days. The question of morality is dubious, due to the uncertainty of the man’s feelings towards to the woman.
• The Formalism approach can be rather effective, because even if the time period when the poem was written was not determined, we would still be able to penetrate its meaning through a close reading and studying of the literature piece. Moreover, the poem is filled with comparisons and symbols, e.g. the man compares the woman to a rose that is extremely beautiful, but its beauty will only exist for a small period of time.
• Applying Psychological criticism to this poem is not necessary as far as it is based mainly on human’s feelings and affections, rather than pure psychology. The same can be said about Freudian, Jungian, and Mythological approaches, labeled as ineffective. The Feminist approach is also ineffective, as far the poem’s main objective is showing a woman’s beauty.
• Reader response criticism is the last approach that can be beneficial for readers. One may analyze the poem from different perspectives, admiring a man who is sending flowers and trying to win the woman’s heart, giving credit to a woman who is not extravagant, but rather remains shy and disguised from the desiring looks, or may find something unique in the way the author compares and describes.