Hozier - Talk (audio) 〈BEST →〉

or a into the mythological roots of his more recent work?

: References to The Divine Comedy appear through the "sweat of fever on the brows of Beatrice," positioning the narrator within the circles of sin before love is lost. Hozier - Talk (Audio)

: He explicitly states, "I try to talk refined for fear that you find out / How I'm imaginin' you," suggesting the romanticism is a tactical choice to avoid scaring off the object of his affection. or a into the mythological roots of his more recent work

The narrator admits to using "lofty tales" and romantic imagery to mask his true, perhaps more primal, intentions. The narrator admits to using "lofty tales" and

: He envisions himself as various parts of this tragic myth—the voice urging Orpheus, the "dreadful need" that made him turn back, and the "immediate forgiveness" in Eurydice.

Hozier uses Greek and classical literature to build the song's "refined" exterior:

: Critics and fans often view the narrator as unreliable, using intellectual and mythological references to create a power structure that favors his pursuit. Mythological and Literary References