Sonnets are a popular form of poetry that have been explored by various poets throughout history. Sir Thomas Wyatt and Edmund Spenser are two prominent English poets from the 16th century who contributed to the development of the sonnet form. Let's critique two sonnets, one by each poet, and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.
1. Sonnet by Sir Thomas Wyatt - "Whoso List to Hunt"
Whoso List to Hunt, I know where is an hind,
But as for me, hélas, I may no more.
The vain travail hath wearied me so sore,
I am of them that farthest cometh behind.
Yet may I by no means my wearied mind
Draw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore
Fainting I follow. I leave off therefore,
Since in a net I seek to hold the wind.
Who list her hunt, I put him out of doubt,
As well as I, may spend his time in vain;
And graven in diamonds in letters plain
There is written her fair neck round about,
"Noli me tangere, for Caesar's I am,
And wild for to hold, though I seem tame."
Strengths:
- Wyatt effectively uses the metaphor of hunting to convey a sense of unrequited love. The poem showcases the speaker's relentless pursuit of a woman who is unattainable.
- The use of archaic language, such as "hélas" and "Noli me tangere," adds a certain authenticity to the poem and provides a glimpse into the poet's time period.
- The closing lines, with the inclusion of the inscription on the woman's neck, add a mysterious and powerful ending, leaving the reader with a sense of longing and unattainability.
Weaknesses:
- The poem can be somewhat difficult to understand due to its archaic language and syntax. This might alienate some readers who are not accustomed to reading older forms of English poetry.
- The poem lacks a clear structure and adherence to traditional sonnet forms. This may be seen as a weakness for those who value the specific structure of the sonnet.
2. Sonnet by Edmund Spenser - "One day I wrote her name upon the strand"
One day I wrote her name upon the strand,
But came the waves and washed it away:
Again I wrote it with a second hand,
But came the tide, and made my pains his prey.
"Vain man," said she, "that dost in vain assay
A mortal thing so to immortalise;
For I myself shall like to this decay,
And eke my name be wiped out likewise."
"Not so," (quoth I); "let baser things devise
To die in dust, but you shall live by fame:
My verse your virtues rare shall eternize,
And in the heavens write your glorious name:
Where, whenas death shall all the world subdue,
Our love shall live, and later life renew."
Strengths:
- Spenser's sonnet embraces a more structured form, utilizing the Petrarchan rhyme scheme (ABBA ABBA CDE CDE) and the traditional volta, or turn, at the start of the sestet.
- The theme of the transient nature of life and love is beautifully conveyed. The speaker expresses the impermanence of earthly existence while also asserting the immortality of their love through poetry.
- The concept of eternalizing the loved one's name through verse is likely to resonate with readers, as it reflects the power of poetry to preserve and capture emotions.
Weaknesses:
- The language and syntax used in the poem may prove challenging for some readers, as it adheres to older English forms of speech.
- While the concept and theme of the poem are strong, the language employed may feel overly poetic and flowery to some, potentially distancing the reader from the emotional core of the sonnet.
Overall, both sonnets by Sir Thomas Wyatt and Edmund Spenser offer intriguing explorations of love and the transitory nature of existence. While Wyatt's sonnet "Whoso List to Hunt" may be difficult to grasp due to its.
critique two of sonnets by sir thomas wyatt and edmund spenser
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