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Sonnet 138/ William Shakespeare

#Shakespeare #sonnet 138

Tumblr Post #4

Melissa Vicente

Eng 23700

Professor Philippian

05, November 2020

Tumblr Post #4/Close Reading of a Renascence Poem

A poem must meet certain requirements in order to be considered a sonnet. Sonnets typically have structural elements that fit them into this category, for instance, they must have 14 lines, they must be divided into three quatrains with four lines in each, they must have a similar rhyme scheme, and they must have ten syllables per line. Most sonnets are typically about romance, or a romantic interest of the speaker. William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 138, “When my love swears that she is made of truth”, falls perfectly into the sonnet elements, however the topic of this sonnet is not typically what we see in a romantic story. This sonnet was written from the perspective of a man that fears his lover is being dishonest with him, and it causes the reader to become invested in this toxic relationship that has been described by the speaker. Through the use of paradoxes, imagery and irony, this sonnet discusses the reality of true love and lies in a relationship.

In order to properly analyze this sonnet, one must properly dissect the rhythm, rhyme and meter. Sonnet 138 is written in the traditional English sonnet form, being made up of three quatrains and rhyming couplet, and the meter of the sonnet is iambic pentameter. This sonnet displays the relationship between two lovers that are untruthful to each other, causing them both to lose faith in their relationship. The speaker is aware that his partner is lying to him about her infidelities. He says in the first line of the sonnet, “When my love swears that she is made of truth,/ I do believe her, though I know she lies, / That she might think me some untutored youth,/Unlearned in the world’s false subtleties” (L.1-4). This second line of the poem, “I do believe her, though I know she lies” is a paradox because the speaker is implying that he knows she is lying to him, but he chooses to still believe her. He does this in the name of love, he does not want to give up his lover and that is why he pretends to believe her lies. The caesura that is shown here with the line “though I know she lies” displays to the reader the man’s true feelings on how he is terrified of losing his lover. However, the man’s partner is also aware of the lies that are being told to her, where the man is lying about his age to her. He states “Although she knows my days past the best, / Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue” (L5-6). The man knows that she is aware that he is lying about his age, but he still appreciates her pretending not to notice his old age. Both people in this relationship are aware of the flaws that their lover has, however due to fear of loss of love and trust, they continue to lie to each other in order to stay together. He states in the final lines of the sonnet, “Therefore I lie with her and she with me” (L13-14), causes the reader to imagine this unhappy couple, lying in bed next to each other while also lying to each other. The irony in these final lines helps to deliver Shakespeare’s themes of love and being dishonest. Shakespeare chose to display this relationship as a way of exposing the truth about relationships, which are not always going to be perfect, and how sometimes flaws must be accepted in the name of love.

#Shakespeare #Close reading

Shakespeare Sonnets

Shakespeare Sonnet #130 and #29

Paraphrase:

My lover’s eyes are nothing like the sun;

Coral is much redder than her lips.

If snow is white, then her breasts are dull colored.

If her hair were wires, black wires would grow out of her head.

I have seen roses that are mixed with red and white,

But I do not see those colors on her cheeks.

And there are no perfumes that smell better than

My lover’s horrible breath.

I love to hear her talk, but I know

That music sounds so much better than her voice.

I admit I never saw a Goddess walk,

But if my love were a Goddess she would tread on the ground.

And yet, I think that my love is as beautiful and unique

As any woman who she might be compared to.

Sonnet 29: Shakespeare

William Shakespeare utilized historic literacy in his sonnet writing, particularly when writing his series of sonnets. In sonnet 29, Shakespeare was able to display poetic language, imagery, and form in order to expose the themes of isolation, hopelessness, and love. In the sonnet 29, Shakespeare writes about a man frustrated with his life, the poem begins with a description of his unfortunate state of living and the speaker’s discontent with his life. He fears that he is cursed because of all of his bad luck in his life, therefore he feels that God has abandoned him. He wishes to be rich and happy, “Look upon myself, and curse my fate, wishing me like to one rich in hope” (Lines 5-6). Throughout the sonnet, imagery is utilized in order to make the reader feel what the speaker is experiencing. He writes about a “lark”, that he uses as a symbol to describe that when he thinks of his love, he arises “like to the lark at break of day arising/From sullen earth” (Line 11). When he thinks of his love, he feels as if he can fly over the skies and away from Earth. Sonnet 29 demonstrates the Petrarchan style of sonnet writing, not only because it is written in 14 lines, but also because it is written in iambic pentameter with the simple rhyme scheme of ABBCCDDEFGFGFG, this rhyme scheme is typical of the Italian, or Petrarchan sonnet style. This sonnet demonstrates the themes of hopelessness because it expresses how optimism and love are the only ways to feel hopeful when you are lonely and depressed. This is shown in the final lines of the sonnet, where the speakers says, “For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings/ That then I scorn to change my state with kings.” (Lines 13-14). When the speaker thinks of his love, he is reminded of how much wealth love can bring, and that is the main idea demonstrated by Shakespeare in this sonnet.

#shakespeare

Marie de France, Lanval

The power a woman possesses....

#lanval #marie de france #feminism #feminist

Romantic Genre in “Lanval” by Marie de Franc e

The reason that Marie de France’s poem “Lanval” is considered a romantic genre poem is because of the feminist characteristics that it displays. Marie de France was a feminist of her time before it was even known what a feminist was. Throughout the poem, we are able to see that the roles are reversed in this story, which is very particular for the time period it is in. From the beginning of the poem, we are introduced to a very helpless, lonely knight. The knight is considered an outcast, and because of this he goes off into the unknown and this is where he comes across the mystical and beautiful woman. The unnamed woman is a mystery to him; however, he quickly learns that he will do anything for her love. She tells him that in order for them to be together, Lanval must not tell anyone about her. When he breaks this rule and tells Queen Guinevere of this woman, he is imprisoned and must rely on this beautiful woman to save him. Although this poem is different in the sense that the gender roles are reversed, it is clear that the story still fits into the romantic genre. This story gives the woman all the power, and this was not commonly shown during a time when men held all of the power. The mysterious woman demands the release of Lanval from King Arthur, and he approves her request without any question. “King Arthur granted that it must/ be as the Court found right and just;/ of all the judges, one and all/ determined to acquit Lanval.” (625-629, 184). The fact that even someone as powerful as King Arthur cannot object to this beautiful woman, shows the power that this woman had in the story. This unnamed woman holds power over all of the men in the story, specifically Lanval, who runs off into the sunset with the woman, on the back of her horse, and he is never to be seen or heard from again. “She carried off this fine young man! / More of Lanval no one was heard; / I cannot tell another word” (644-646, 185), showing how he rode on the back of HER horse, further exemplifies the early idea of gender reversal and modern feminism in the poem. By not giving a name to this unknown woman, Marie De France is making a statement that the woman represents all women during this time period, and how they all have the strength inside of them that this woman possesses. By doing this, she is further emphasizing the way Lanval was written in the romantic genre, and how the characteristics fit the genre, just in a different manner than what was common in that time period. In this method of writing, the woman is considered the knight in shining armor, and the man is the damsel-in-distress that must be saved. This still fits in with the general characteristics of the romantic genre, however it does flip it into a feminist perspective. By doing this, Marie de France is able to show her readers that women can also be powerful, even if a man is involved in the story.

#Lanval #marie de france #britlit

Saying goodbye to summer <3 This was taken pre-Covid times.

New Buffalo, Michigan.

The book was She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb.

#shescomeundone #book #beach #books #quote #summer #bye summer

I just wanted to share a happy memory for me. I got the reminder notification that this time last year, I was fortunate enough to be able to not only watch Hamilton, but I met the some of the cast and Miguel Cervantes (Hamilton) himself!! This was such an amazing day and I can’t believe I was this lucky :’) it pays to have connections!

#hamilton #miguel cervantes #chicago hamilton #chicago

aesthetic-day-dream

#sunday tea

rosesofthetwilight

Poetic Conventions in Beowulf

Poetic Convection in Beowulf

Beowulf is one of the most prominent epic poems in all of Anglo-Saxon history. According to our textbook, it is the oldest of the great long poems that is written in English. Beowulf set the standard for all Anglo-Saxon poetry to provide the poetic convections that now are seen in so many of today’s modern poetry. Some of the poetic convections that we learned about that are shown in Beowulf include alliterative verse, four-beat lines, a caesura, no end-line rhyme, use of hyperbole, and use of “kenning”, which is a metaphoric phrase used as, or instead of a name or a proper noun.

Alliteration is the first poetic convention that we see repeatedly in this poem. This is seen in the very beginning of the poem, when Grendel is first introduced and is being described, the poem goes, “Humiliated by the loss of his guard/bewildered and stunned, staring aghast/at the demon’s trail, in deep distress” (Lines 131-133). This alliterative verse serves as a way to aide in the rhythm of the story-telling. This is just one small part of a passage that contains multiple poetic convections. A larger passage in the poem Beowulf that examines more of the poetic convections is in Lines 960-979 in our text, Page 62. The passage is as follows:

“

------ Nevertheless,

if you could have seen the monster himself

where he lay beaten, I would have been better pleased.

My plan was to pounce, pin him down

in a tight grip and grapple him to death—

have him panting for life, powerless and clasped

in my bare hands, his body in thrall.

But I couldn’t stop him from slipping my hold.

The Lord allowed it, my lock on him

Wasn’t strong enough; he struggled fiercely

And broke and ran. Yet he bought his freedom

At a high price, for he left his hand

And arm and shoulder to show he had been here,

A cold comfort for having come among us.

And now he won’t be long for this world.

He has done his worst but the wound will end him.

He is hasped and hooped and hirpling with pain,

Limping and looped in it. Like a man outlawed

For wickedness, he must await

The mighty judgement of God in majesty.”

This passage comes from the part of the poem where Beowulf attacks Grendel and attempts to kill him. This scene is one of the most important conflicts in the poem because it exemplifies the main conflict in the story of “good vs. evil” Beowulf is the hero in this sense and he is saving their home from the monster that is Grendel. Grendel gets referred to as a monster multiple times throughout the poem, and I think that is a good example of a kenning because the story is using him as a metaphor for a monster. There are multiple scenarios in this poem where they not only refer to Grendel as a monster, but as a beast, and many other horrific names. Grendel symbolizes evil and jealousy within the poem, therefore he is considered a monster. Another example of a poetic convection in the story is the repetitive use of alliteration. Just in this one small passage, there are multiple examples of it. For instance, “A cold comfort for having come among us” uses the repeated “c” sound, I think this is to emphasize the coldness that comes from thinking about Grendel. Another example is towards the end, when Beowulf is describing how to injured Grendel, he says “he is hasped and hooped and hirpling with pain,/limping and looped in it/Like a man outlawed for wickedness”. I had never heard of these words such as “hirpling” and “hasped” but one can understand what the poet is trying to say through these descriptive words of how much pain Grendel was in. This part of the passage also exemplifies the caesura used in the poem, because of the verse lines being divided into two halves. The reader of the poem can also clearly see that there is no end-rhyme in any part of this passage. It just does not happen throughout the poem. One example of hyperbole in this passage is also where he is describing how he was going to kill Grendel, and he says “My plan was to pounce, pin him down

In a tight grip and grapple him to death”, although he meant this very seriously, it is also an exaggeration for the sake of emphasis.

#beowulf #poetic convictions