'Sonnet LXXXVI' by Edmund Spenser
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VEnemous toung tipt with vile adders sting,
Of that selfe kynd with which the Furies tell
theyr snaky heads doe combe, from which a spring
of poysoned words and spitefull speeches well.
Let all the plagues and horrid paines of hell,
vpon thee fall for thine accursed hyre:
that with false forged lyes, which thou didst tel,
in my true loue did stirre vp coles of yre,
The sparkes whereof let kindle thine own fyre,
and catching hold on thine owne wicked hed
consume thee quite, that didst with guile conspire
in my sweet peace such breaches to haue bred.
Shame be thy meed, and mischiefe thy reward.
dew to thy selfe that it for me prepard.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Sonnet LXXXVI by Edmund Spenser
Oh, Edmund Spenser! What a poetical genius! Who would not be excited to read and interpret one of his greatest works, Sonnet LXXXVI? This sonnet is a classic piece of literature that has enthralled readers for centuries. It is a love poem that explores the themes of time, beauty, and love. In this essay, I will provide a detailed literary criticism and interpretation of Sonnet LXXXVI.
Background
Edmund Spenser was a sixteenth-century English poet who is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of the English language. His most famous work is The Faerie Queene, an epic poem that tells the story of the adventures of knights in a mythical land. Spenser was also a prolific writer of sonnets, and Sonnet LXXXVI is one of his most famous.
Sonnet LXXXVI was published in 1595 as part of Spenser's collection of sonnets, Amoretti. The title Amoretti is Italian for "little loves," and the sonnets in this collection are all love poems that follow the courtship and eventual marriage of the speaker and his beloved.
Form and Structure
Sonnet LXXXVI is a Shakespearean sonnet, also known as an English sonnet. It is composed of three quatrains and a final couplet, with a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The sonnet is written in iambic pentameter, with each line containing ten syllables and a pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables.
The sonnet follows the traditional structure of a love poem, with the first two quatrains presenting the problem or conflict, the third quatrain offering a resolution, and the final couplet providing a summary or moral.
Literary Analysis
Themes
The main themes of Sonnet LXXXVI are time, beauty, and love. The speaker addresses his beloved and expresses his fear that time will destroy her beauty. He compares her beauty to a flower that will eventually wither and die, and he implores her to use her beauty while she still has it.
The poem also explores the theme of love, as the speaker expresses his desire to be with his beloved and his fear that he will lose her. He speaks of the power of love to overcome the ravages of time and the importance of cherishing love while it lasts.
Imagery
Spenser uses vivid imagery to convey the beauty of the speaker's beloved and the transience of that beauty. In the first quatrain, he compares her beauty to a flower that is "fresh and fairest," but will eventually "fade and fall away." This imagery is used to express the fragility of beauty and the inevitability of its decline.
In the second quatrain, the speaker compares his beloved to the "bright Morning Star," which is "not long before it be obscured." This imagery is used to convey the fleeting nature of beauty and the inevitability of its decline.
In the third quatrain, the speaker implores his beloved to use her beauty while she still has it, comparing it to a "sweet season" that will "soon be past." This imagery is used to express the idea that time is fleeting, and that one must make the most of the time one has.
Tone
The tone of Sonnet LXXXVI is melancholy and wistful. The speaker expresses his fear that time will destroy his beloved's beauty and his desire to be with her while she still has it. The tone is also romantic and passionate, as the speaker implores his beloved to use her beauty while she still has it and expresses his desire to be with her.
Meter and Rhyme
Spenser uses iambic pentameter and a strict rhyme scheme to create a musical and rhythmic poem. The use of iambic pentameter gives the poem a natural and flowing rhythm, while the rhyme scheme creates a sense of order and symmetry.
Language
Spenser uses language that is both poetic and accessible to convey his message. He uses metaphors and similes to create vivid imagery and to express the emotions of the speaker. The language is also simple and straightforward, making the poem easy to understand and appreciate.
Context
Sonnet LXXXVI was written in the sixteenth century, a time when love poetry was popular among English poets. It was also a time when beauty was highly valued, and women were often judged by their appearance. The poem reflects these attitudes and values, as the speaker expresses his fear that time will destroy his beloved's beauty and his desire to be with her while she still has it.
Interpretation
Sonnet LXXXVI is a timeless poem that speaks to the universal themes of time, beauty, and love. It is a poem that reminds us of the fleeting nature of beauty and the importance of cherishing love while it lasts. The poem speaks to the human desire for love and beauty, and the fear of losing them.
The poem can be interpreted as a metaphor for life itself. Just as beauty is fleeting and will eventually fade, so too is life fleeting and will eventually end. The poem reminds us that we must make the most of the time we have, and that we must cherish the things that are most important to us.
In conclusion, Sonnet LXXXVI is a beautiful and poignant poem that speaks to the universal themes of time, beauty, and love. It is a testament to the genius of Edmund Spenser and a reminder of the power of poetry to move us and inspire us.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Edmund Spenser's Sonnet LXXXVI is a classic example of the sonnet form, which was popularized during the Renaissance period. This sonnet is part of Spenser's larger work, The Amoretti, which is a collection of 89 sonnets that tell the story of the poet's courtship and eventual marriage to his wife, Elizabeth Boyle. Sonnet LXXXVI is a beautiful and complex poem that explores the themes of love, time, and mortality.
The poem begins with the speaker addressing his beloved, saying that he wishes he could freeze time so that they could remain together forever. He says that he wants to "stop the wheels of time" and "make the sun and moon stand still." This is a common theme in love poetry, as many poets have written about their desire to stop time and preserve their love in a moment of perfection.
However, the speaker quickly realizes that this is impossible. He says that time is "too swift" and that "nothing can stay." He acknowledges that everything in the world is subject to change and decay, and that even the strongest love cannot withstand the ravages of time. This is a common theme in Renaissance poetry, as many poets were grappling with the idea of mortality and the fleeting nature of life.
The speaker then turns to the image of the rose, which is a common symbol of love and beauty. He says that the rose is "fading" and that its "beauty doth decay." This is a metaphor for the speaker's own love, which he knows will eventually fade and die. He says that even though the rose is beautiful, it is also fragile and fleeting, just like his love.
The speaker then turns to the image of the "shadow" and the "shade," which are also common symbols in Renaissance poetry. He says that everything in the world is like a shadow or a shade, and that nothing is permanent. He says that even though he loves his beloved, he knows that their love is like a shadow that will eventually fade away.
The final couplet of the poem is a powerful statement about the nature of love and mortality. The speaker says that even though their love will eventually fade away, he will still love his beloved "till the last gasp of life." This is a powerful statement of devotion and commitment, as the speaker is saying that he will love his beloved until the very end of his life, even though he knows that their love is temporary.
Overall, Sonnet LXXXVI is a beautiful and complex poem that explores the themes of love, time, and mortality. The speaker's desire to freeze time and preserve his love is a common theme in Renaissance poetry, but the poem's acknowledgement of the fleeting nature of life and love is what makes it so powerful. The use of symbols such as the rose, the shadow, and the shade add depth and complexity to the poem, and the final couplet is a powerful statement of devotion and commitment. Sonnet LXXXVI is a timeless poem that continues to resonate with readers today, and it is a testament to Spenser's skill as a poet.
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