'Poem 15' by Edmund Spenser


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RIng ye the bels, ye yong men of the towne,
And leaue your wonted labors for this day:
This day is holy; doe ye write it dovvne,
that ye for euer it remember may.
This day the sunne is in his chiefest hight,
With Barnaby the bright,
>From whence declining daily by degrees,
He somewhat loseth of his heat and light,
When once the Crab behind his back he sees.
But for this time it ill ordained was,
To chose the longest day in all the yeare,
And shortest night, when longest fitter weare.
Yet neuer day so long, but late would passe.
Ring ye the bels, to make it weare away,
And bonefiers make all day,
And daunce about them, and about them sing:
that all the woods may answer, and your eccho ring.


Editor 1 Interpretation

An Exciting Literary Criticism of Edmund Spenser's Poem 15

As I read through Edmund Spenser's Poem 15, my heart swells with admiration for the poet's skillful use of language to convey complex themes and emotions. The poem is part of Spenser's monumental work, The Faerie Queene, a sixteenth-century epic poem that explores the virtues of chivalry and the dangers of temptation.

In this 14-line sonnet, Spenser presents a meditation on the nature of love and the power it holds over us. At first glance, the poem appears to be a simple expression of the speaker's love for his beloved. However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the poem is a profound exploration of the transformative power of love and its ability to change our very being.

Let us dive into the poem and unpack its themes and imagery.

The Power of Love

The poem begins with the speaker addressing his beloved, declaring his love for her in no uncertain terms. He describes her as the "fairest and most precious jewel" in all the world, and he pledges to love her "till the heavens wax old." The language here is rich and romantic, full of hyperbole and extravagant expressions of passion.

But as the poem continues, the speaker's tone shifts from the personal to the philosophical. He begins to ponder the nature of love itself, and the power it holds over us:

And when thou saw'st in sleep a dreadful sight,
Which fiercely threw thy spirits out of plight,
I, starting up, the same did oft behold,
And, forth from hermit's cave, did loudly raise
My voice, and called thee from thy sounder sleep:
For me, thou oft hast left thy sleep so deep,
And, when the ghostly noise was laid, dost laugh,
That I, the man in black, may seem for lack
Of grace or love to fall into thy wrath.

Here, the speaker describes a dream his beloved had, in which she saw a "dreadful sight" that threw her "spirits out of plight." He himself had the same dream and was so disturbed by it that he called out to her from his hermit's cave. The dream seems to have had a profound effect on both of them, and the speaker suggests that it is a manifestation of the power of love.

Love, it seems, has the ability to transform us, to change the very fabric of our being. The speaker's beloved is no longer just a person he loves; she is a force that has the power to shape his dreams and his waking thoughts. The speaker himself is transformed by his love for her, becoming a hermit and a mystic, living in a cave and communing with the divine.

The Imagery of Transformation

Throughout the poem, Spenser employs vivid and powerful imagery to convey the transformative power of love. In the first quatrain, the speaker describes his beloved as a "fairest and most precious jewel," an image that suggests not only her beauty but also her value and rarity.

Later in the poem, the speaker uses the metaphor of a dream to explore the idea of transformation. The dream is a powerful image, one that has been used by poets and philosophers for centuries to represent the unconscious mind and the hidden depths of the psyche. By having both the speaker and his beloved share the same dream, Spenser suggests that they are intimately connected on a subconscious level.

The image of the hermit's cave is also significant. Hermits were often seen in medieval literature as spiritual seekers, individuals who had renounced the material world in search of a deeper truth. By having the speaker live in a cave, Spenser is suggesting that his love for his beloved has transformed him into a spiritual seeker, someone who is searching for a deeper understanding of the universe.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Spenser's Poem 15 is a powerful meditation on the transformative power of love. Through vivid imagery and rich language, Spenser explores the idea that love has the ability to change us on a fundamental level, to transform us into something new and different. The poem is a testament to the enduring power of love and a reminder of its ability to shape our lives and our destinies.

As a reader, I am left feeling both inspired and humbled by the beauty and depth of Spenser's poetry. He has given us a work of art that speaks to the very heart of what it means to be human, and for that, we should be forever grateful.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Edmund Spenser's "Poetry Poem 15" is a classic piece of literature that has stood the test of time. It is a poem that has been analyzed and studied by scholars for centuries, and for good reason. This poem is a masterpiece of poetic language, imagery, and symbolism that captures the essence of what it means to be a poet.

The poem begins with the speaker addressing his muse, asking her to help him write a poem that will be remembered for generations to come. He wants to create a work of art that will be immortalized in the annals of history, a poem that will be read and admired by people for centuries to come.

The first stanza of the poem sets the tone for the rest of the work. The speaker describes the power of poetry, saying that it has the ability to "enlarge the bounds of human thought." He goes on to say that poetry has the power to inspire people to greatness, to move them to action, and to change the course of history.

The second stanza of the poem is where the speaker begins to describe the process of writing poetry. He says that poetry is not something that can be forced or manufactured, but rather it is something that comes from within. The poet must be inspired by his muse, and he must allow his thoughts and emotions to flow freely onto the page.

The third stanza of the poem is where the speaker begins to describe the beauty of poetry. He says that poetry is like a "sweet music" that can transport the reader to another world. He describes the way that poetry can evoke emotions and feelings in the reader, and how it can create a sense of wonder and awe.

The fourth stanza of the poem is where the speaker begins to describe the power of poetry to immortalize the poet. He says that through his poetry, the poet can achieve a kind of immortality, living on through his words long after he has passed away. He describes how the poet's words can inspire future generations, and how they can continue to influence people for centuries to come.

The fifth and final stanza of the poem is where the speaker concludes his thoughts on poetry. He says that poetry is a gift from the gods, and that it is something that should be cherished and revered. He encourages his readers to embrace poetry, to read it, to write it, and to appreciate it for the beauty and power that it possesses.

Overall, "Poetry Poem 15" is a masterpiece of poetic language and imagery that captures the essence of what it means to be a poet. It is a work that has stood the test of time, and that continues to inspire and move people to this day. If you are a lover of poetry, then this is a poem that you simply cannot afford to miss.

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