Sonnet+1-Focus+Questions

DDomurat & PPham

Edmund Spenser
=Sonnet 1= Happy ye leaves when as those lily hands, Which hold my life in their dead-doing might, Shall handle you and hold in love's soft bands, Like captives trembling at the victor's sight. And happy lines, on which with starry light, Those lamping eyes will deign sometimes to look And read the sorrows of my dying sprite, Written with tears in heart's close-bleeding book. And happy rhymes bath'd in the sacred brook, Of Helicon whence she derived is, When ye behold that Angel's blessed look, My soul's long-lacked food, my heaven's bliss. Leaves, lines, and rhymes, seek her to please alone, Whom if ye please, I care for other none.

=Summary:= Sonnet 1 is about a Petrarchan female that the author yearns for. What makes this female so significant are the qualities that she possess, because those are the qualities that the author lacks in his life and own persona.

=Author's Purpose:= The author's purpose in writing this poem is to exemplify the hardships and conflict of thought in his unyielding passion with the angelic object of affection. "Written with tears in heart's close bleeding book." In his collection of thoughts, he reviews his scared and fearful emotions not only for his passion for an almost ominous wonderful being but, the fear that there is a high possibility he will fail in courting her. His audience are those who seek love but, must overcome many emotional obstacles. "My soul's long lacked food, my heaven's bliss." This is an example of the authors desired effect because, it portrays the author's intent by stating his lack love and his desire.

=Poetic Devices:= There are three specific poetic devices that the author uses in this poem and that contribute to the author's purpose.

Rhyme-
"Leaves, lines, and rhymes seek her to please alone, Whom if ye please, I care for other none." If she will have him, he will be hers alone.

Simile-
"Like captives trembling at the victor's sight." The author is bound by his love for her.

Repetition-
"Happy ye leaves! whenas those lily hands,...And happy lines! on which, with starry light,...And happy rhymes! bathed in the sacred brook" Happy is the emotion in which he would have if he had her.

Three different "things" are addressed by the speaker in "Sonnet 1." What are they? What does the speaker hope their combined effect will be on the lady?

Work Cited