"Sonnet 292" from the Canzoniere
translated by Anthony Mortimer
The eyes I spoke of once in words that burn,
the arms and hands and feet and lovely face
that took me from myself for such a space
of time and marked me out from other men;
the waving hair of unmixed gold that shone,
the smile that flashed with the angelic rays
that used to make this earth a paradise,
are now a little dust, all feeling gone;
and yet I live, grief and disdain to me,
left where the light I cherished never shows,
in fragile bark on the tempestuous sea.
Here let my loving song come to a close;
the vein of my accustomed art is dry,
and this, my lyre, turned at last to tears.
The eyes I spoke of with such warmth,
The arms and hands and feet and face
Which took me away from myself
And marked me out from other people;
The waving hair of pure shining gold,
And the flash of her angelic smile,
Which used to make a paradise on earth,
Are a little dust, that feels nothing.
And yet I live, for which I grieve and despise myself,
Left without the light I loved so much,
In a great storm on an unprotected raft.
Here let there be an end to my loving song:
The vein of my accustomed invention has run dry,
And my lyre is turned to tears.
Gli occhi di ch'io parlai sì caldamente,
et le braccia et le mani e i piedi e 'l viso,
che m'avean sì da me stesso diviso,
et fatto singular da l'altra gente;
le crespe chiome d'òr puro lucente
'l lampeggiar de l'angelico riso,
che solean fare in terra un paradiso,
poca polvere son, che nulla sente.
Et io pur vivo, onde mi doglio e sdegno,
rimaso senza 'l lume ch'amai tanto,
in gran fortuna e 'n disarmato legno.
Or sia qui fine al mio amoroso canto:
secca è la vena de l'usato ingegno,
et la cetera mia rivolta in pianto.
Directions: Please choose a sonnet by Petrarch (see link below). Cut and paste it into your post, and analyze it using the terminology we learned in class (see "The Poetry Cheet Sheet" below). Most importantly, include a detailed personal analysis of the poem in your post.
The Poetry Cheat Sheet
Tone: This is the attitude of the speaker of the poem. You always have to consider the tone of the speaker even if you’re not specifically asked to analyze it. Tone relates to many of elements below. It’s a “big-picture” or “umbrella” concept. (You should have a “bank” of words in mind: angry, happy, carefree, bitter, sympathetic, sad, nostalgic, ironic, satirical, etc.)
Repetition: Poets often rely on repetition. This can be words, phrases, sounds, images, ideas. If a poet repeats something, it takes on more meaning.
Diction: This refers to words. What words does the poet use? Does he repeat any specific words? What connotation do the words have (positive, negative)?
Syntax/Structure: Do the sentences within the poem or stanzas have a recognizable structure? Does the structure or pattern change at a specific moment?
Imagery (sensory details): This refers to the images of the poem, especially those that appeal to many senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell).
Sounds: Sound is often conveyed in poetry. Look for rhyme and repetition, and things such as alliteration, consonance, and assonance (which are repetitions of specific types of sound).
Metaphors/Similes: Comparisons are often used to support imagery, but they can also be used to anchor a poem, to convey a poem’s main message. Any time a poet compares something to something else, you should take note of it.
Irony: This is HUGE in poetry. If something is said or happens that is unexpected, it’s ironic. If it’s sarcastic or satirical, it’s ironic. If you can recognize irony, you’re golden.
Allusion: This is a literary or historical reference. It is not as common on the AP exam, but you should know what it is and how it works.
Rhythm/Rhyme: This is covered with other elements above. This just refers to the recognizable pattern of a poem that gives it a sense of rhythm and flow.
Also: Sestet (six line stanza), Octet (eight line stanza), Quatrain (four line stanza), couplet (two line stanza)
Poem 7:
ReplyDelete“Greed and sleep and slothful beds
have banished every virtue from the world,
so that, overcome by habit,
our nature has almost lost its way.
And all the benign lights of heaven,
that inform human life, are so spent,
that he who wishes to bring down a stream
from Helicon is pointed out as a wonder.
Such desire for laurel, and for myrtle?
‘Poor and naked goes philosophy’,
say the crowd intent on base profit.
You’ll have poor company on that other road:
So much the more I beg you, gentle spirit,
not to turn from your great undertaking.”
The wording of this poem makes it immediately clear that this is the social commentary of a man several centuries ago however, the message the message presented seems more relevant today than when it was first written. That being established, there are some parts of the poem that need clarification, such as “he who wishes to bring down a stream from Helicon”, which refers to a musician playing a tuba-like instrument, or the line, “Such desire for laurel, and for myrtle?”. Here, Laurel is the love interest of “The Canzoniere” as a whole, and a myrtle, is a flowering shrub referenced in the bible (Isaiah 41:19 and 55:13) as a symbol of recovery and the fulfillment of god’s promises. This context has made five lines stand out to me in particular, the first two being, “Greed and sleep and slothful beds have banished every virtue from the world.” This line proves the crotchety old man really is centuries old. This criticism of how society has become too lazy and dependant upon luxuries sounds like the words of any given senior citizen within the context of working from home, or gaming on Youtube as a job. This sentiment is echoed in the three lines of the third stanza “Such desire for laurel, and for myrtle? ‘Poor and naked goes philosophy’, say the crowd intent on base profit.” This is a bitterly sarcastic condemnation of socialt shifts away from thoughtfulness toward instant gratification. In recent years we have taken this to the extreme, where international conflicts have been initiated by rapid and inconsiderate proclamations on platforms that allows immediate feedback in the form of likes. As Petrarch points out, “You’ll have poor company on that other road,” of hard work and consideration, now more than ever.
From a purely structural perspective this poem retails all of it’s intrigue. Throughout this work powerful imagery of gluttony is repeated with descriptions in lines like “greed and sleep and slothful beds”, or “the crowd intent on base profit”. These may be relatable vices, we all know what it is like to linger in bed, but in this poem doing so has “banished every virtue from the world.” This drama partaily stems from the strong diction of the poem. Describing philosophy as “Poor and naked”, or claiming “all the benign lights of heaven” are spent may be dramatic, but makes the point clear. In my opinion, the third stanza is pivotal for the entire poem. In the first line he implies he knows the status of Laurel, his love interest, who, as a married woman who he is in love with, represents vice, but questions the myrtle, which symbolizes fulfillment of god or of the “ benign lights of heaven”. He then answers his own question. responding that philosophy has become poor and naked. Given the time frame, “philosophy” could also refer to theology, or the fulfillment of god’s wishes. However, the irony that follows is that this answer comes from “the crowd intent on base profit”, who will spit out the correct response, but who’s very charter is against making any progress in this regard. This makes the tone almost resentful, and gives the final stanza, a wish of good luck to whoever does pursue a thoughtful life, a mean and sarcastically ironic feeling. Elier in the poem too, Petrarch belittles the musician, furthering the sour tone upon subsequent reads. The summation of all these factors add up to an acidic criticism that feels to me just as much a personal vent about his own flaws as the flaws of society.
I found your analysis of the poem to be quite in depth and profound. Imagery was a major part of it, and I think you did a good job in analyzing its power.
DeletePoem 6:
ReplyDeleteMy passion’s folly is so led astray
by following what turns and flees,
and flies from Love’s light supple noose
in front of my slow pace,
that the more I recall its steps
to the safe road, the less it hears me:
nor does spurring on help me, or turning about,
resisting what Love does by nature.
And then if the bit gathers me to him by force,
I remain in his sovereign power,
so that my state carries me sadly towards death:
only to come to the laurel from which is culled
bitter fruit, whose taste is a worse wound
for others, whom it does not solace.
The atypical structure the poem follows embodies the general idea Petrarch describes in the structure-less, lost wandering that comes with love. The diction of the author was very selective in that a literal love story has the connotation of a broken heart. The repetition of such ideas builds a negative tone and gloomy imagery of the author's emotions. Descriptions such as "Love’s light supple noose" add an ironic description in which love is personified to be an executioner holding a noose, instead of its traditional positive emotional attribution. While I don't think I fully understood the purpose the poet sought to convey, I think this attribute of confusion through a difficult to follow story highlight the aforementioned ideas of love. Additionally, I found it interesting that instead of seeking to provide some form of resolution or lesson at the end, the author merely closes on a negative note of "whose taste is a worse wound for others, whom it does not solace." addressing that the suffering of love is widespread. Ultimately, I think the poem is more so an embodiment of the author's emotional experiences than a story or lesson to be learnt from. Nonetheless, as with any piece of literature, you can always over-analyze it to build your own interpretation separate from the authors original intention. For this reason I personally also felt a bit lost in if I was properly portraying the poem or trying to draw logic where there was only emotion.
ReplyDeletePoem 12:
If my life of bitter torment and of tears
could be derided more, and made more troubled,
that I might see, by virtue of your later years,
lady, the light quenched of your beautiful eyes,
and the golden hair spun fine as silver,
and the garland laid aside and the green clothes,
and the delicate face fade, that makes me
fearful and slow to go weeping:
then Love might grant me such confidence
that I’d reveal to you my sufferings
the years lived through, and the days and hours:
and if time is opposed to true desire,
it does not mean no food would nourish my grief:
I might draw some from slow sighs.
When reading this poem, it is evident that it is discussing a tale of love in relation to time. Petrarch seems to be referring to his love’s old age, saying, “by virtue of [her] later years,”. He speaks of the painful love he has experienced with, “the years [he has] lived through,”. Rather than letting go of his love, the narrator is desperately hanging on to every last opportunity to nourish his, “true desire,” and remain with his woman. In addition to his torment, Petrarch chooses to discuss each individual aspect of his love, rather than her as a whole. He speaks of her, “beautiful eyes,” and “golden hair,”. This is particularly interesting as it brings up the idea that he only possesses love for her in a physical sense, rather than one of true adoration, as he mentions her, “delicate face fade[s],” which makes him, “slow to go weeping,”. However, it may also be argued that the poem is the narrator’s commentary on how beauty may fade, but his love for the woman has not, and he refuses to let go of his love. I feel as though this poem is not only a commentary on the narrator’s love for the woman, but also a look into his reluctant acceptance that her life and, ultimately, their love, may come to an end soon.
This poem beautifully utilizes several rhetorical devices to advance its effectiveness. One effective strategy used is imagery. Rather than simply discussing the emotion the narrator is feeling, he goes into depth about his love’s physical beauty, further supporting the assumption that his desire for his now aged woman was originally only for her physical beauty, but has perhaps transformed into a love for her as a whole being. Another effective aspect of this poem is its structure. The author chooses to make the lines short and, by doing so, makes the resonance of each line that much stronger. Rather than lumping each sentence together in a line or two, he strings them along, thus making the reader understand the power of each and every word he uses.
I really love how you talk about the 2 different perspectives that someone could have from the poem. I think both arguments make sense but when I first read it I thought the author was talking about how beauty fades so I think it was really nice that you included both arguments.
Delete302. ‘Levommi il mio penser in parte ov’era’
ReplyDeleteMy thought raised me to a place in which
she was whom I seek, and cannot find on earth:
there, among those who are in the third circle,
I saw her once more, more beautiful and less proud.
She took my hand, and said: ‘If my desire
is not in error, you will be with me again in this sphere:
I am she who made such war on you,
and finished my day before the evening.
My good is not comprehended by human intellect:
I wait only for you, and what you so loved,
my lovely veil, is joined to earth and stays there.’
Oh why did she fall silent, opening her hands?
Since at the sound of such pure, compassionate speech
little was needed for me to remain in heaven.
In this sonnet, Petrarch is speaking about a woman who has died and is in Heaven. He uses personification when saying “my thought raised me to a place in which she was whom I seek, and cannot find on earth”. He personifies his thought as the one doing the action of imagining. He imagines reconnecting with a girl whom he loves. She is in heaven because he says “cannot find on earth” and the girl calls the place where she is as “this sphere”. This indicates that he is also no longer physically meeting the girl, but he is dreaming of meeting her. He imagines that the girl in Heaven invites him to stay with him. I feel like this means that Petrarch is thinking of killing himself because it is technically his imagination that is telling him to go to Heaven. Also because she invites him to stay with her, but once did not want him to, I feel like it a sign that the girl represents bad decisions and bad influences and he is always attracted to them. I think this whole poem could be a metaphor for addictions and bad decisions. The girl in heaven represents the bad decisions, and Heaven technically represents the addiction he has. When she is trying to convince the Petrarch to stay, she says “my good is not comprehended by human intellect”. Since addictions have negative connotations, the girl is saying that although a lot of people dont understand “her” she is still good in some aspects. Then when the “veil is joined to earth and stays there”, he is saying that he is no longer in his imagination. The veil is covering his imagination and he faces reality. He reflects that “at the sound of such pure, compassionate speech little was needed for me to remain in heaven”. This just shows how strong his will was to stay, but he could not anyways. I think this poem is really interesting because it it vague in the sense that people could probably interpret it in many different ways. By using his imagination as the platform on which his thoughts are based off of, it creates room for creativity and more imagination.
You brought up some really good points. I found it interesting too that he personified things such as heaven and I think it added another layer of significance. Also, seeing the underlying personal negativity was another message I too saw to be prevalent in the texts.
DeleteI think your analysis is very interesting and well put together. I agree on the fact that this poem could probably be interpreted in many different ways. I definitely feel a sense of desperation in this poem -- and the need to kind of be in two places at once.
DeleteI turn back at every step I take
ReplyDeletewith weary body that has borne great pain,
and take comfort then from your aspect
that makes me go on, saying: Ah me!
Then thinking of the sweet good I leave,
of the long road, and of my brief life,
I halt my steps, dismayed and pale,
and lower my eyes weeping to the ground.
Sometimes a doubt assails me in the midst
of sad tears: how can these limbs
live separated from their spirit?
But Love replies: Do you not remember
that this is the privilege of lovers,
freed from every other human tie?
The tone of the speaker lingers between an unsure nostalgia and brief fear for what the unknown holds. The speaker, though relieved to finally be at rest, is reminded of the inconclusiveness of death, slowly holding them back from continuing in their final steps. “Lower my eyes weeping to the ground” is a soft statement. The diction here contrasts the harsh and sudden use of the word, “assails,” in the next line. The speaker goes from surrendering to a lingering sadness to being assaulted by feelings of doubt and fear among their natural sadness at the end of their life. The word choice feels almost physical, appealing to imagery without showing reality. “The midst of sad tears,” while meaning to be among tears, alludes to the “mist” in presence of tears. Descriptions of “the long road” and “sweet good,” while metaphors for life, give us something to grasp onto as we read the poem.
As the narrator seems to take their final steps towards death, a sudden fear halts them in their gradual journey. Why is it that the idea of life ceasing is seen as a milestone in life? Reaching the end of the road is the final goal we all strive towards, whether reluctantly or comfortably. What some fear most in life, they need not fear when it finally arrives. They need not feel anything, yet life lingers until the last moment, consciousness tells us to reflect in some way, even if the destination is the same. I remember walking into kindergarten with apprehension, “I turn back at every step I take,” and I look back to my mom. Is death the same? Youthful fear returns at our oldest age. A reflection on what is being left behind troubles the narrator, stopping him in his tracks while he really has no choice but to move ahead. The narrator's body is in pain, aged in just a short life yet already tired at the concluding journey. It is life beyond life that motivates the narrator, but life on earth, though painful and tiring, that stops him from continuing. “How can these limbs live separated from their spirit” is not only, ‘how can I live on in death,’ but, ‘how can I live on without the love I’m leaving behind?’ Love itself reassures the narrator of its permanence, and the reader can understand that while Love is that which talks like a human in the poem, it exists above death, shown to be a higher being with a capital “L.” Love is a concept, it can’t die, and so those who have chosen to love, while they may fear leaving the physical life behind, can know the love they kept will succeed them in death.
I thought it was interesting how you mentioned the poem having two tones. Most of the time, we focus on finding only one, but here, there is a clear contrast between nostalgia and uncertainty.
Delete-Jill
‘Voi ch’ascoltate in rime sparse il suono’
ReplyDeleteYou who hear the sound, in scattered rhymes,
of those sighs on which I fed my heart,
in my first vagrant youthfulness,
when I was partly other than I am,
I hope to find pity, and forgiveness,
for all the modes in which I talk and weep,
between vain hope and vain sadness,
in those who understand love through its trials.
Yet I see clearly now I have become
an old tale amongst all these people, so that
it often makes me ashamed of myself;
and shame is the fruit of my vanities,
and remorse, and the clearest knowledge
of how the world’s delight is a brief dream.
Petrarch’s mournful tone is almost apologetic in its embarrassment of “vagrant youthfulness.” This sonnet is an acknowledgment of the “shame” and “remorse” that comes from unfulfilled, immature relationships during a time “when I was partly other than I am.” It is a somber plea for “pity, and forgiveness” for regretful actions that were the result of “vanities.” Petrarch paints a picture of superficial, broken relationships and then rationalizes that they are commonplace, “an old tale.” In the octet Petrarch’s appeal is woeful, but in the sestet, he does not wait for the forgiveness he seeks, but rather grants himself absolution in knowing that he is now wiser and older. This is not the moral reconciliation expected; instead, it is ironic that Petrarch could only “see clearly” in hindsight.
You brought up some points I noticed too. I think the emotional negativity portrayed in them was definitely a pertinent theme and your description of "superficial, broken relationships" seemed to be a great encapsulation of that idea.
DeletePoem 31: “‘S’amor non è, che dunque è quel ch’io sento?”
ReplyDeleteWhat do I feel if this is not love?
But if it is love, God, what thing is this?
If good, why this effect: bitter, mortal?
If bad, then why is every suffering sweet?
If I desire to burn, why the tears and grief?
If my state is evil, what’s the use of grieving?
O living death, O delightful evil,
how can you be in me so, if I do not consent?
And if I consent, I am greatly wrong in sorrowing.
Among conflicting winds in a frail boat
I find myself on the deep sea without a helm,
so light in knowledge, so laden with error,
that I do not know what I wish myself,
and tremble in midsummer, burn in winter.
I believe that poetry can express some of the deepest often untouched emotions, not to say love is “untouched”. The narrator of this poem feels something so deep he is almost tormented by it, with things like “every suffering [feeling] sweet” and the inclusion of " tears and grief". It continues on to detail the emotions felt by this struggling narrator. Then, moving from feelings to the inner conflict on what this is. He feels as though he is “on the deep sea without a helm, so light in knowledge, so laden with error”, meaning that he is lost in the realm of emotion, where even though he does have knowledge in what’s going his journey has also been followed with many errors. This poem begins with constant repetition, the first eight lines of this poem are questions being posed by the narrator (this is also an example of an "octet" or eight line stanza with a sestet stanza immediately following it). Each one questioning a different feeling, a different piece of this “love” that they feel. Wondering “O living death, O delightful evil, how can you be in me so, if I do not consent?”, a very beautiful line asking how could these emotions be inside of him if he never allowed for them to be there. This connects to the impact of love on people, it’s not something that is chosen and can often come as a surprise. In support of lgbt relationships, though it applies to any relationship, the phrase “love is not a choice” is often used. This is because people don’t choose who they are attracted to similar to the ideas of this poem where the narrator is more under a spell of different emotions with no choice in the matter rather falling willingly. Clearly there is also much use of figurative language used in this poem such as the quotes I’ve already referenced and other things like “tremble in midsummer, burn in winter” which is a good example of hyperbole in order to show strong emotion. There is also a line in the poem which I believe captures a true despair felt by the narrator, "If my state is evil, what’s the use of grieving?", meaning that if this feeling is wrong that is it even worth it to mourn what may have been if he had felt otherwise. This is almost him condemning himself for life and feeling a sense of guilt about the way he feels.
Not Ticino, Po, Varo, Arno, Adige or Tiber
ReplyDeleteEuphrates, Tigris, Nile, Erno, Indus, or Ganges,
Don, Danube, Alpheus, Garonne, or the breaking sea,
Rhône, Iber, Rhine, Seine, Elbe, Loire, Ebro:
Not ivy, fir, pine, beech, or juniper
could lessen the fire that vexes my sad heart,
as much as the lovely river that always weeps with me,
and the little tree I adorn and praise in verse.
I find they help against the assaults
of Love, while I must live, well-armed,
the life which passes by in such swift leaps.
Let the beautiful laurel grow so, on the green bank,
and let him who planted it, in the sweet shade,
write lofty and joyful thoughts, to the sound of water.
The author’s tone in this poem is nostalgic—regretful but resigned. Petrarch uses repetition of the names of different rivers and tree species to emphasize his point that none is as helpful or meaningful to him as the “lovely river” he sits by and the “little tree I adorn and praise in verse.” The river is symbol for life, and how it continuously moves, flows, and changes direction. When he personifies the river, and how it “always weeps with me,” the river becomes a reflection of himself and a perspective from which he examines “the life which passes by in such swift leaps.”
His choice of words diminish the intensity of his suffering gives the poem a positive connotation and a peaceful image. He depicts healing and hope overcoming bitterness and depression. His anger becomes “fire” that can be ‘doused’ with water from the river and is easily snuffed out. The “fire” simply “vexes [his] sad heart,” vex meaning to annoy or frustrate with a trivial matter—that matter being Love.
The imagery of the poem is captivating—calming yet invigorating. The “sweet shade,” the “sound of water,” and the “green bank” are a tangible place for the reader, common enough that the reader can relate to some version of the location, yet still very personal for the author. I related to this aspect of the poem because I find solace in nature and being in the outdoors helps me separate myself from the “assaults” of a fast-paced life. Petrarch expresses irony in his description of the planter’s thoughts as “lofty and joyful,” for he believes from his experiences that these dreams will never truly become a reality. Yet, these thoughts are necessary to survive in the world, for he entreats, “Let the beautiful laurel grow so.”
emma, I really liked how you pointed out how his word choice takes away the feeling of pain, and replaces it with a feeling of hope. You really have to examine the poem to see the true meaning through the calming words he uses
DeleteIn the poem that I examined, Petrarch also compares himself to nature, trying to find comfort in it. Your line about personifying the river is quite powerful, making the river a reflection of himself in order to better understand his inner suffering.
Delete16. ‘Movesi il vecchierel canuto et biancho’
ReplyDeleteGrizzled and white the old man leaves
the sweet place, where he has provided for his life,
and leaves the little family, filled with dismay
that sees its dear father failing it:
then, from there, dragging his aged limbs
through the last days of his life,
aiding himself by what strength of will he can,
broken by years, and wearied by the road:
he reaches Rome, following his desire,
to gaze on the image of Him
whom he hopes to see again in heaven:
so, alas, I sometimes go searching,
lady, as far as is possible, in others
for the true, desired form of you.
The sonnet begins with vivid imagery of a “grizzled and white” man. Already, the author is using a certain diction to set the poem’s tone. The author uses words to evoke a sense of warm nostalgia in the reader. By painting the picture of an old man that “leaves the sweet place...and leaves the little family”, the author is commenting on a bittersweet ending. He alludes to the nice life of the man with the positive connotations of “sweet place” where “he has provided for his life”. Although these words are usually seen in a more positive light, here the author uses them to contrast between expectation and reality. Although this journey seems to be positive, there is a shift in tone when the author mentions the man “dragging his aged limbs through the last days of his life,aiding himself by what strength of will he can, broken by years, and wearied by the road” This shift explains how although the man saw his life as a quest to reach heaven and to see “Him”, the reality was one of struggles in the end of his life.
This sonnet embodies the idea of his desire and is an extended metaphor where a man’s death following a long journey to heaven is compared to a story of chasing a woman. The last few lines state “so, alas, I sometimes go searching, lady, as far as is possible, in others for the true, desired form of you.” The author finally reveals his comparison that the old man’s journey was really a way to express his own search for the woman of his dreams. The author uses vivid imagery throughout to portray this comparison in a way that all ties up at the end with the revelation of what the real journey was, for a woman.
I love your analogy! It was coincidental that we both did the same sonnet, but I'm glad because I get a different perspective on it! I thought his journey was negative throughout up until he reached Rome, the sense of leaving his "safe place" and family in the beginning made me feel like the mood was meant to be saddening. I definitely like how you pointed out the life before the man died because I completely overlooked it to even have a bittersweet ending.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGrizzled and white the old man leaves
ReplyDeletethe sweet place, where he has provided for his life,
and leaves the little family, filled with dismay
that sees its dear father failing it:
then, from there, dragging his aged limbs
through the last days of his life,
aiding himself by what strength of will he can,
broken by years, and wearied by the road:
he reaches Rome, following his desire,
to gaze on the image of Him
whom he hopes to see again in heaven:
so, alas, I sometimes go searching,
lady, as far as is possible, in others
for the true, desired form of you.
The beginning of the sonnet makes it quite evident that Petrarch is describing an old man on the verge of death, introducing a setting of sadness and the old man’s tiredness from “dragging his aged limbs” and “aiding himself by what strength of will he can”. The sonnet later shifts from the exhausted old man in a way that shows his youthfulness and determination to search for a God in Rome “whom he hopes to see again in heaven”. Petrarch purposely selecting words such as “broken”, “wearied”, “dragging” before he reaches Rome to make his search for God more impactful - that he gave all that he left, including his family, to be there. After he reaches Rome, he is finally “following his desire” which can be associated with youthfulness and the determination to chase their dreams.
Sonnet 16 describes the magnitude of Petrarch’s love for someone. He embodies the old man’s true determination to seek her who he “hopes to see again in heaven”. He believes that she is perfection and can be compared to a goddess in heaven, with this statement Petrarch is just as determined to be with his love as much as the old man wants to be in Rome with God. It seemed as if the old man was used as an embodiment of his sheer willingness to “leave the little family” for her. He inevitably makes us reflect and feel his love for someone to be as powerful as the old man who was described in the beginning.
I find no peace, and yet I make no war:
ReplyDeleteand fear, and hope: and burn, and I am ice:
and fly above the sky, and fall to earth,
and clutch at nothing, and embrace the world.
One imprisons me, who neither frees nor jails me,
nor keeps me to herself nor slips the noose:
and Love does not destroy me, and does not loose me,
wishes me not to live, but does not remove my bar.
I see without eyes, and have no tongue, but cry:
and long to perish, yet I beg for aid:
and hold myself in hate, and love another.
I feed on sadness, laughing weep:
death and life displease me equally:
and I am in this state, lady, because of you.
This sonnet has a strong collection of repetition and rhythm that moves the reader through the story alongside the poet. By incorporating strong metaphors such as “and burn, and I am ice” the poet portrays the deep sense of emotion they are feeling which instills a nostalgic and reflective tone. It appears that the poem was written in a time of grief and heightened emotions, after the end of a relationship. The diction of the contrasting phrases in each stanza, like “fly above the sky, and fall to earth” or “long to perish, yet I beg for aid”, the poet portrays a scattered and helpless mindset that illustrates their feeling of loss. I picked this poem randomly, but am happy with my selection because I think we can all relate to the poet’s feelings in one way or another. It is fascinating to think about how common feelings and emotions we experience in our society today are practically identical to those of the thirteenth century. When handling these sorrowful emotions, it is comforting to know they have been dealt with for many years by many past generations. Rian also mentioned this theme in his response, saying “the message presented seems more relevant today than when it was first written”. I think we associate older literature as such a distant and past topic. Studying literature stomps this idea, by highlighting how similar our thoughts and feelings can be.
I like how you point out that ideas in literature are still relevant in the contemporary human experience. The way we dissect and discuss these ideas is shaped by our perspective, which changes over time, however, there are subjects, like love and sorrow, which consistently present in literature over the centuries.
DeletePoem 14: ‘Occhi mei lassi, mentre ch’io vi giro’
ReplyDeleteMy weary eyes, there, while I turn you
towards the lovely face of her who slays you,
I pray you guard yourself
since, already, Love challenges you, so that I sigh.
Only Death can close from my thoughts
the loving path that leads them
to the sweet doorway of their blessing;
but your light can hide itself from you
for less reason, since you are formed
as lesser entities, and of less power.
But, grieve, before the hour of tears
is come, that is already near,
take to the end now
brief comfort from such long suffering.
Petrarch uses the poem to express his dissertation that love’s power is immense and can not be escaped until death. The author states that “only death can close from my thoughts the loving path that leads them to the sweet doorway of their blessing”. Rather than simply moving on from love, Petrarch asserts that the painful love experienced will carry on for eternity. The use of words and phrases such as “weary”, “grieve, before the hour of tears”, and “brief comfort from such long suffering” indicate that the love the author has faced exhausted him. He implies that he’d rather end the pain of profound love that suffer from it in the long run. It can also be argued that his love for this woman is relentless and he refuses to let go, but deep down he would like to terminate this romance to avoid the pain in the long run. The message of the poem can still be applied to today’s society at romance issues such as the dilemma that the author faces are still pertinent today.
The author makes use of several literary devices to strengthen the delivery of the poem. Throughout the work, the author makes use of imagery as he describes the pain of love with vivid detail. This allowed the author to truly understand the suffering Petrarch faces and solidifies his argument. Furthermore, the structure of the poem also allows the each line to resonate in its own unique way and makes the poem flow as a whole. By breaking a part each line, the readers is able to follow the points with clarity. The tone used by the author also strengthen his piece as it highlights the pain and long term suffering of love.
I really like your line "He implies that he’d rather end the pain of profound love than suffer from it in the long run." Petrarch's perspective on love is unique and rather pessimistic, believing death is the only way out, rather than just ending the relationship verbally. I liked that you used the term "long run" to describe his relationship, suiting it perfectly because that is how he views it. He isn't looking forward to it, he merely is preparing for it.
DeletePoem # 16
ReplyDeleteGrizzled and white the old man leaves
the sweet place, where he has provided for his life,
and leaves the little family, filled with dismay
that sees its dear father failing it:
then, from there, dragging his aged limbs
through the last days of his life,
aiding himself by what strength of will he can,
broken by years, and wearied by the road:
he reaches Rome, following his desire,
to gaze on the image of Him
whom he hopes to see again in heaven:
so, alas, I sometimes go searching,
lady, as far as is possible, in others
for the true, desired form of you
This poem is very interesting to me for many of the following reason. For starters, the poem is set up not in sentences, but rather in phrases. Whenever there is a natural pause, as if there should be a period, instead there is a colon. This colon breaks up the phrases enough for the natural flow, but not actually creating sentence. The idea of no periods is carried throughout all the poem, making exceptions for a few at the end of stanzas. The metaphor carried throughout the poem is the idea of the father going to heaven. The metaphor explains how the man is walking towards Rome, and when he finally reaches “Rome”, it is implied that God is there waiting for him. The imagery is also very strong, specifically in the line, “dragging his aged limbs through the last days of his life”. I know for me, and any other reader, it is very easy to see an old man practically dragging himself through the last days of his life, as he tries to continue holding on. In this poem, the man has accepted his inevitable departure to heaven, and walks towards it, as he “reaches Rome”. The metaphor and the imagery really help bring this poem to life, and help someone understand the inner workings of a man who is trying to live out his last days. Petrarch mentions his family “filled with dismay”, as most families would be after experiencing a situations similar to this with a loved one. It makes it more realistic for the everyday reader. Overall, bringing many of the details such as imagery and metaphors really helped develop the piece even further.
It is interesting how the poem is broken up into short phrases, making the reader nearly leap to the next line in anticipation of what's to come. It is also interesting language that Petrarch uses the word "dragging" to describe the old man's decent, for it is he who must take himself to the end.
Delete365:
ReplyDeleteI go weeping for my time past,
that I spent in loving something mortal,
without lifting myself in flight, for I had wings
that might have freed me for spaces not so low.
You who see my shameful and impious sins,
King of Heaven, invisible, immortal,
help this frail and straying soul,
and mend its defects through your grace:
So that, if I have lived in war and tempest,
I may die in peaceful harbour: and if my stay
was vain, let my vanishing, at least, be virtuous.
Deign that your hand might rest on that little life
that is left to me, and on my death:
You truly know I have no other hope.
The tones of this poem are regretful and nostalgic. The writer, nearing the end of his life, begs the “King of Heaven” for a peaceful death and afterlife. This poem has clear diction which guides the reader through the first stanza about his regrets in life, using “wings” as a metaphor for freedom within time which Petrarch no longer has. The beginning of the poem relies only upon self-deprecating adjectives such as “shameful” and “impious,” then shifts in tone midway through to use adjectives “peaceful” and “virtuous” to describe the poet’s hope for finally finding joy within the end of their life, approaching death, and afterlife. The poem is addressed directly to God or an equivalent higher power, revealing the poet’s purpose was to beg for pity by the hand of God.
I really enjoyed your analysis of the poem, Ally. I like how you specifically pointed out the "King of Heaven" line and how it plays into the overall message of his death and hope for a peaceful afterlife. I also agree that the clear diction helps the reader easily get through the poem with a yearning for what is said next.
Delete
ReplyDelete21. I have offered you my heart a thousand times
O my sweet warrior, only to make peace
with your lovely eyes: but it does not please you
with your noble mind, to stoop so low.
And if some other lady has hope of it,
she lives in powerless, deceiving hope:
and it can never be what it was to me,
since I too disdain what does not please you.
Now if I banish it, and it does not find in you
any aid in its unhappy exile, nor knows
how to be alone, nor to go where others call to it,
it might stray from its natural course:
which would be a grave crime for both of us,
and more for you, since it loves you more.
Overall, this poem has a very emotional, haunting tone. The personal feel of it makes the reader sympathize the narrator more, who is describing an unrequited love. In addition, the lack of a rhyme scheme highlights this theme, making the poem seem less playful and more somber. I also noticed that the narrator never names their lover, instead referring to them as “you”, as well as labeling their heart as “it.” This could be intentional as it makes the poem more applicable to the reader’s situation, where they might be able to relate to it more easily. By continuing to call the heart “it”, it almost feels like the heart is now a character. There is more personification towards the end of the poem, which makes the heart seem humanistic by saying “it does not find in you…”, “knows how to be alone…”, and so on. Throughout the poem, there is not a great deal of imagery. Most of it was found in the first quatrain, which described the lover using positive, romantic adjectives. This is somewhat ironic as the narrator is using phrases such as “sweet warrior”, “noble mind”, “lovely eyes”, and so on to characterize someone who has hurt them. Personally, I enjoyed this poem. The message of it is still relevant today, where many experience love’s disappointments. To me, it captures how someone might sacrifice all of their love for another person, but not have that love returned to them. As Oliver mentioned, this poem might be a retelling of Petrarch’s experiences.
-Jill S
‘Solo et pensoso i piú deserti campi’
ReplyDeletePoem #35 Alone and thoughtful, through the most desolate fields,
I go measuring out slow, hesitant paces,
and keep my eyes intent on fleeing
any place where human footsteps mark the sand.
I find no other defence to protect me
from other people’s open notice,
since in my aspect, whose joy is quenched,
they see from outside how I flame within.
So now I believe that mountains and river-banks
and rivers and forests know the quality
of my life, hidden from others.
Yet I find there is no path so wild or harsh
that love will not always come there
speaking with me, and I with him
I really enjoyed reading this poem for many reasons. The poem seems to have a definite beginning and ending, which I find to be important in poetry. I also read several examples of imagery which always helps me picture the character in the poem and makes it easier to understand. The tone of this poem transcends from being lonely and scared to being in love and fearless. This transition sets a mood of strength that makes the reader feel capable of overcoming fear. The line, “I find no other defense to protect me from other people’s open notice…”, sets a tone of the fear of the world and judgement. That soon shifts when the poet incorporates love into the text which can be opened up to the audience as well, giving them something to relate to. This poem also has great flow to it which makes it easier to read and enjoy
As you said It's really powerful that in such a short poem you can still see a definite transition and the characters emotional journey in the standard 14 stanza poem.
Delete134. ‘Pace non trovo, et non ò da fa guerra:’
ReplyDeleteI find no peace, and yet I make no war:
and fear, and hope: and burn, and I am ice:
and fly above the sky, and fall to earth,
and clutch at nothing, and embrace the world.
One imprisons me, who neither frees nor jails me,
nor keeps me to herself nor slips the noose:
and Love does not destroy me, and does not lose me,
wishes me not to live, but does not remove my bar.
I see without eyes, and have no tongue, but cry:
and long to perish, yet I beg for aid:
and hold myself in hate, and love another.
I feed on sadness, laughing weep:
death and life displease me equally:
and I am in this state, lady, because of you.
Like most of Petrarch's’ work, this too focuses on love and affection for a women. But he shows it in a different light then one may usually do in this particular sonnet/poem. He focuses on opposite entities here, be they physical elements or emotional states. But in the end, they were thought to seek harmony. In my AP Euro course, we talk about the renaissance a lot and how in this time often in literature and amorous poetry the author would frequently describe a feeling caught between different opposing emotions. Love and rage, life and death, burning and freezing, etc. You can clearly see this concept in Petrarch's work here: “death and life displease me equally” he says, and “hold myself in hate, and love another”.
This poem certainly has a recognized structure in many different ways. For one in each line he chooses to contrast a certain physical or emotional idea / entity, but in the last line wraps the poem by addressing the lady and saying this is due to her and the effect that she has had on him. If you look at the poem written in its original language, it has a very clear rhyme scheme, whereas obviously you do not get the same effect when the poem be translated. Every other line rhymes: “guerra, terra” [war, earth] , “ghiaccio, abbraccio” [ice, world] etc. However, even within the translated version you still get a similar sense of rhythm within the poem. Obviously contrast within each line is a big part of the poems structure, but he also uses (surrealism) ? within the poem: “I see without eyes, and have no tongue, but cry”. This allows for to really envision a picture of what he is saying (imagery).
Overall, I usually love poetry but only if its modern. Poetry from anything over 100 years ago usually bores me. Reading through this work though I think I can kind of appreciate the beauty of it.
353. ‘Vago augelleto che cantando vai,’
ReplyDeleteLittle wandering bird that goes singing
your time gone by, with weeping notes,
seeing the night and the winter near,
and the day and all the joyful months behind,
if, knowing your own heavy sorrows,
you could know of my state like your own,
you would fly to this disconsolate breast
to share your grievous sadness with me.
I cannot say our measures would be equal,
since perhaps the one you cry for still has life,
which in my case Death and heaven have denied:
but the fading season and the hour,
with the memory of sweet years and bitter,
invite me to speak to you, of pity.
This poem is a metaphor for the human condition, the speaker of the poem feeling as though their life has slipped by them. As I was reading this poem, I was captivated by the image of a little lost bird trying to find any source of light through the cold dark night of winter. It is evident that the poet is trying to do the same, but feels helpless in his search, giving the poem not only a melancholy tone but also a hopeless one. He is putting so much faith into this little bird that is completely oblivious to his existence. Petrarch compares themselves to the little wandering bird in that they both share feelings of sorrow, wishing that the little bird could understand his state of mind and know it is not alone, “I cannot say our measures would be equal, since perhaps the one you cry for still has life,” Petrarch is writing about how he feels it is too late for him, but there is perhaps still hope for the little bird. It is interesting how he chose a bird as a comparison, a free creature who was born to fly, when he is talking about heavy emotions that seem to weigh on him. Why does he chose a bird? I believe it’s because a bird’s simple existence is enough to bring joy. He is envious of the bird’s ability to sing and fly away its sadness, pleading for the little bird to “fly to this disconsolate breast” and “invite me to speak to you, of pity.” It seems as though he is referencing his either thoughts of suicide or attempts when he writes “which in my case Death and heaven have denied:” Petrarch uppercases the word “Death” but not “heaven.” Death is more powerful than him, and heaven is something unattainable. Yet, the all powerful death refuses to end his pain. He is looking to the little bird as his last savior.
I really like your analysis of the relationship between the narrator and the bird, how it is a metaphor for his humanity and his struggle with this. While he feels irrelevant in his life as he is to the bird, he still finds joy from its simplicity and is able to hold on to it.
DeleteYour analysis of the poem was very well written, and it really helped me gain a better understanding of the piece as a whole. I like how you delved deeper into the purpose and role that the bird plays in the piece and how it has an effect on the narrator.
Delete134. ‘Pace non trovo, et non ò da fa guerra:’
ReplyDeleteI find no peace, and yet I make no war:
and fear, and hope: and burn, and I am ice:
and fly above the sky, and fall to earth,
and clutch at nothing, and embrace the world.
One imprisons me, who neither frees nor jails me,
nor keeps me to herself nor slips the noose:
and Love does not destroy me, and does not lose me,
wishes me not to live, but does not remove my bar.
I see without eyes, and have no tongue, but cry:
and long to perish, yet I beg for aid:
and hold myself in hate, and love another.
I feed on sadness, laughing weep:
death and life displease me equally:
and I am in this state, lady, because of you.’
This sonnet poem follows the classic format of 14 lines in total, 8 of these lines making up 2 different quatrains. The diction of this poem seems to be a very important part of the way it is perceived by the reader. The poet uses strikingly different words such as death and life; frees and jails; sadness and laughing; and fly and fall to show how the narrator is having an internal battle about how he feels for a woman. In the final stanza he says, “I feed on sadness, laughing weep: death and life displease me equally: and I am in this state, lady, because of you.” It seems as though the narrator is feeding off of the pain he feels. I suspect that he is enamored by someone that does not feel the same way about him. She is impacting his life in both positive and negative ways with such power that his life would not be the same without her. Additionally, as Jessica said, it could be interpreted as though his relationship just ended. As I reread the poem, I completely understood where Jessica was coming from from she thought this. In fact, it made me question my own perspective and understanding of the poem. I think one of the many beauties of poetry is how you can interpret it based on your own thoughts and emotions, and how these thoughts may change if you read the poem multiple times.
I like how you and Jess both attempted to look beyond the lines and interrupt it in your own way. Even more so it showed the power of poetry that two people can interpret the same poem in different ways and neither is right nor wrong. It is versatile in the way that it can apply in everyones lives just in varying forms.
DeletePoem #13
ReplyDeleteWhen from hour to hour among the other ladies
Love appears in her beautiful face,
by as much as their beauty is less than hers
by so much the desire that en-amours me grows.
I bless the place, the time, and the hour
in which my eyes gazed to such a height,
and I say: My spirit, give thanks enough
that you were then found worthy of such honour.
From her to you comes loving thought,
that leads to highest good, while you pursue it,
counting as little what all men desire:
from her comes that spirit full of grace
that shows you heaven by the true way’:
so that in hope I fly, already, to the heights.
I liked this poem because it reminded me of a old fashion love letter. The loving and delicate wording gives the poem a fantastical tone/feel. This poem does not follow the standard composition. There is not much of rhyme scheme and it begins with Quatrain stanzas then transitions into three line stanzas.
A major theme in the poem that I found intriguing was the duality of man and women, “When from hour to hour among the other ladies love appears in her beautiful face, by as much as their beauty is less than hers”. It covers the ever present issue of a beautiful woman feeling as though she is not enough and struggling with comparing herself to others. Petrarch words empower them though, assuring them of their worth. Another thing I found powerful was the praise goes beyond just external beauty, giving more weight to the words. Instead the focus was on the power of the soul of a female, her spiritual impact, “from her comes that spirit full of grace that shows you heaven by the true way”. It wasn’t about her ‘beautiful face’ but rather the effect that had. It’s a very simple difference that can often be overlooked but it made the poem all that much more impactful and beautiful.
When the heavenly body that tells the hours
ReplyDeletehas returned to the constellation of Taurus,
power from the burning horns descends
that clothes the world with new colours:
and not only in that which lies before us,
banks and hills, adorned with flowers,
but within where already the earthly moisture
pregnant with itself, adds nothing further,
so that fruits and such are gathered:
as she, who is the sun among those ladies,
shining the rays of her lovely eyes on me
creates thoughts of love, actions and words;
but whether she governs them or turns away,
there is no longer any Spring for me
This poem immediately grabbed my attention because of the imagery that the authors begins with. The line “power from the burning horns descends, that clothes the world in new colours” was vivid and excited the reader’s sense of vision, possibly imagining glimmering stars falling from the dark sky and encompassing the Earth below. Throughout the poem, I found the tone to be joyous but then it fades slightly by the end with the line “there is no longer any Spring for me”. I found the joyous tone to be in words and phrases such as “adorned with flowers”, “heavenly body” and “clothes the world in new colours”.
For my interpretation (and it may be completely off) I found the author of this poem to be infatuated with a woman who he compares to spring. The poem talks of spring being vibrant and beautiful with its “hills adorned with flowers” and I believed the man was comparing the woman’s beauty to that of the blossoms of spring. He then goes on to write about the warmth from the sun, implying the woman whom he loves has a gentle nature about her. He then expresses that his love “[shines the rays of her lovely eyes on [him]”, this I took to be a reference to her bright eyes. The line continues with the implication that her eyes “[create thoughts of love]” and make the author act in certain ways. However, it is the closing line that struck me the hardest, with regards to his gestures of love, the author writes “but whether she governs them or turns away, there is no longer any Spring for me”. It was a harsh line that signifies one sided love- he lost the joyfulness and pureness of spring because his love for the woman will never be returned.
O little room that was once a refuge
ReplyDeletefrom those grave diurnal storms of mine,
you are a fountain now of nocturnal tears
which I carry hidden by day from shame.
O little couch that was rest and comfort
in so many torments, from what sad urns
does Love bathe you, with those ivory hands
so wrongly cruel to me alone!
I do not flee from privacy and rest
as much as from my self and from my thoughts,
which lifted me in flight when I followed them:
and I yearn for the hostile and odious crowd
(who would ever have thought it?) as a refuge:
I have such fear of finding myself alone again.
In this poem, Petrarch expresses despair for a love he can’t have and a fear of overthinking. In the first stanza, he discusses his bedroom where he used to feel comfort, but now it only brings him sorrow. It reminds him of his lost love and causes him to think of her constantly. Similarly, his bed was formerly a place of rest and comfort, but like his bedroom, it reminds him of the love that he lost. His bed and his bedroom will never feel the same to him because of “cruel love.” These first two stanzas are ironic because of the fact that Petrarch feels sorrow from things that used to bring him comfort and happiness. It is also ironic that his love used to bring him so much joy and was his source of inspiration, but now is his source of pain. Because of his heartbreak he fears being alone because that means he will have to think about his loss. Any privacy he has means he will just overthink to himself.
The diction that Petrarch uses emphasizes his despair. He describes his love as “a fountain now of nocturnal tears” to show that he thinks of her with sadness late into the night and his bed as “O little couch that was rest and comfort in so many torments from what sad urns” to show the hostile environment that his bed has now become. The repetition of words that emphasize his pain show just how heartbroken he was. He also creates an image for the reader of him overthinking alone in his bedroom, feeling sad and lonely by using figurative language. His thoughts “lifted [him] in flight when [he] followed them” and “love bathes [him] with those ivory hand, so wrongly cruel to [him] alone.” Overall I think the purpose of the poem is to show the emotions that Petrarch is feeling through the diction he chooses.
#311:
ReplyDeleteThat nightingale who weeps so sweetly,
perhaps for his brood, or his dear companion,
fills the sky and country round with sweetness
with so many piteous, bright notes,
and it seems all night he stays beside me,
and reminds me of my harsh fate:
for I have no one to grieve for but myself,
who believed that Death could not take a goddess.
Oh how easy it is to cheat one who feels safe!
Who would have ever thought to see two lights,
clearer than the sun, make earth darken?
Now I know that my fierce fate
wishes me to learn, as I live and weep:
nothing that delights us here is lasting.
The narrator of this poem clearly has a negative attitude and this is reflected in the poem’s pessimistic tone. The narrator bitterly reflects upon their foolish confidence that “Death could not take a goddess” and how easy it was “to cheat one who feels safe” as they had. The language of the poem suggests that the narrator has suffered the loss of a person very emotionally close to them, perhaps a lover, and describe their devastation that they now “have no one to grieve for but [themself].” Petrarch’s word choice indicates that the narrator’s loss was unexpected because of the false sense of security they felt that their lover would be safe. Many of the phrases he chose to use are rich in emotion such as “fierce fate,” “two lights, clearer than the sun, make the earth darken,” “piteous, bright notes,” and “sky and country round with sweetness.” In using emotional phrases Petrarch is able to convey to the reader the intensity of the narrator’s sorrow.
Although in my own life I have never gone through the experience of the death of a loved one, I feel that this poem could still be relatable to many people since experiencing loss is something that will inevitably happen to all of us at some point in our lives. Even people who have not experienced the death of someone close to them could still relate parts of this poem if they have someone who used to be in their life that they no longer see. Despite the fact that this poem was written a long time ago it can still be applicable to people today because loss is a universal theme that will always happen to people. I enjoyed this poem because it was not a cliche love poem but more raw and spoke of a realistic topic.
Sarah, I agree with your interpretation that this poem could allude to the death of a loved one. I saw this too in the lines "[it] reminds me of my harsh fate: for I have no one to grieve for but myself". I saw that he now has no one else to care about and that this was his "harsh" reality in life.
Delete