Sonnets I Love Sonnets

Sonetto: “little song, or sound”

Francesco Petrach, Rime Sparse 190 Edmund Spenser, Amoretti 67 Sir Philip Sidney, Astrophil and Stella 52

francesco petrarca (1304-1394) “Father of the Renaissance” Humanism Wrote in the Tuscan vernacular

the petrarchan sonnet Rime Sparse means “scattered rhymes” Sonnet sequences: series of love poems written by an unfulfilled, melancholy lover to a detached, chaste mistress The Petrarchan Sonnet adopted by the English

14 lines divided into two clear parts, an opening octet (8 lines) and a closing sestet (6 lines) A fixed rhyme scheme (abbaabba cdecde) Often the octet will pose a problem or paradox which the sestet will resolve. Volta: turn, or shift in thought that separates the octet from the sestet

Una candida cerva sopra l’erba verde m’apparve con duo corna d’oro, fra due riviere all’ombra d’un alloro, levando ‘l sole a la stagione acerba. Era sua vista sì dolce superba 5 ch’i’ lasciai per seguirla ogni lavoro, come l’avaro che ’n cercar tesoro con diletto l’affano disacerba. “Nessun mi tocchi,” al bel collo d’intorno scritto avea di diamanti et di topazi. 10 “Libera farmi al mio Cesare parve.” Et era ’l sol già vòlto al mezzo giorno, gli occhi miei stanchi di mirar, non sazi, quand’ io caddi ne l’acqua et ella sparve.

Una candida cerva sopra l’erba octet verde m’apparve con duo corna d’oro, fra due riviere all’ombra d’un alloro, levando ‘l sole a la stagione acerba. Era sua vista sì dolce superba 5 ch’i’ lasciai per seguirla ogni lavoro, come l’avaro che ’n cercar tesoro con diletto l’affano disacerba. “Nessun mi tocchi,” al bel collo d’intorno sestet scritto avea di diamanti et di topazi. 10 “Libera farmi al mio Cesare parve.” Et era ’l sol già vòlto al mezzo giorno, gli occhi miei stanchi di mirar, non sazi, quand’ io caddi ne l’acqua et ella sparve.

Una candida cerva sopra l’erba a octet verde m’apparve con duo corna d’oro, b fra due riviere all’ombra d’un alloro, b levando ‘l sole a la stagione acerba. a Era sua vista sì dolce superba a ch’i’ lasciai per seguirla ogni lavoro, b come l’avaro che ’n cercar tesoro b con diletto l’affano disacerba. a “Nessun mi tocchi,” al bel collo d’intorno c sestet scritto avea di diamanti et di topazi. d “Libera farmi al mio Cesare parve.” e Et era ’l sol già vòlto al mezzo giorno, c gli occhi miei stanchi di mirar, non sazi, d quand’ io caddi ne l’acqua et ella sparve. e

edmund Spenser (1552-1599) Wrote criticism, The Faerie Queene 1594 m. Elizabeth Boyle, 2nd wife Amoretti—sequence of 89 sonnets about his courtship and marriage

amoretti 67 Beloved as hind; lover as hunter Transforms the Petrarchan sequence of longing and losing

structure Increases the number of different rhymes to five: abab bcbc cdcd ee Three couplet-like rhymes: bb, cc, ee Because of the more complicated rhyme scheme, the placement of the turn varies

Lyke as a huntsman after weary chace, Seeing the game from him escapt away, Sits downe to rest him in some shady place, With panting hounds beguilèd of their pray; So after long pursuit and vaine assay, 5 When I all weary had the chace forsooke, The gentle deare returnd the selfe-same way, Thinking to quench her thirst at the next brook. There she beholding me with mylder looke, Sought not to fly, but fearelesse still did bide: 10 Till I in hand her yet halfe trembling tooke, And with her owne goodwill hir fyrmly tyde. Strange thing me seemed to see a beast so wyld, So goodly wonne with her owne will beguyld.

Lyke as a huntsman after weary chace, a Seeing the game from him escapt away, b Sits downe to rest him in some shady place, a With panting hounds beguilèd of their pray; b So after long pursuit and vaine assay, 5 b When I all weary had the chace forsooke, c The gentle deare returnd the selfe-same way, b Thinking to quench her thirst at the next brook. c There she beholding me with mylder looke, c Sought not to fly, but fearelesse still did bide: 10 d Till I in hand her yet halfe trembling tooke, c And with her owne goodwill hir fyrmly tyde. d Strange thing me seemed to see a beast so wyld, e So goodly wonne with her owne will beguyld. e

Lyke as a huntsman after weary chace, a Seeing the game from him escapt away, b Sits downe to rest him in some shady place, a With panting hounds beguilèd of their pray; b So after long pursuit and vaine assay, 5 b When I all weary had the chace forsooke, c The gentle deare returnd the selfe-same way, b Thinking to quench her thirst at the next brook. c There she beholding me with mylder looke, c Sought not to fly, but fearelesse still did bide: 10 d Till I in hand her yet halfe trembling tooke, c And with her owne goodwill hir fyrmly tyde. d Strange thing me seemed to see a beast so wyld, e So goodly wonne with her owne will beguyld. e

Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586) Knight, soldier, coterie poet, patron

astrophil and stella Astrophil and Stella—sequence of 108 sonnets and 11 songs Penelope Devereux thought to be Stella Exploration of the lover's soul using well- established conventions but transforming them

astrophil and stella 52 Conceit of Love and Virtue arguing about Stella's allegiance Virtue concedes that she wears Love's device, but Virtue owns her self Martial imagery; legal language

A strife is grown between Virtue and Love, While each pretends that Stella must be his: Her eyes, her lips, her all, saith Love, do this, Since they do wear his badge, most firmly prove. But Virtue thus that title doth disprove: 5 That Stella (O dear name) that Stella is That virtuous soul, sure heir of heavenly bliss; Not this fair outside, which our hearts doth move. And therefore, though her beauty and her grace Be Love's indeed, in Stella's self he may 10 By no pretense claim any manner place. Well, Love, since this demur our suit doth stay, Let Virtue have that Stella's self; yet thus, That Virtue but that body grant to us.