Amoretti Sonnets - 34, 67, 77

 

IGNOU MEG-1 Block 2 Unit 10 : Amoretti Sonnets

Amoretti Sonnets - 34, 67, 77

The sonnet is fundamentally a short lyric, a stylised fourteen line poem that developed in Italy in the Middle Ages. 

There are broadly three styles of sonnets: 

1. the Petrarchan, which is the most common, consisting of an octave and a sestet; 

2. the Spenserian, which has four quatrains and a couplet, rhyming abab bcbc cdcd ee; and

3.  the Shakespearian, which follows the Spenserian line scheme of four quatrains and a couplet, but differs in its rhyme scheme (abab cdcd efef gg).

writing about love in English poetry that was fundamentally chivalric, based on feudal themes and ideas, and centered on the figure of the beloved as mistress of the poet.

Courtly Love:

There were several reasons for the emergence of this particular I . ideology of love. Medieval Europe in the early part of the last millennium was controlled by feuding war-lords, protected and su~~ounded by families of knigl~ts who owed allegiance entirely to their respective barons. One means of forming alliances amongst these lords was through~ marriages between their houses. These ma~riages of convenience meant that the lady of the castle was often not very close to the lord, and even neglected by her husband. Since the castle populations were predominantly male, with few women, the lady inevitably came to be the recipient of the amorous attention of the many knights and courtiers. The passions thus evoked were telus often to by the opposite demands of fidelity to the lord and desire for the beloved. 

 The entire sonnet sequence may be split roughly into three movements, or phases of passion:

1. The first section (sonnets 1-36) is largely in the mode of complaint, and sees the mistress as tyrannical and his own love as oppressive.

2. 
   

3.  The second section (sonnets 37-69) refigures the lover and his mistress in more exploratory, and therefore more with the lover appearing more aware of his mistress as self a Spenser's Poetry feeling, thinking and speaking subject of passion. 

4. 
   

5. The last section (sonnets 70-87) is  reversal of the first phase: it sees the poet-lover as successful in his amorous enterprise, and the terrells of relation change, toward the subordination of the mistress' desire and will of the lover.

Sonnet 34:

 

• Petrarch and type

• Idea of Be Loved as a star to guide him through the seas of life.

• Light is hidden from the cloud leaving rendering now in Dismay and darkness.

• He is hoping when the storm passes love will shine again as his guiding star.

 

 

Sonnet 67:

 

 

• Petrarch and plus elizabethan version

• Setting of hunting deer is beloved [she] Huntsman is the poet

 

 

Sonnet 77:

 

• Not patriarch but another Italian poet described by love’s breast as autumnal  fruits- legendary Golden apples, so Spencer tried to do the same

• This kind of description is not sexual or physical beauty for its own sake but to force a connection between physical beauty and spiritual

• It’s virtue it's very sacred

Sonnet 34: A Broken Promise

·         Theme: Disappointment and betrayal after a beautiful promise.

·         Imagery: Compares the beloved to a glorious sun promising a bright day, but clouds (her absence/denial) obscure it, leaving the poet lost and dismayed.

·         Key Idea: The poet feels led astray, wandering in darkness despite the expected joy, highlighting the pain of unmet expectations in love. 

Sonnet 67: The Hunt

·         Theme: The chase and eventual yielding in love.

·         Imagery: A huntsman (poet) pursuing a deer (beloved) through woods, eventually leading to the deer's gentle surrender to the hunter.

·         Key Idea: Explores the shift from resistance to willing consent, where the beloved transforms from prey into a gracious companion, symbolizing the power of love and trust. 

Sonnet 77: The Feast of Love

·         Theme: The consummation and sensory experience of fulfilled love.

·         Imagery: Love is depicted as a feast, something to be tasted, seen, and enjoyed, transforming abstract feelings into tangible delights.

·         Key Idea: The poet elevates love beyond mere feeling, making it a delightful, palpable experience, a joyful reward after the trials of the courtship. 

Context within Amoretti

·         These sonnets illustrate the progression of Spenser's courtship, moving from the initial tension (34), through the complex dynamics of pursuit (67), to the ultimate joy and fulfillment of love (77). 

 

You can check out my YouTube videos on the same topic where I have explained everything in Hindi in detail. Links are below-

Block-2 Undertaking A Study of Spenser

Renaissance

Edmund Spenser

Sonnet 34
Sonnet 67
Sonnet 77

Sonnet 34,67,77

Epithalamion & Prothalamion

Epithalamion 1/2

Epithalamion 2/2

Prothalamion

More related and helpful links in the description box of my YouTube channel.

Epithalamion and Prothalamion Summary & Analysis plus Notes

 IGNOU MEG-1 Block 2 Unit 11:
IGNOU MEG-1 Block-2 Undertaking A Study of Spenser

Unit 11: Epithalamion and Prothalamion

Nuptial songs

Both the wedding poems deal with the celebration of marriage

The term literally means 'at the bridal chamber', and earlier referred to the song sung in celebration of the bride's wedding night, literally at her bridal chamber. 'Prothalamion' is a term invented by Spenser, in order to differentiate his poem by that name from his own and earlier written bridal song, but the meaning remains essentially unchanged, with the prefix 'pro-' (or prior to) standing in for 'epi-' (or outside of). Written in 1594.

Differences:

While Spenser's own epithalamion carries elements of this eroticism, the Prothalamion is a qualitatively different poem, almost completely devoid of eroticism, and in fact, actually, little more than a thinly disguised complaint poem

significant and far-reaching differences in treatment, style and intent.

Where the Epithalamion is exuberantly sensual and consistent throughout its length in its themes, the Prothalamion is shorter, more pensive, and almost sedate in its pace. 

The later poem makes no attempt to elaborate on the wedding, or the festivities that follow, or the wedding night, as did the Epithalamion.

instead it confines itself to describing the bridal procession down the river Thames, leading up to Essex house where the wedding will be solemnised, 

The refrain, such as it is, shows far less variation than in the Epithalamion, rendering the poem somewhat stilted and wooden.

Epithalamion:

The poem is in 24 stanzas, representing the hours of the day, with a total of 365 long lines of five feet or more (in prosodic terms), representing the days of the year

 The poem draws together the universal and the temporal, the idea of a love that is divine and transcendental with a more earthy, sensual love.

Epithalamion described the wedding day itself and the events leading to it, and also celebrated the sexual union of the married couple. In this sense, it was usually also an erotic poem or song.

Refrain: 'The woods shall answer me and my Echo ring.'

 refrain itself I change qualitatively from stanza 17 onward, when it becomes negative: 'The woods no more shall answer, nor your echo ring.'matches the number of hours of daylight and dark, respectively

 The poem begins with the traditional invocation to the muses.

Pastoral Setting

Christian ideas and beliefs and local folklore

1 - The first is from stanza 1 to stanza 8, which set out the poems purpose, its means of accomplishing it and the pastoral setting of the event; 

2 - the second is from stanza 9 to stanza 13, which eulogise his beloved's beauty as she wakes up, is adjoined arid then enters the 'temple' or church for the wedding and the wedding itself:, 

3 - the third is from stanza 14 to stanza 17, which are about the celebrations after the wedding and the poet-bridegroom's impatience to be alone with his bride; t

4 - stanza 18 to stanza 24, which express the poet-bridegroom's fears and anxieties and then seek the blessings of all the6ods for their union.

Prothalamion:

a Spenserian neologism written in 1596. 10 Stanzas. Short poem. Pensive, sedate paced. Pastoral setting on the bank of river thames

 written on the occasion of the wedding of Elizabeth and Catherine Somerset, daughters of Edward Somerset, the Earl of Worcester, on 8 November 1596. The wedding was finalised at the Strand in London, in Essex house. Cpeiiser was once sponsored by the Earl of Essex, a relative of the Somersets

elaborate allegorical structure, in which the two brides are likened to beautiful swans that sail down the river.

This sense of unhappiness arising out of unsatisfied career prospects is repeated 

Poem is as much about the poet's sense of unhappiness as it is about the wedding 

Similarities:

Pastoral setting

Refrain 

Invokes pagan gods to bless the couples and guard them from all ills.

Block-2 Undertaking A Study of Spenser  

 

Epi & pro –

 

Epi stanza wise summary - https://www.gradesaver.com/spensers-amoretti/study-guide/summary-epithalamion-stanzas-1-through-12

An epithalamion is a poem celebrating a wedding, and Edmund Spenser's famous 1595 version details his own marriage to Elizabeth Boyle, following the wedding day from dawn's invocation of Muses, through the bride's preparation and church ceremony, blending classical myths with Christian praise, to the hopeful anticipation of consummation and prayers for fertility, creating a hopeful and celebratory vision of marriage and family. 

Key Elements of Spenser's "Epithalamion":

·         Structure: 24 stanzas, one for each hour of the wedding day, following the progression from morning to night.

·         Narrative Flow: Begins with waking the bride, invokes nymphs and gods for adornment, describes the church procession and ceremony, and ends with blessings for the couple's future children.

·         Themes: Joy, chastity, love, nature's beauty, fertility, and the sacredness of marriage.

·         Style: Blends classical mythology (Greek/Roman gods, nymphs) with Christian language, using figures like Hymen (god of marriage) and prayers for offspring.

·         Emotional Tone: Hopeful, joyful, and celebratory, moving from public praise to private anticipation. 

In essence:

Spenser's "Epithalamion" is a detailed, lyrical wedding song that elevates a personal event into a universal celebration of love, beauty, and the fruitful union of man and woman, marking the culmination of his Amoretti sonnets.

 

Pro stanza summary - https://shaiderenglish.wordpress.com/2022/06/29/prothalamion/

Prothalamion by Edmund Spenser is a pastoral wedding song celebrating the double marriage of two Somerset sisters, set along the River Thames, where nymphs gather flowers and adorn swans, symbolizing the brides, while Spenser praises their beauty, invokes blessings, and hopes for future prosperity for the couples and England, all under the famous refrain, "Sweet Thames, run softly, till I end my song". 

Key Elements of the Poem:

·         Occasion: A "preliminary nuptial song" for the weddings of Elizabeth and Katherine Somerset in 1596.

·         Setting: The calm, beautiful banks of the River Thames, a symbol of English prosperity.

·         Characters: The poet (Spenser), nymphs (nature spirits), two brides, and their bridegrooms.

·         Imagery: Nymphs gathering flowers (violets, lilies, roses) for crowns, two white swans (representing the brides) adorned with garlands, and classical allusions (Jove, Leda).

·         Themes: Celebration of marriage, nature's harmony, beauty, purity, and the hope for national prosperity linked to these unions.

·         Structure: A conventional marriage song with a recurring refrain. 

Summary of Events:

1.    Setting the Scene: Spenser describes a beautiful, calm day on the Thames.

2.    Nymphs & Flowers: He sees nymphs collecting flowers to make bridal garlands.

3.    The Swans: Two beautiful white swans appear, representing the brides, and are adorned with flowers.

4.    Blessings: The nymphs lead the swans to their awaiting grooms, and Spenser offers blessings for love and happiness, invoking gods like Cupid and Venus.

5.    London & Essex: The scene moves to London, praising the Earl of Essex (whose home is nearby) and connecting the weddings to England's glory.

6.       Conclusion: The poet finishes his song, hoping the Thames flows gently until his praise is complete. 

Diff & similarity in epi & pro – my notes

Sonnet 34,67,77 –summary – my notes + Spenser's Amoretti Sonnets 34, 67, and 77 depict phases in his courtship: Sonnet 34 shows the beloved's broken promise (a cloudy, disappointing day), Sonnet 67 uses a hunting metaphor (the poet as hunter, the lady as deer, leading to surrender), and Sonnet 77 celebrates the consummation of love, treating it like a delicious, tangible feast for the senses. These sonnets, part of the Amoretti cycle, chronicle the poet's journey from frustration and pursuit to joyful union with his beloved, Elizabeth Boyle, using rich natural and allegorical imagery. 

You can check out my YouTube videos on the same topic where I have explained everything in Hindi in detail. Links are below-

Block-2 Undertaking A Study of Spenser

Renaissance

Edmund Spenser

Sonnet 34
Sonnet 67
Sonnet 77

Sonnet 34,67,77

Epithalamion & Prothalamion

Epithalamion 1/2

Epithalamion 2/2

Prothalamion

More related and helpful links in the description box of my YouTube channel.

Renaissance - Block 2 Unit 8

  IGNOU MEG-1 Block 2 Unit 8:

Renaissance :

• Social, political, religious and cultural forces. Classical literature plus arts

• First evidences in Italy in 14th century following the fall of Constantinople to the Turks in 1493

• Began to be felt in England only about the end of 15th century

•  New humanist learning and ideology majorly in upper class

• But for a long time it remained without impact on the literature and art of England. This was primarily because the English language was as yet immature, socially and politically without power. 

• First full impact of the renaissance in English literature came with the translation of Latin and Italian verse into English by poets like Wyatt and Surrey,

• Invention of Printing press played  a major role in emergence of renaissance

• Because of the distance from Italy , the renaissance in England was never as profoundly an elitist phenomenon

• Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament was, however, not very accessible and his followers

• Not to be confused with reformation [refers to the various and often bloody and violent movements against the Roman Catholic church, that spread over Continental Europe through the foul-teenth and fifteenth centuries, demanding large scale reforms in its beliefs and e,cclesiastical practices. le. It was led by figures like Martin Luther (1483-1546) and John Calvin (1509-64) but was preceded by reformers like St. Francis, Peter Waldo, John Huss, and John Wycliffe]

• England had had primarily an agrarian and feudal socio-economic structure, but plague, population growth. shortage of labor proved a blessing to many peasants, who managed to sell their labor at a premium, and eventually to rise above their class and form a new class of landed folk called 'yeomen' or small farmers, Many large landholders converted their land into sheep pasture because of the lack of labor, leading to land enclosures and the abandonment of many villages. This in turn led to the dramatic development of the wool industry.

• Artisan, Crafts people, spread of literacy, social and economic uplift. Sheep rearing, cloth industry

• This was the time  England was growing as a naval and commercial power, and its merchant and trading ships had traveled all over the world.

Courtier poets, Court Politics :

Most of the well -known poetry of the period was written by courtiers, or by highly educated gentlemen, and was rarely published. Poetry was written more for a small circle of friends and others of similar raak, addressed to a nobleman usually, 12 following the practice of patronage by the nobility

Most of these poets were unwilling to offer their own work and themselves as worthy of acknowledgement in these terms. They instead invariably offered apologies for their work, blanling it on the passions of love or a lack of suitable employment, often promising never to repeat their 'pretensions' to poetry again.

conceptions of poetry so much as against their actual poetic work, which they felt was likely to be mocked, and in turn, they themselves as poets. m poetry was merely an indulgence, about which they remained largely defensive. potentially threatening to their social status.

This may be made clearer through the following lines from Sidney's Sonnet 34, addressed to his beloved 'Stella': 

What idler thing than speak and not be heard? 

What harder thing than smart and not to speak'? 

Peace, foolish wit! With wit illy wit is mair'd. 

Thus writc I, while I doubt to write, and wrack 

My harm in ink's poor. loss.. . . 

Great artist of Renaissance :

 

• Leonardo da Vinci (1452-5019) 

• Michelangelo (1475-1564)

• Rafael (1483-1520)

• Titian (1488-1576)

• Donatello (1386-1466)

 

 

Political thinkers of Renaissance:

 

• Niccolo Michiavelli (1469-1527)

• Thomas Moore (1478-1535)

 

 

Scientist of Renaissance:

 

• Nicholas Copreneurs (1473-1543)

• Paris tailors (1493-1541)

• Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

• Galileo (1564-1642)

• Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)

 

 

Theology and philosophy:

 

• Martin Luther King (1483-1546)

• Erasmus (1466-1536) [Prince of Humanism]

 

 

Impact of Renaissance on: 

 

1. Humanism 

2. Secularism 

3. Printing  press 

4. Artistic 

5. Economic

6. Printing press 

7. Religious

 

You can check out my YouTube videos on the same topic where I have explained everything in Hindi in detail. Links are below-

Block-2 Undertaking A Study of Spenser

Renaissance

Edmund Spenser
Sonnet 34
Sonnet 67
Sonnet 77
Sonnet 34,67,77
Epithalamion & Prothalamion
Epithalamion 1/2
Epithalamion 2/2
Prothalamion

More related and helpful links in the description box of my YouTube channel.

 

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