Poems (Igcse)
Lit – Poems
What Thing Is Love? (George Peele)
George Peele was an English dramatist, born in 1556. He led a reckless life and died of small pox. The poem ‘What thing is love’ was written in 1580’s and is in some ways against love. According to him love is more of a sting then hurt but yet a pretty thing. He says that one should not love as women can hurt you with love – Love’s dwelling is in ladies’ eyes, From whence do glance love’s piercing darts (Cupid’s arrows i.e. Roman God of love), That make such holes into our hearts.
It is a prick, it is a sting, it is a pretty, pretty thing; It is a fire, it is a coal, Whose flame creeps in at every hole.
Peele compared to Thomas Nashe and Christopher Marlowe
The Flee From Me, That Sometime Did Me Seek (Sir Thomas Wyatt)
Sir Thomas Wyatt expresses that the girls who earlier used to be attracted to him are now all leaving him. He remembers the good times which have gone. He first thought it was a dream but it was the hard truth. In the end it seems as if he is accepting that his ficklessnes (newfangleness) is one cause of this. “But since that I so kindly am served, I fain would know what she hath deserved. “Has used animalist imagery; describes the past women in his life as wild. “I have seen them, gentle, tame, and meek, That now are wild, and do not remember That sometime they put themselves in danger To take bread at my hand;” Sonnet 61 (Michael Drayton) This is a petrarchan sonnet (Male POV) with an Iambic Pentameter (5 feet – stressed/unstressed syllable in each line) with metric shifts (Change in gender????). Michael Drayton wrote this when the girl he loved – Annie, married Henry Rainford and did not even tell him. He is confused as different emotions whirl inside him. He did not want their relationship to end, but now feels they must go separate ways. “Since there’s no help, come let us kiss and part;” “Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows, And when we meet at any time again, Be it not seen in either
What Thing Is Love? (George Peele)
George Peele was an English dramatist, born in 1556. He led a reckless life and died of small pox. The poem ‘What thing is love’ was written in 1580’s and is in some ways against love. According to him love is more of a sting then hurt but yet a pretty thing. He says that one should not love as women can hurt you with love – Love’s dwelling is in ladies’ eyes, From whence do glance love’s piercing darts (Cupid’s arrows i.e. Roman God of love), That make such holes into our hearts.
It is a prick, it is a sting, it is a pretty, pretty thing; It is a fire, it is a coal, Whose flame creeps in at every hole.
Peele compared to Thomas Nashe and Christopher Marlowe
The Flee From Me, That Sometime Did Me Seek (Sir Thomas Wyatt)
Sir Thomas Wyatt expresses that the girls who earlier used to be attracted to him are now all leaving him. He remembers the good times which have gone. He first thought it was a dream but it was the hard truth. In the end it seems as if he is accepting that his ficklessnes (newfangleness) is one cause of this. “But since that I so kindly am served, I fain would know what she hath deserved. “Has used animalist imagery; describes the past women in his life as wild. “I have seen them, gentle, tame, and meek, That now are wild, and do not remember That sometime they put themselves in danger To take bread at my hand;” Sonnet 61 (Michael Drayton) This is a petrarchan sonnet (Male POV) with an Iambic Pentameter (5 feet – stressed/unstressed syllable in each line) with metric shifts (Change in gender????). Michael Drayton wrote this when the girl he loved – Annie, married Henry Rainford and did not even tell him. He is confused as different emotions whirl inside him. He did not want their relationship to end, but now feels they must go separate ways. “Since there’s no help, come let us kiss and part;” “Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows, And when we meet at any time again, Be it not seen in either