Analysis Of Sonnet Xx III By Garcilaso De La Vega

The period of European history referred to as the Renaissance was a time of great social and cultural change in Europe. It spanned from the sixteenth to the seventeenth century, and was regarded as the rebirth of antiquity. It was a time in which learning was transformed, and became an age of daring experimentation.
Some of the most important literary figures in Spain’s history came from this golden period, one of them being the famous Garcilaso de la Vega. His sonnet, Sonnet XXIII, perhaps one of the most significant sonnets of this epoch, focuses on the relationship of beauty and time. The message is successfully conveyed through the careful use of structure and poetic devices. This particular poem is made up of two quatrains and two tercets, of which often provide the conclusion of the argument developed in the quatrain. Each line contains eleven syllables making this sonnet hendecasyllable which is Italian in origin and was widely used in the early modern period. Like most sonnets in the Romance language, Garcilaso’s sonnet is Petrarchan in form.
The flowers, “rosa y azucena” are metaphors that reflect her facial expression and appearance, for example, the pink colour from the rose reflects the sign of vivacity in the lady. It could also be interpreted that the rose is a sign of her hidden passion for him. The white lily is a reflection of her honesty, purity and innocence. Here, Garcilaso is comparing the lady to a flower, soft, gentle and delicate. The adjectives “ardiente, honesto” are used to describe her gaze which gives us a further insight as to what this woman is like. If she has a burning gaze, then it is without a doubt that she has passion, but she is also honest which is again, a depiction of her calmness