Italian Sonnet by James DeFord
Within the poem, Italian Sonnet, James DeFord writes on behalf of a heart broken man longing for his lover to return. Throughout DeFord’s writing, poetic themes and overall observations are shown to help the reader better understand the emotion behind his work. In essence, readers are able to comprehend genre, the authors interpretation and the overall message found within this poem.
According to Ruth Miller and Robert A. Greenberg, writers of the book Poetry, “Genre refers to a mode of writing that follows certain literary rules or conventions that have come down to the poet through custom and use (Miller & Greenberg).” It is apparent that this authors poem can be categorized as a sonnet. A sonnet can be referred to as a fourteen-line poem ending with a couplet. Often seen, sonnets are used to describe the ultimate love and emotion found within a person. In DeFord’s writing he uses the protagonist’s emotions of waiting for his lover to exemplify emotions of lyrical poetry. Lyrical poetry enables readers and audiences alike to fully understands the hardships and emotions of the work through creating a bond between the character and
…show more content…
Many forms of imagery are shown to help the reader form an overall connection with the main character. As seen within the second half of the poem, DeFord relates his feelings to a wilted rose. DeFord’s use of a wilted rose demonstrates the hurt and despair that the protagonist is feeling. Also akin to a wilted rose, is the idea of rejection that the character is feeling by his mistress just as a lifeless rose is not wanted. Following DeFord’s use of a rose is the personification of kissing breath. DeFord’s personified use of the kissing breath shows the importance of love in one’s life. Breath, within itself, is vital for everyday living and bodily function just as love is a significant need in one’s
George Gascoigne’s sonnet, “For That He Looked Not upon Her,” portrays a sullen man, hurt by the woman he loved. Through the uses of form, diction, and imagery, the sonnet evokes a complex attitude in each quatrain elaborating on the stages of torment the speaker receives from his ex-lover. By using these literary devices, the speaker portrays the dangers of desire and the conflicts that arise from within it. Gascoigne conveys a solemn and melancholy complex attitude developed throughout the use of such literary devices. The attitude of the speaker, expressed through the form of the sonnet, explains the dangers of gazing at the woman who burned him.
The attitude of heartbreak and betrayal of the speaker caused by the woman is used to contrast the connotations of the words chosen to build on the irony. He describes the situation as "trustless"(6) and "grievous"(11) due to the anguish this woman causes. The speaker employs such words to make clear the influence that she has over his emotional state. The undertone of the poem, created by rhetoric, is pessimistic as well as resentful which contributes to the speaker's attitude towards the woman. The negative emotions of the how he feels contrasts to the emotions that this woman causes by describing "the gleams which on your face do grow" (4) and her "blazing eyes"(14). Through the use of positively connotated rhetoric when describing the physical beauty of the woman, the attitude of the speaker is established to indicate his conflicting mental state. The speaker creates images through the use of emotionally charged words to compare himself and how he feels about the woman to visual images of his
The poem’s structure as a sonnet allows the speaker’s feelings of distrust and heartache to gradually manifest themselves as the poem’s plot progresses. Each quatrain develops and intensifies the speaker’s misery, giving the reader a deeper insight into his convoluted emotions. In the first quatrain, the speaker advises his former partner to not be surprised when she “see[s] him holding [his] louring head so low” (2). His refusal to look at her not only highlights his unhappiness but also establishes the gloomy tone of the poem. The speaker then uses the second and third quatrains to justify his remoteness; he explains how he feels betrayed by her and reveals how his distrust has led him
The author uses diction throughout the poem to help the reader better understand how the speaker is feeling. For example, "It was hot. A size too large, my wool winter suit scratched" (lines 1-2) shows
Edna St. Vincent Millay’s “Sonnet IV” follows many of the conventions of the traditional Petrarchan sonnet. It follows the traditional rhyming scheme and octet, sestet structure. However it challenges the conventions of the typical subject of the Italian sonnet, unrequited love. In the octet at the beginning of the poem Millay uses images that give a sense of transience and in the ending sestet of the sonnet she contrasts the sense of impermanence given earlier with the idea that the speaker cannot forget the smiles and words of their ex-lover. This contrast between permanence and transience illustrates Millay’s interest in a fugacious relationship with everlasting memories. After further analysis of Millay’s highly structured rhyming scheme which puts emphasis on the last words of each line. She uses these words to further express her interest in exploring impermanent relationships by using words that are associated with an end or death.
In today’s modern view, poetry has become more than just paragraphs that rhyme at the end of each sentence. If the reader has an open mind and the ability to read in between the lines, they discover more than they have bargained for. Some poems might have stories of suffering or abuse, while others contain happy times and great joy. Regardless of what the poems contains, all poems display an expression. That very moment when the writer begins his mental journey with that pen and paper is where all feelings are let out. As poetry is continues to be written, the reader begins to see patterns within each poem. On the other hand, poems have nothing at all in common with one another. A good example of this is in two poems by a famous writer by
The use of symbolism and imagery is beautifully orchestrated in a magnificent dance of emotion that is resonated throughout the poem. The two main ideas that are keen to resurface are that of personal growth and freedom. Furthermore, at first glimpse this can be seen as a simple poem about a women’s struggle with her counterpart. However, this meaning can be interpreted more profoundly than just the causality of a bad relationship.
In this poem Character is used as the flower. An example for that would be “did you hear about that rose that grew from concrete”? This means that a rose grew from concrete rather than grass. This shows the theme because normally flowers would grow more in gardens or grass no in concrete. Another literary element of this poem would be mood, and an example of mood would be “Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else cared”.
Introduction: In the world of literature, poetry is among one of the best writings in which people can express their emotions in both a negative or positive attitude. Poetry tells a past, a present, and a future on how the mind perceives it. Poetry is very famous worldwide in talent. In different times poetry is expressed depending on any situation given.
poem is not merely a static, decorative creation, but that it is an act of communication between the poet and
The next stanza gives the reader a value statement as H.D. says “more precious, than a wet rose, single on a stem—you are caught in the drift” (stanza 2). In doing so she gives the reader a sense of how she perceives this battered and sparse rose, not as something that has lost
The sonnet, being one of the most traditional and recognized forms of poetry, has been used and altered in many time periods by writers to convey different messages to the audience. The strict constraints of the form have often been used to parallel the subject in the poem. Many times, the first three quatrains introduce the subject and build on one another, showing progression in the poem. The final couplet brings closure to the poem by bringing the main ideas together. On other occasions, the couplet makes a statement of irony or refutes the main idea with a counter statement. It leaves the reader with a last impression of what the author is trying to say.
The couplet of this sonnet renews the speaker's wish for their love, urging her to "love well" which he must soon leave. But after the third quatrain, the speaker applauds his lover for having courage and adoration to remain faithful to him. The rhyme couplet suggests the unconditional love between the speaker and his
The structure of this poem is rather notable. It mimics the structure of a Clare sonnet, fourteen lines, iambic pentameter, AABBCCDDEEFFGG rhyme scheme. Both Italian and Shakespearean sonnets tended to be love poems. However, the Clare sonnet doesn’t quite fit properly with either, it’s a touch more simplistic in nature, which lends this poem something akin to irony. This poem isn’t simply a love poem, it’s poem about the frustration of love along with being a cautionary tale. It has a more
In this essay will be discussed how imagery and symbolism, used within the poem “The Sick Rose” by William Blake, contributes to the themes of the poem which is love, sexuality, violence and mortality. Firstly, all the themes will be discussed in detail to their meaning within this “nursery – style” type of poem. Secondly, poetic devices such as apostrophe, personification and diction will be discussed to explain how these devices contribute to the imagery in the poem. Thirdly, symbolism and the type of symbolism used within the poem will be critically discussed in the context of the poem and the era in which the poem was written in. This will help better