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Literary Analysis #4/ Tumblr Post #4: Close Reading of Sonnet 138

Morgan Giuffre

Dr. Philippian

ENGL 36000: Shakespeare

5 November 2020

Literary Analysis #4/ Tumblr Post #4: Close Reading of Sonnet 138

           When we think about the word “Shakespearean sonnet”, many would think about the first word coming to mind being “love”. From an outside perspective, students are often taught of sonnets as being a 14 line poem about a romantic interest or the overall feeling of love. Although some Shakespearean sonnets reign true to that conception, Sonnet 138 discusses the hardships about love and trust or lack thereof in a relationship. Through the use of irony, Sonnet 138 discusses the comfortability of staying in a relationship that is filled with mutual deceit and untold truths.     

           To start, Sonnet 138 is about two partners who consistently lie to each other. Although each party is aware of the lies that each other share, they continue to foster a relationship over a bed of lies in order to continue to stay comfortable with the other. To elaborate, the lies throughout this poem appear big and small. For instance in line 1-2 the speaker says, “When my love swears that she is made of truth, I do believe her, though I know she lies”. The speaker is openly talking about their partner having an affair. This serves as a source of irony because the speaker is not responding in a way that we would expect them to in a current day situation. To not only know of the affair and the lies being told, but to gladly turn a blind eye to them is extremely ironic. The romantic nature of a sonnet also goes against the ironic nature of the poem. There is certainly nothing romantic about partners who do not effectively communicate with each other when there are issues like infidelity. In line 5-6 the speaker says, “Thus vainly thinking that she knows my days are past the best, Simply, I credit her false- speaking tongue”. The speaker is talking about his lying of his age to his partner. She clearly knows that he is older than he states that he is, however, she does not call him out on his lies as he does the same to her. This unhealthy nature of not being authentic with the other leads to the ironic nature of this “romantic sonnet”. The poem concludes with the speaker saying in lines 13-14, “Therefore I lie with her and she with me, And in our faults by lies we flattered be”. The speaker and his partner and trapped in their own web of lies and cannot escape from the realities of their surface level relationship. Both believe that lying is the only way out of correcting their wrong doings in the relationship. The speaker and his partner are entrapped in a vicious cycle of manipulation and deceit, the opposite of what happens in a healthy and loving relationship. Sonnet 138 takes a turn on what the idea of a Shakespearean sonnet should be and shows the downfalls that happen in a toxic relationship.

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Therefore I lie with her and she with me, And in our faults by lies we flatter’d be.

William Shakespeare (via snarkinson-blog)

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Sonnet for President Trump

Shall I compare thee to a Shakespeare play? Thou art less clever and less literate, But how else should poor poets have their say? Alas, our leader lacks a donkey’s wit! Sometime too fierce the fire of ego burns, And when a man is made to look a fool, He rages ’gainst the mockery he earns, As little boys will cry when teas’d at school. But thy eternal tantrums shall not wane, Nor shalt thou e’er unclench thy tiny fists, Nor listen when the people dare to say, “’Tis you, dear sir, who made a scene of this.”         So long as men can breathe and speech is free,         The Bard shall speak and show thy shame to thee.

(4 July 2017, in honor and defense of freedom of artistic expression)

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Literary Analysis #3: Shakespeare Sonnets

Morgan Giuffre

Dr. Philippian

ENGL 36000: Shakespeare

26 October 2020

Literary Analysis #3/ Tumblr Post #3: Shakespeare Sonnets

Paraphrase of Sonnet 130:

My partner’s eyes are nothing like the sun;

Her lips are not even close to as red as coral;

Her breasts are darker than the color of snow;

My partner’s hairs are like black wires standing on her head;

I have seen roses that are red and white,

But her cheeks are nothing like the roses I have seen;

And there are perfumes I have smelled that are lovely

But my partner’s breath reeks and is nothing like the smell of those perfumes.

I love to hear her speak, however

I know that music has a much more pleasant sound than her voice

I have never seen a goddess walk;

My partner stomps on the ground and does not walk gracefully at all

           And yet, my love for her is beyond special and rare

           As any poets have ever proclaimed in their poetry or women that could ever be compared.

 Sonnet 29:

           Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare is full of themes of misfortune, envy, and despair. Through the use of historic literacy, imagery, poetic language, and form, Shakespeare’s intention with crafting Sonnet 29 is not only cohesive with the themes previously mentioned, but provides clarity in regards to the entire message of the poem. To start, the poem talks about a man that is unhappy with what he has accomplished and is constantly comparing his life towards other people that he knows. The poem is rich with unique imagery that further conveys the inner battle that the speaker is dealing with. For instance, in lines 1-4 the speaker says, “When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state, And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries, And look upon myself and curse my fate”. In this part of the poem, we get a clear picture of the speaker wallowing in sadness or in other words his “bootless cries”. This paints a picture of the misfortunes that the speaker deals with compares to others. He essential prays and asks for mercy to what he claims a God that does not answer him. This further supports the theme of the poem as mentioned previously. Although the speaker talks about his life in a self pitying way, there is beautiful poetic language when he introduces us to his love. In line 11-12 the speaker says, “Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth sings hymns at heaven’s gate”. The speaker is using a simile comparing himself to a lark seeing the morning set. This shows the happiness he gets when he is met with his love. Sonnet 29 is also comprised in an iambic pentameter rhythm with ABABCDCDEFEFGG as the form, otherwise known as an English/ Shakespearian Sonnet. If we look closely at the poem, there is the problem with despair and comparing oneself throughout majority of the poem. We are offered with the solution during the last half of the poem. The last couplet of the sonnet the speaker talks about his love being the one thing in his life that he would not trade anything in the world for. This sonnet beautifully demonstrates the beauty of love picking oneself up from the hardships of life.

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Sonnet 29: When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes

(read by Carrie Fisher)

When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state, And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries, And look upon myself and curse my fate, Wishing me like to one more rich in hope, Featured like him, like him with friends possessed, Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope, With what I most enjoy contented least; Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising, Haply I think on thee, and then my state, (Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven’s gate;       For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings       That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

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found some charity shop gems 🌹

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Literary Analysis #2: Romantic Irony in Lanval

Morgan Giuffre

Dr. Philippian

Brit Lit 1

6 October 2020

Lit Analysis/ Tumblr Post #2

Romantic Irony of Lanval

           Marie de France’s Lanval was an innovative piece of medieval romance. Lanval could be argued as one of the first proto feminist works of its time. Lanval reverses the romantic theme of what is known as a “Prince Charming” and turns it on its head. To start, Lanval can be argued as being the damsel in distress throughout the whole piece. The story begins by introducing the main protagonist, Lanval. He was liked by many but not considered anything special, stating, “For his great valor, his largesse, his manly beauty. His prowess, he was much envied by most men; But if he’d met with some mischance, No day would that be for laments!” (21-26). Lanval is approached by two beautiful women while he is by himself in a meadow. The women are described as beautiful to Lanval claiming, “never had he seen more fairer women, ever!” (56). The women lead him to a tent to which an even more beautiful maiden awaits him. The two have sex and Lanval is told that in order to keep his relationship with her, he must keep it a secret no matter what. From then on, trouble ensues and Lanval is quickly deemed as a damsel in distress. The king’s wife, Guinevere, makes advances on him one night and when Lanval rejects her, he is accused of homosexuality. In an act of rebuttal Lanval accidentally mentions the maiden and claims her being fairer than any woman he’s met and immediately is full of remorse due to his past promise. Guinevere angrily tells the King that Lanval made unwanted advances towards her which forces Lanval to prove to the King that the maiden exists or he will be banished from the land. This puts Lanval in a vulnerable and helpless situation. It can be argued that Guinevere can be symbolized as the cunning nature that women can possess. In many romantic pieces of literature, women are never seen as having cunning and vengeful characteristics. Guinevere puts that misconception on its head when she lies to the King out of spite due to her being rejected by Lanval. Only Lanval’s maiden can save the day and rescue him from his situation, a complete spin on most romantic pieces written at that time. The story ends by the maiden arriving on a horse and rescuing Lanval from his fate. The poem states, “Into the palace rode the lady; none there had ever seen such beauty. Before the king she stepped down, then she was well seen by everyone. Dismounted, she let fall her cloak for better view by all the folk” (601-606). Normally, a woman would never have a grand entrance and save the day. This further supports the feminist narrative that can be seen in Lanval. The poem uses the word damsel a lot when describing the women but I would argue that Lanval has been the damsel this whole time. The only person that has the ability to free Lanval is his lady. Lanval is seen scrambling throughout the latter end of the story, nervous that his relationship with his lady is ruined and that he will be banished for speaking on it as well. When Lanval’s maiden arrives, she does so whilst on a horse which can further symbolize her being his knight in shining armor, a sense of irony being that he is a knight himself.  Lanval breaks down stereotypical patriarchal viewpoints through its sense of irony, symbolism, and the character Lanval himself.

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Lanval

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Literary Analysis #1: Poetic Connections in  Beowulf

Morgan Giuffre

Brit Lit 1

Dr. Philippian

17 September 2020

Literary Analysis #1/ Tumblr Post #1

Poetic Examples in Beowulf

     The epic poem, Beowulf serves as one of the forefronts of British Literature. It is one of the most widely known poems in Anglo- Saxon history and is said to have been the most heavily translated poems in English. Beowulf is distinct in its form and can be easily separated from the latter parts of English literature due to the many poetic components that easily resonate with Anglo- Saxon culture and poetry. Poetic devices such as alliteration, caesura, kennings, four- beat lines, no end line rhyme, and hyperbole make Beowulf not only unique in nature, but also as successful in modern teachings as it was originally in the middle ages.                                                    

     In poetry, alliteration can be used to enhance or otherwise highlight a specific part of the text in order to convey or indicate a deeper, more symbolic meaning. Beowulf often uses alliteration to exaggerate the scene’s imagery and further highlight what is already going on in the story. In lines 703-706 where the fight between Grendel and Beowulf is unraveling, we see very sharp and concise consonants, the text states

    “Then out of the night came the shadow-stalker, stealthy and swift. The hall guards were slack, asleep at their posts, all except one; it was widely  understood that as long as God disallowed it, the fiend could not bear them    into his shadow- bourne”

I believe that the use of alliteration highlights the stealth and precision that it takes to slay a monster like Grendel. I also believe that the use of the s consonant symbolizes an eerie, evil nature that Grendel possessed. One of the main themes throughout Beowulf is this battle between good vs evil. The constant use of the s sound could indicate that much like the terror that Grendel has been able to havoc on the town, the evil goes beyond him which is evident through his mother and the dragon later in the text.                                                                                                 

      Another literary component that is used in Beowulf is the use of a keening. In line 200, Beowulf describes his plan to help the people, stating that he will, “sail the swan’s road and seek out the king”. This keening could be inferred as his plan being one that is glorious and without plight. This keening could also foreshadow his success and bravery in his mission to being the hero that everyone desperately needed.                                                                                    

      Beowulf also includes numerous caesuras in order to maintain the four- beat lines rhythm and give the poem a chant- like feel. In lines 4-5 the text reads. “There was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes, a wrecker of mead- benches, rampaging among foes”. As mentioned previously, the caesura in tandem with the four- beat line rhythm create a chant- like beat that further accentuate the heroic story of Beowulf.                                                                                   

     Lastly, the use of hyperbole in the story can be seen when it is said in line 122-125 that Grendel was able to grab and kill thirty men on top of being able to drag each and every one of them back to his lair. It would be a nearly impossible feat to be able to kill thirty men whilst dragging each of their corpses back to his lair. This hyperbole can aid in making Grendel appear as monstrous as possible.

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“That was their way, their heathenish hope; deep in their hearts they remembered hell.”

literature posters; beowulf

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Grendel is a troll-like creature found in the poem Beowulf. Grendel is described as a troll-like creature covered in hair, with grey skin, and sharp teeth. Grendel was known to lurk in the countryside and ravage villages eating people whenever he could.  Grendel was eventually killed by Beowulf who used no weapons or wore any armor; instead he believed God gave him the strength to kill Grendel and he ripped off Grendel’s am mortally wounding him he then goes back to his cave where he dies of blood loss and Beowulf then fights and kills Grendel’ s Mother and then proceeds to cut off Grendel’s head and keeps it as a trophy.