thomas wyatt

Thomas Wyatt reference to context

(a) The long love that .......... with bold pretence.

REFERENCE

(i) Poem: The Long Love that in my Thought doth Harbour

(ii) Poet: Sir Thomas Wyatt

CONTEXT

(i) Occurrence: Start of the Poem (Lines 1-3/14)

(ii) Content:

Love is lasting and resides in a heart. The poet is besotted in love, to the point that it shows on his face and he is just a fool overwhelmed by it all. Love has taken control of his thoughts. The object of his love, a woman, is turned off by is silly exuberance and reveres more substantial love. Anyway, love grows angry because his lust is not satisfied and retreats back into his lair, the poet's heart; where it is safe to experience pain and cry. The poet considers love his master, one who is control of his senses. He concludes that loving is life and it ends faithfully too.

EXPLANATION

In these lines the poets says that love harbours in thoughts, resides in heart and appears on face. The poet gives love the adjective of "long". Looking at the Oxford definition of long, it doesn't just mean an elongated shape; but also means lasting a great amount of time or relatively great in extent. Looking at it that way, the poet is telling us that his love is lasting and vast. Then he says that love harbours in thoughts. "Harbour" means keeping a thought or feeling in one's mind, especially secretly. The love that harbours in thoughts resides in the poet's heart. The word "his" suggests that the poet has personified love as a male. The love that resides in his heart is able to press against his face boldly and give away his emotions. The phrase "with bold pretence" likens the male lover's actions to that of the actions of a warrior who is making an audacious claim and therefore showing off his presence by utilizing the banner.

(b) It it be yea, .......... and yours no more.

REFERENCE

(i) Poem: Yea or Nay

(ii) Poet: Sir Thomas Wyatt

CONTEXT

(i) Occurrence: End of the Poem (Lines 9-12/12)

(ii) Content:

The poet challenges his lady to decide whether she is accepting of his suit. He pleads her to give up her trick and rely instead on her wit to impress him and show her true worth. He expresses that he burns with passion, and requests that if she has any compassion for him, she would tell him clearly, yes or no. He says that he will be happy with the answer yes, but if she says no, they will return to being friends as they were before. She will then be free to move on to get herself a new man, and the poet will be independent again, and no longer possessed by the lady.

EXPLANATION

In these lines the poet wants to get a clear cut answer from his beloved about their relationship to determine the course of their lives. The poet says that if her lady agrees to his suit, then he will be "fain" i.e. happy. Of course, a clever pun has been used here as the homophone "feign" means false, and it would be difficult to tell the two words apart without seeing the written word. If the poet is rejected, he says that they will return to being friends as they were before. There is no implication the he will be destroyed by grief or will mourn forever; the result will be undramatic. The poet callously implies that the lady will move on to anther lover. He, however, will be content to be "mine own" - his own man. His final words show that he will be relieved to no longer be owned by the lady. His freedom sounds much more appealing than her return to the fakery of courtly relationships with her beloved.