Introduction
“Whoso List to Hunt” is a Petrarchan sonnet written by Sir Thomas Wyatt in the 16th century. In his work, Sir Thomas Wyatt intertwines some of the most fundamental human emotions and traits, such as love, lust, and power, creating a single piece that addresses all those who find themselves in a similar pursuit of romance.
This literary analysis will explore how the author uses artistic expression to create the whole image of a futile love chase. In Wyatt’s sonnet, the metaphor of the hunt, irony, allusion to the biblical text, and symbolism harmoniously convey the poet’s exploration of unrequited love, emphasizing the challenges and emotional toll of pursuing unattainable desires.
The Theme of Hunt
The whole sonnet is an extended metaphor in which the lyrical hero is depicted as a hunter seemingly trying to catch a deer but fails to do so. The deer is his object of lust, and the whole process is presented to the reader as a fruitless, useless attempt to attain what was and will remain unattainable. To incorporate the theme into his work, the author uses specific imagery.
The title and the beginning lines read: “whoso list to hunt,” visualizing the act of hunting (Wyatt line 1). “Whoso” is an archaic word meaning “whoever,” while “list” means “desire” or “wish (Wyatt line 1). With this phrasing, the poet addresses those who, like him, choose to go after their object of desire. He also calls the chased woman a “hind,” which means a female deer (Wyatt line 1). A deer does not want to and cannot be caught, while the chaser is obsessed with catching it.
Irony
The hero knows that his search is meaningless, and the author uses irony to show how he, recognizing it, keeps his attempts to find the impossible. The irony is used in the sonnet in many ways: at the beginning of the text, the author invites others to pursue the beloved. However, it becomes clear that the poem is a warning rather than an invitation to do the same as the character did. The poet also uses Caesar to compare with the person to whom the woman belongs (Wyatt line 13).
The speaker acknowledges that he is in no position to fight against Caesar’s power and status, being ironic about his initial belief that he was capable of this kind of competition. Finally, the author finishes the poem by saying, “And wild for to hold, though I seem tame” (Wyatt line 14). In this final line, Wyatt is ironic about the traditional notion of pursuing love ardently, as the character decides to take an opposite path and withdraw from the hunt.
Allusion to Biblical Text
In the text, the writer uses an allusion to biblical text. The Latin phrase “Noli me tangere” applies an allusion to the story of Mary Magdalene and Jesus (Wyatt line 13). In the original context, it conveys a sense of sanctity and unattainability of Jesus and Mary Magdalene’s inability to touch him. The speaker elevates his beloved one to a similar status of unattainability and suggests that she is beyond the reach of earthly desires. On the other hand, this exact phrase may serve as a warning to those who might be in comparable circumstances and are about to fall into a chase. It is a barrier, discouraging others from pursuing the woman, much like a “keep out” sign. Therefore, the allusion serves both as a way to characterize the prize of the quest and to avert others from trying to win it.
Symbolism
Symbols are the most critical part of Wyatt’s work: they intensify the reader’s perception of the character’s struggles. The hind as a symbol has several meanings, all characterizing the goal of the pursuer. On the one hand, it has attributes such as grace, beauty, and purity. These traits show how the speaker views his loved one and his idealization of her. On the other hand, hinds are challenging to get, which means they are also symbols of inaccessibility.
The same effect is achieved by making the animal Caesar’s property. This symbolizes the powerful protection the woman is under and the inability to break this shield. The hunter’s weariness is also symbolic: the lines “The vain travail hath worn me so sore” (Wyatt line 3) and “Fainting I follow” (Wyatt line 9) vividly convey the speaker’s physical and emotional exhaustion in his pursuit. The figurative depiction of these ideas creates a cohesive image of the pain of non-reciprocity.
Conclusion
In his sonnet “Whoso List to Hunt,” Wyatt unites the themes of love, desire, power, and resignation through the use of hunting, irony, biblical allusions, and symbolism. He alludes to historical figures such as Caesar, Jesus, and Magdalene to create necessary analogies. With these means, Sir Thomas Wyatt prompts readers to contemplate the complexities of pursuing unattainable infatuation.
Work Cited
Wyatt, Sir Thomas. “Whoso List to Hunt”. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web.