Introduction
Sonnet 75 is part of Edmund Spenser’s 89 sonnets about his wife, Elizabeth Boyle. The 89 short poems are collectively called Amoretti and were first published in 1595. Sonnet 75 carries the themes of love and time that seem to clash. The friction between the two themes is prominent as the speaker makes an effort to immortalize the mortal. The 14 line poem is rich in literary devices employing imagery, alliteration and symbolism, among others, to spice up the theme of love which Spenser tries to immortalize.
Poem Analysis
The poem has three distinct yet connected stanzas, each consisting of four lines and a summarizing couplet in lines 13 and 14. The first stanza is weaved into a lyrical voice as the speaker starts by writing her wife’s name on the strand, only for it to be washed away by the waves. As a show of determination and defiance to nature, he writes the name a second time and again, the tide erases it like the first one. The stanza depicts the speaker’s effort trying to immortalize his wife in vain. In the second quatrain, the lover responds to the speaker. She is rational as she reminds the persona that his are efforts in futility. She reminds him that she is mortal and cannot live forever; thus, it was pointless for him to try and immortalize her. In the third stanza, the persona responds, assuring the woman that she will live on through fame. The speaker also tells the woman that he will immortalize her through poems that “eternize her” (Byeon 282). The final quatrain is a summary of the poem’s message. The man says their love shall endure forever despite the briefness of life.
Literary Devices Utilized
The author employs several literary devices that make the poem appealing to the reader. These include imagery, alliteration, assonance, metaphors, symbolism, personification and rhyming. Imagery has been used to help readers visualize things presented metaphorically. The sand denotes time, while the waves represent nature and the seashore. The description invites the reader to visualize a seaside setting with sand upon which the persona scribbles the name of his beloved one. Edmund also achieves imagery using emotional feelings and sound images. Another literary device used is alliteration, which is achieved through the repetition of sounds in lines. Alliteration is the signature literary device employed throughout the poem. In line two, W sounds are apparent in the words “wave” and “washed. Others are “pain” and “prey” in line four, “devise” as well as “die” and “dust” in lines nine and ten. The style adds an audio element to the poem, thus making its reading musical.
Assonance is also used in the poem to complement alliteration. The vowel ‘a’ in lines one and two enriches the poem through the literary style of assonance. The author also utilizes metaphors when he says, “For I myself shall like to this decay”, which signifies death. Besides, in line one, Spencer metaphorically compares love’s mortality to the waves’ washing effect. The reader flows with the speaker as he makes an effort to immortalize love because they can connect through the metaphor. The author also uses a rhyming scheme of ABAB, BCBC, CDCD and EE for the four stanzas that creates a Spenserian sonnet of patterns. Moreover, the poem employs symbolism when the speaker writes the woman’s name on the sand as is a symbol of immortality. The waves and tides that wash away the written name are symbols of torture and challenges synonymous with life. Finally, personification is used when Spenser says, “But came the tide and made my pains his prey”. Therefore, the literacy devices utilized to enhance the flow and beauty of sonnet 75.
Theme and Essence of the Poem
Sonnet 75 is a love poem about a man who desired to have his lover remembered forever. The setting is at the seashore to signify perfect love. Seashores offer tranquillity, and the occasional water splashes and waves remind the reader of the absence of peace. It shows that love is subject to the forces of nature controlled by time. The man is cognizant of the fact that he and his lover will die someday. However, he seems determined to do something that would challenge death in some way. His solution is to use poetry in preserving what he values, and the wife comes out prominently. The speaker assures her lover that she will make her immortal through poetry. True to the author’s desire, Sonnet 75 continues to communicate his love for his wife. Therefore, the speaker tells the world that although humans are mortal beings, their deeds could outlive their brief earthly lives.
Conclusion
In summary, sonnet 75 is part of Edmund Spenser’s collection of sonnets dedicated to his wife, Elizabeth Boyle. The central theme of the poem is love that the persona desires to immortalize. Love clashes with nature, confirming that all mortals have a time limitation. While acknowledging the limitation, the author achieves his goal through the poem, managing to immortalize his wife. The poet utilizes several literary devices throughout the poem, such as imagery, alliteration, personification and symbolism. Thus, the poem encourages humans to use literary works to live beyond their limited time on earth.
Work Cited
Byeon, Jayson. “This verse that never shall expire”: Edmund Spenser’s Literary Consciousness and Confidence in Amoretti.” (2021): 273-286