My Galley Summary Lines 1 9 My galley

  • Slides: 29
Download presentation
My Galley

My Galley

Summary Lines 1 -9 My galley, chargèd with forgetfulness, Thorough sharp seas in winter

Summary Lines 1 -9 My galley, chargèd with forgetfulness, Thorough sharp seas in winter nights doth pass 'Tween rock and rock; and eke mine en'my, alas, That is my lord, steereth with cruelness; And every owre a thought in readiness, As though that death were light in such a case. An endless wind doth tear the sail apace Of forced sighs and trusty fearfulness. A rain of tears, a cloud of dark disdain,

Lines 10 -14 Hath done the weared cords great hinderance; Wreathèd with error and

Lines 10 -14 Hath done the weared cords great hinderance; Wreathèd with error and eke with ignorance. The stars be hid that led me to this pain; Drownèd is Reason that should me comfort, And I remain despairing of the port. .

Analysis

Analysis

The sonnet is a translation of Petrarch’s sonnet 189. The poem is constructed around

The sonnet is a translation of Petrarch’s sonnet 189. The poem is constructed around an extended metaphor of a dangerous voyage which represents a spurned love or loss of faith in an important union or relationship. The metaphor has been interpreted to suggest that the narrator feels deserted by God: ‘and eke mine enemy, alas, /That is my lord, steereth with cruelness.

However, the fact that the poem is a translation of an idea that originated

However, the fact that the poem is a translation of an idea that originated with Petrarch is not a reason to dismiss the ideas as other than Wyatt’s own. Recognized chiefly for bringing the Petrarchan sonnet form to English Literature, Wyatt nonetheless selected the poems, which he then translated with his own style, tone and emphasis. The extended metaphor of the tempestuous voyage as representative of a turbulent relationship is a clever choice for a courtier who spent much time traveling overseas as part of his ministerial duties on behalf of the King.

The idea of the religious despair in the line quoted above becomes less clear

The idea of the religious despair in the line quoted above becomes less clear when we realize that Wyatt did not regularly use capital letters to denote personification, and therefore we cannot be sure whether his ‘lord’ is referring to God, or another ruler of the narrator’s destiny. If the narrator speaks as Wyatt, then his ‘lord’ would be his king, Henry VIII.

Wyatt did have crises of confidence in the bond between himself and his king.

Wyatt did have crises of confidence in the bond between himself and his king. The complexity of the triangle of Wyatt, Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII would in itself provide a possible scenario for the jeopardy and despair of the tumultuous expedition. However, the metaphor could also symbolize Wyatt’s many dangerous voyages across Europe as a diplomat and ambassador for the Tudor court. There may also be a more personal interpretation in the danger which Wyatt felt as part of the Tudor court during Henry’s reign.

He was imprisoned twice, held captive and witnessed the execution of his former mistress

He was imprisoned twice, held captive and witnessed the execution of his former mistress and Henry VIII’s wife, Anne Boleyn. The Tudor court was a dangerous place, as challenging to navigate and survive as the unforgiving oceans.

The oars in line 5 represent his emergency measures. As these are ‘a thought

The oars in line 5 represent his emergency measures. As these are ‘a thought in readiness’ the suggestion is that the narrator will rely on his wit to try to escape the impending danger. There is a deep irony here as the various levels of the poem suggest that its topic of the instability of court life would require a great wit to negotiate it safely, and a great wit to compose a poem about such a dangerous and sensitive subject. Indeed the lives of courtiers were treated lightly, and Wyatt did well to live as long as he did.

The depth of the narrator’s grief is highlighted by the storm created by ‘forced

The depth of the narrator’s grief is highlighted by the storm created by ‘forced sighs’. This metaphor suggests that the atmosphere of court is what challenges the direction of the Tudor rule. Continuing this idea, the rain of tears and clouds of distain create a potentially disastrous storm, just as the changing allegiances and directions of Henry VIII in his political and social actions variously jeopardized his monarchy

. It is the discontent, fear and anguish which is loosing the rigging, implying

. It is the discontent, fear and anguish which is loosing the rigging, implying that the metaphorical galley is weakening as the monarch loses his grip.

The last four lines indicate that due to ignorance and mistakes, the ‘stars’ have

The last four lines indicate that due to ignorance and mistakes, the ‘stars’ have become obscured; the guiding light is lost. Wyatt and King Henry VIII’s relationship was strained at points where Henry’s passions overtook his political sense and direction. Similarly, they had been close, and Wyatt had been instrumental in advocating for his monarch I Europe, however, when ‘reason’ was no longer his friend, the narrator was cast adrift.

farewell love (Summary and analysis )

farewell love (Summary and analysis )

Summary Lines 1 -4 Farewell, Love, and all thy laws for ever: Thy baited

Summary Lines 1 -4 Farewell, Love, and all thy laws for ever: Thy baited hooks shall tangle me no more. Senec and Plato call me from thy lore, To perfect wealth my wit for to endeavour.

Lines 5 -14 In blind error when I did persever, Thy sharp repulse, that

Lines 5 -14 In blind error when I did persever, Thy sharp repulse, that pricketh aye so sore, Hath taught me to set in trifles no store, And scape forth, since liberty is lever. Therefore farewell, go trouble younger hearts, And in me claim no more authority; With idle youth go use thy property, And thereon spend thy many brittle darts. For, hitherto though I've lost my time, Me lusteth no longer rotten boughs to climb.

Lines 9 -14 In the final sestet, the poet takes his leave of Love,

Lines 9 -14 In the final sestet, the poet takes his leave of Love, directing it to ‘younger hearts’. He claims that Love no longer has any authority over him, and suggests it takes its offerings to the young and lazy. In line 12 he suggests that Love uses up its fragile arrows, as although he has lost time over Love, he will no longer climb rotten branches to reach his goal.

Analysis

Analysis

It is important to remember that Wyatt’s use of punctuation was limited and sporadic.

It is important to remember that Wyatt’s use of punctuation was limited and sporadic. He did not capitalize to indicate personification, so later editors capitalized ‘Love’. It is still likely, however, that love is being personified here. In renouncing the ‘laws’ of love, the poet is rejecting the rules of court and society as well as the emotional effects of intense relationships.

The metaphor of ‘baited hooks’ works as an allegory for fishing, but also presents

The metaphor of ‘baited hooks’ works as an allegory for fishing, but also presents an oxymoron in the ‘bait’ being the pleasure and the ‘hook’ being the painful consequence of the former.

By the third line, the poet tells us that he is now drawn to

By the third line, the poet tells us that he is now drawn to more cerebral concerns, namely studying the philosophies of Plato and Seneca was commonly studied at universities in Tudor times. As a Stoic, Seneca asserted that there were three choices of how to live; a life of theory, a life of politics and a life of pleasure. Here the poet is advocating leaving pleasure behind to focus on a more ‘perfect wealth’ of education and politics. It is possible to read ‘perfect’ as a verb as well as a noun; and this interpretation would imply that the poet is to devote his time to greater study and self-improvement.

He explains in line 5 how he was forced into ‘blind error’, implying that

He explains in line 5 how he was forced into ‘blind error’, implying that he has been blinded by love to make poor choices. The reader may be reminded of the lines from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice – ‘But love is blind and lovers cannot see The pretty follies that themselves commit’ (Act II Scene 6)

However, Shakespeare did not compose these lines until 1596. It is likely that theory

However, Shakespeare did not compose these lines until 1596. It is likely that theory of blinding love had circulated in popular consciousness before Shakespeare immortalized the words.

The narrator was pricked by the cruel insults and feels he was instructed in

The narrator was pricked by the cruel insults and feels he was instructed in things he now considers pointless. In line 8 the narrator explains that he has escaped, devoting himself to freedom which extracts him from the bonds of love. He tells love to seek out ’younger hearts’, indicating more naïve and innocent lovers who have yet to develop the cynicism he now feels.

He is relieved by line 10, as he realizes that Love no longer has

He is relieved by line 10, as he realizes that Love no longer has power and authority over him. He directs Love to the young who are less busy on other affairs (we know Wyatt himself had an extensive political portfolio as part of the court) to share the wealth of love with them. He suggests that Love uses its ‘brittle darts’ on these more vulnerable prey as, although he has lost time in his pointless dalliance with Love, he has learned to not pursue a pointless objective, which is illustrated in the metaphor forming the last line of the poem – ‘Me list no longer rotten boughs to clime.

The poet’s message may intentionally be conveyed to others at court, pointing out that

The poet’s message may intentionally be conveyed to others at court, pointing out that the various relationships and complications within the social environment of the court often distracted officials from their true courtly duties. The point may perhaps even have been directed at Henry VIII himself, as indeed his sexual desires and changes of attentions led to deaths, charges of treason and even major changes of law to facilitate the king’s desires.

The Difference Between the Two Poems

The Difference Between the Two Poems

"In My Galley", Thomas Wyatt was despairing from life because of the calamities that

"In My Galley", Thomas Wyatt was despairing from life because of the calamities that he faced. And he thought that suicide is better for him. As for, the second poem "Farewell Love", his mistress Anne Boleyn caused him sorrow and pain by betraying him. Then he is separated from her and decided that freedom is better than being in love. In other words, the first poem was talking about his problems with himself, and the second was about his problems with others.