Edmund Spenser, sonnets

EDMUND SPENSER

Spenser is almost the opposite of Philip Sidney. He is the son of tailor (sarto). He was born in

1552, so he’s two years older than Sidney. He’s born in London and he studied in Cambrige

University.

Traditionally Oxford was a catholic university and Cambridge was closer to protestantism. Than

he return in London when he will discovered Phili Sidney. He get to know the Earl of Leister

(pronounced Lester), who is Sidney’s uncle, the brother of Sidney’s mother. And thank to

Sidney’s unce Spenser gets in touch with the court and he gets to know queen Elisabeth. From

1580 and for the most part of his life he will live in Ireland: he will be Secretary of the

Government.

In 1589 he comes back to London after years of professional exile, but he will be so disappointed

of the atmosphere and the people he will meet that he will never come back to London anymore.

He starts writing in Ireland from his masterpiece “The Faerie Queene”. It is a poem devoted to

the Queen of the Fairies, so to Elisabeth I. It’s not completed. It’s an allegorical poem, full of

metaphores (it’s written obscurely ).

(it’s his second marriage).

In 1594 he marries Elisabeth Boyle At age 42 he gets married for the

second time and he writes Amoretti.

In 1595 he pubblished Amoretti, which is a collection of 89 sonnets. Some critics say that those

89 sonnets are 89 days of 1594.

In 1599 he dies in London, he is recorded in Westminster and the inscription on his grave says:

“The prince of poetry in his time”.

AMORETTI

As much as for Astrophil and Stella, we can devide this collection in 3 parts:

- First part: from sonnet 1-9 is a part in which Spenser praises his beloved one;

- Second part: from sonnet 10-58. This sonnets have to do with complaining and bleaming;

- Third part: form sonnet 59-89 is a part really similar to the first one.

SIDNEY VS SPENSER

Third part of Sidney’s collection talks about the sadness of Astrophil due to Stella’s rejection. On

hand in Astrophil and Stella there’s no end, no farewell.

the other Amoretti is concluded in a

happier way than Astrophil and Stella: the beloved one does not reject the lover (Elisabeth

excepts the poet and she marries him).

WHY THIS TITLE?

It’s an italian name, so maybe Spenser are aware of how important Italian tradition have,

culturally speaking.

Why did he decided this name?

In traditional art, Amorini were the little baby angels. Amoretti could probably be readed as

Amorini (so as Little Cupids). The meaning of this: the sonnets could be the little dards that have

to hit Elisabeth’s heart.

SONNET 7 can be compared with Sidney’s sonnet 7, because it has to do with eyes. It also

concluded like Sidney’s sonnet 85.

Fair: giusti, leali, nobili, innocente, chiaro, biondo (as a matter of fact Elisabeth Boyle had a

traditional beauty).

SONNET 9

Long-while I sought to what I might compare

those powrefull eies, which lighten my dark spright,

yet find I nought on earth to which I dare

resemble th'ymage of their goodly light.

Not to the Sun: for they doo shine by night;

nor to the Moone: for they are changed never;

nor to the Starres: for they have purer sight;

nor to the fire: for they consume not ever;

Nor to the lightning: for they still persever;

nor to the Diamond: for they are more tender;

nor unto Christall: for nought may them sever;

nor unto glasse: such basenesse mought offend her;

Then to the Maker selfe they likest be,

whose light doth lighten all that here we see.

Long-while I sought to what I might compare

those powrefull eies, which lighten my dark spright,

yet find I nought on earth to which I dare

resemble th'ymage of their goodly light.

A lungo ho cercato di poter paragonare quegli occhi potenti/grandiosi, che illuminano il mio

l’immagine della loro

spirito tenebroso. Tuttavia non trovo niente sulla terra a cui osare associare

luce benigna.

LONG-WHILE: a lungo

In the first line there’s an enjambement.

SPRIGHT: spirito

NOUGHT: nothing he

He was proud of what was English at his time. He invented a lot of neologisms sometimes

write the same noun in different ways.

Not to the Sun: for they doo shine by night;

nor to the Moone: for they are changed never;

nor to the Starres: for they have purer sight;

nor to the fire: for they consume not ever;

Non posso essere paragonati al sole, perchè essi risplendono di notte; e nemmeno alla luna,

perchè essi non cambiamo mai; non posso nemmeno paragonarli ale stelle, perchè gli occhi di

Elisabeth hanno una visione più pura; e nemmeno al fuoco perchè sono eterni/non si consumano.

So while moon changes, Elisabeth’s eyes remain

II image: the moon changes her position.

always the same. But in this case, we can say Spenser is not referring to his wife, but to his

 Elisabeth’s moto were

queen (he was in Ireland now, so he needed to ask her favour)

“SEMPERE which in English means “Always the same” (the Queen is always faithful

ADEM”



to herself) as a superhuman entity, she never changes (that why she liked to be compared with

the phoenix).

Nor to the lightning: for they still persever;

nor to the Diamond: for they are more tender;

nor unto Christall: for nought may them sever;

nor unto glasse: such basenesse mought offend